Organization of the Museum. 
Under the first act the New Jersey Museum was organized. 
The first Commission consisted of the President of the Sen¬ 
ate, Hon. E. C. Stokes, now Governor-elect of the State; Hon. 
Jos. Cross, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, and will no 
doubt be the President of the incoming Senate; A. B. Poland, 
State Superintendent of Public Instruction, now City Super¬ 
intendent of Public Instruction of the City of Newark; John 
C. Smock, State Geologist, and Hon. D. D. Denis, then presi¬ 
dent of the State Board of Agriculture. The Board was or¬ 
ganized March 26th, 1895, by electing A. B. Poland President, 
and E. C. Stokes as Secretary. 
Silas R. Morse was selected Curator, and Dr. Poland and Mr. 
Smock appointed a committee to formulate rules and regula¬ 
tions for the government of the Museum. Rooms on the third 
floor were assigned by the State House Commission, for the use 
of the Museum, and the Curator was instructed to place the 
several exhibits in the same, which was complied with at once. 
The room assigned was inadequate for the exhibits. At a sub¬ 
sequent meeting of the Commission Messrs. Smock and Morse 
were instructed to have plans drawn for an addition to the 
State House, which should have a suitable room or rooms for 
the Museum. 
After consulting Mr. Scott, the head carpenter of the State 
House, plans for an addition to the back part of the State 
House, extending back to the water-power canal, was pre¬ 
sented to the Museum Commission, and these plans were ap¬ 
proved by it and afterward submitted to the State House Com¬ 
mission as required by law, who adopted the same with a few 
changes. 
In 1900 the Legislature made an appropriation to build the 
addition, and the State House Commission were empowered 
to have plans made and the addition erected. The plan sub- 
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