dall: origin of phisosophical society 31 



merly known and is still known to old residents as ''The Island" 

 because it was separated from the city by the James Creek Canal. 

 It is that broad road just south of the Center Market that'was 

 formerly the location of this canal, which formed a sort of semi- 

 circle and came around the museum grounds enclosing the more 

 elevated land on which the Smithsonian Institution stands, and 

 then went southward through the wide lowland nearly parallel 

 with New Jersey Avenue, Southwest, to rejoin the Potomac, 

 where a small remnant not yet filled in still exists. At that time 

 nearly all of the members of the Society lived in the city and 

 therefore found it desirable to have the place of meeting where 

 they would not have to go through the Smithsonian grounds, 

 often through a considerable amount of mud. 



Probably those names that were read by the Secretary mean 

 somewhat less to the members of the Society at present than 

 they meant to us in those days, and I have made an analysis of 

 the committee of the founders, which will, perhaps, throw a little 

 light on the subject. 



From the Smithsonian Institution there were of course. Prof. 

 Joseph Henry and William B. Taylor, who was a very erudite 

 man and had a considerable part in the activities of the Institu- 

 tion, T. R. Peale, S. F. Baird, Theodore Gill, and myself. From 

 the Geological Survey (there was at that time no National Sur- 

 vey) came Dr. F.V. Hayden; the Signal Service was represented 

 by General A. J. Myer; from the office of the Nautical iVlmanac 

 came J. H. C. Coffin, whose great w^ork on the Winds of the Globe 

 is well known to all meteorologists. 



From the Army there were General Sherman, General Benet, 

 General Hmnphreys, General George H. Elliott, General Casey, 

 General Parke, and General Meigs, who built the Cabin John 

 Bridge and had a good deal to do with many of our other princi- 

 pal buildings here in the District ; from the Army Medical Musemn 

 staff and the Medical Department of the Army there were Dr. 

 Woodward, a microscopist of high reputation ; Dr. Otis, who was 

 a distinguished anthropologist; Dr. J. S. Billings, to whom we owe 

 the Index Medicus; and Dr. J. K. Barnes, who was Surgeon- 

 General of the Army. Then there were Admiral Foote, Admiral 



