34 THE BOTANISTS OF PHILADELPHIA. 



passed by the Select and Common Councils of the City of 

 Philadelphia authorizing the Park Commission to make col- 

 lections for an Economic Museum. Later, arrangements 

 were made by Professor Wilson and one member of the 

 Park Commissioners with the Mayor, by which letters were 

 addressed to the foreign representatives at the Columbian 

 Exposition, stating the wish of the City of Philadelphia to 

 obtain the exhibits of natural products at the Fair for the 

 proposed Museum, where they might be preserved intact 

 and so remain as a lasting proof of the advancement of the 

 countries they represent. 



On October 19, 1893, Councils passed an ordinance 

 making an appropriation of $10,000 to the Commissioners of 

 Fairmount Park " to defray the expenses of procurement, 

 transportation, packing, storing and display of raw and 

 manufactured economic products now of the Columbian 

 Exposition at Chicago." The sum of $3000 was advanced 

 by three prominent citizens until such time as Councils 

 should make the appropriation. This unexpected generosity 

 saved the enterprise from what might have been a failure, 

 since by that time other cities and institutions, realizing the 

 benefit to their industries to be gained by such a museum, 

 were making attempts to obtain the collections partially 

 promised to Pennsylvania. The appropriation was finally 

 made by Councils, and the money was judiciously expended, 

 $20,000 provided for the project in 1894. Professor Wilson 

 succeeded in securing displays of various materials from 

 Mexico, from Costa Rica, from Guatemala, from British 

 Guiana, from Ecuador, from Colombia, from the Argentine 

 Republic, Brazil, Venezuela, Uruguay, Paraguay, Labrador, 

 Sweden, Germany, Russia, Johore, Japan, Siam, New South 



