western United States. Both 
the edge of a great boom tha 
transcontinental railroads. They would have to 
realized, but neither knew 
this in 1856. 
Both cities had many wealthy men, and many more would make 
to come. In both cities all kinds 
ars 
of cultural activities—theaters, libraries, music, art— were 
patronized by these men. Both cities were centers of medical 
education, and both had colleges, later to become great univer- 
sities. So, in both St. Louis and Chicago, the conditions were 
ripe for founding institutions for the cultivation of science. 
th academies founded in 1856 had local men of standing 
in various fields of science who gave technical leadership by 
preparing papers that were read at the meetings, and by collect 
ing spekimens and arranging adequate museums. And what is more 
there was enough money to acquire permanent buildings to house 
these museums, and to publish the papers read at the meetings 
in annual volumes of Transactions that were exchanged for those 
of scientific organizations both in the United States and 
throughout the world, thus assuring the authors of appreciative 
audiences, and at the same time building valuable libraries lor 
both Academies. 
The museums of both organizations were open uo uu^ f»"- 
In heavy walnut and mahogany cases with plate glass toPS ana 
fronts, were arranged orderly and scientifically classiiiea 
collections of flora and fauna, >^-+h fossil and living types 
as well as "suites "of minerals and 
modern 
was 
bear, and 
museums were little more than mausoleums, ^^^^"^^^7;° . 
_ .__ - ^^. _^._^x_j w4^^ «„ tho wnnden nerch, the tootny 
In one corner was sure to be a 
meteorite of some size, and in another a gigant 
rock crystal, and always there was a case of Indian arrow 
arranged 
niuseums 
And yet, dull as 
served 
arnest 
collectors, as well as to the growing number of P^^^^^^^J^^' 
with the colleges. To the layman who visited the 
was revealed a marvelous «;;f ^f ,^°^J' ^'rn lith'mLing 
le was onlv dimly aware in his daily concern wii 
connected 
a living. 
Chicagi 
erate than did the St. Louis Academy. As a^^^"""' "": gj 
had specially constructed and equipped ^"^^'^^''f ';".„« *But 
Louis had to be content with rooms or converted mansions. 
244 
