The Chicago Academy of Sciences. 17 



Grove from the center of the city, the offer of a lot at 

 that place by the trustees of the Douglas estate be 

 declined. 



The Academy's board of trustees, acting- on this 

 recommendation, declined the gift. 



On June 7, 1866, the collections and rooms of the 

 society were seriously damaged by fire. The fire 

 started in rooms of the Metropolitan block adjacent to 

 those occupied by the Academy, but soon communicated 

 with the museum hall. The collections, which were 

 large and valuable beyond any moneyed compensation, 

 were largely destroyed or seriously damaged. 



Dr. Stimpson, in a report to the members, stated 

 that, 4t Half the animals and birds were lost; the exten- 

 sive collections of birds' nests and eggs were mainly 

 consumed ; nearly all the insects were destroyed ; the 

 dried crustaceans and echinoderms were all destroyed. 

 The large herbarium was saved, with the exception of 

 the plants of the northern Pacific expedition. The 

 library was much damaged by water, but most of it 

 was still in a condition to be used." 



The Academy held $30,000 of insurance on its 

 property. The making up of the proofs of loss involved 

 a great deal of careful labor, and Mr. Blatchford and 

 Dr. Stimpson deserved much credit for the able and 

 faithful manner in which they performed the work. 

 The damaged specimens, books and other property were 

 taken to a room in a building, owned by Mr. Scammon 

 and Mr. McCagg, at the corner of La Salle and Lake 

 streets, where Dr. Stimpson devoted several months in 

 an effort to preserve them, but the final result showed 

 that comparatively little of the property was of value, 

 and a considerable portion of the insurance was finally 

 collected. Many of the specimens destroyed were ex- 

 ceedingly valuable scientifically, and could not be re- 

 placed, and were therefore a severe loss to the scientific 

 world as well as to the Academy. 



Feeling the importance of fireproof accommoda- 



