HoLLicK : Interrelations — Association, AIuseum, City 199 



pealing for private contributions to assist it in carrying on its ac- 

 tivities. Many people, including some of our members, have de- 

 clined or hesitated to give needed financial assistance when ap- 

 proached because they were under the impression that the city 

 appropriation could be used for any purpose that the Association 

 might deem necessary or advisable. 



The fact is that the Association has never been able to do any- 

 thing more than pay its ordinary expenses, and at times has had 

 to borrow money in anticipation of its income in order to defray 

 emergency expenses. 



Note 



The president has informed you in regard to efforts now being 

 made, through a committee of the board of trustees, to secure the 

 erection of a fireproof building for the museum on land owned 

 by the city. 



It is proposed to raise by private subscriptions the money nec- 

 essary for the construction of the building. This method, it may 

 be seen, will constitute a precedent so far as the public museums 

 of the city are concerned, although the American Museum of 

 Natural History has in contemplation the erection of a wing to 

 the museum by means of private funds, in the event of the city 

 not providing the money for the purpose. The trustees, however, 

 were careful to have it understood that this was not to be regarded 

 as a precedent for relieving the city from adding to the museum 

 building in the future.* 



* On suggestion and by request of the trustees of the American Museum 

 of Natural History the following minute was adopted by the Board of 

 Estimate and Apportionment on July 27, 1916 : 



" Whereas, the Trustees and friends of the American Museum of 

 Natural History, through very large donations, have greatly increased the 

 collections and have strengthened the relations between the Museum and 

 the public schools, the members of the Board of Estimate and Apportion- 

 ment desire to make public acknowledgment of the service which the 

 Museum has rendered and is rendering to the City; and 



" Whereas, ten j^ears have elapsed since the City has added to the build- 

 ing of the American Museum of Natural History, and the members of the 

 Board of Estimate and Apportionment appreciate the urgent necessity of 

 enlargement of the building, but they realize that it is impracticable for 

 the City to make any appropriation this year for the Museum [building] 



