Ohio History Journal

EDITORIALANA.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. On August 19, 1904, a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Trustees of the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society was held in the conference room of the Public Library, with the following members present: Mr. Geo. F. Bareis, Col. John W. Harper, Prof. B. F. Prince, Hon. D. J. Ryan, Secretary E. O. Randall and Mr. E. F. Wood representing Mr. S. S. Rickly. Letters of regret on account of inability to attend were received from Mr. W. H. Hunter, Chillicothe; Hon. M. S. Greenough, Cleveland; Prof. C. L. Martzolff, New Lexington and Prof. G. F. Wright, Oberlin. Mr. E. F. Wood made a verbal report of his visit to Ft. Ancient on July 4th and 5th, when he held a conference with Mr. Warren Cowen, the custodian, and also made a careful inspection of the Fort, and study of contemplated improvements on the property. Mr. Wood's statement was one exceedingly satisfactory to the committee and complimentary to Mr. Warren Cowen. The latter has been most loyal and faithful in his labors in the care of the Fort and in looking after the interests of the Society. Mr. Cowen has also been most efficient and painstaking in carrying out all instructions of the Trustees in their supervision of the property. After hearing the report of Mr. Wood the Secretary was instructed to renew the present contract, with some slight changes, which the Society has had with Mr. Cowen the past two years, the new con- tract to be effective from August 1, 1904, and continue for two years, until August 1, 1906. Standing committees for the ensuing year were decided upon as follows: Finance, Rickly, Ryan, Bareis; Ft. Ancient, Prince, Harper, Bareis; Serpent Mound, Martzolff, Hunter, Randall; Museum and Li- brary, Wright, Greenough and Brinkerhoff; Publications, Ryan, Keifer and Randall. The Secretary reported an account of his visit to the St. Louis Exposition on June 15th and 16th, at which time he carefully inspected the exhibit being made by the Society in its quarters in the Anthropolo- gical Building. This is one of the permanent and therefore most desirable buildings on the grounds, it being one of the main structures recently erected for the Jefferson University, to be occupied by the University after the Exposition has closed. In the same building is the Egyptian (558)

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Editorialana.                       559

 

exhibit, and several exhibits of archaeology and anthropology. About

one thousand people daily inspect the display of the Society, and

amongst these are professors, scholars and students from all parts of

the world. The Society is certainly to be congratulated upon the exhibit

it is making and upon the attention it is attracting from the public and

the influence it is exerting in behalf of the Society. The newspapers

not only in St. Louis but throughout the country are giving it admirable

and wide-spread notice. Prof. Mills has most admirably arranged the

exhibit and he has been the recipient of innumerable compliments for his

competency as Curator of the Society.

The Secretary reported the issuing of the July Quarterly and stated

that the October Quarterly was being rapidly prepared for publication,

and would probably come from the press early in September. He also

reported that the reprint of the Centennial proceedings had been com-

pleted. Fifteen hundred copies were now at the disposal of the Society,

and a certain number would be sent to each member of the last legis-

lature in lieu of their failure to receive the contingent which had been

provided for in the appropriation bill, and which item had been vetoed

by the Governor.

The committee authorized the Secretary and Treasurer Wood to

arrange for a visit by the Executive Committee to Fort Ancient on

Monday, August 29th.

 

 

On Monday, August 29th, in accordance with the decision of the Exe-

cutive Committee at its last meeting, members of the Executive Committee

and certain invited State officials made a visit to Fort Ancient. Those

participating were: Hon. L. C. Laylin, Secretary of State and Mrs.

Laylin; Hon. W. D. Guilbert, Auditor of State and Mrs. Guilbert; Prof.

C. G. Heckert, President of Wittenberg University, Springfield,

and Mrs. Heckert; Mr. W. H. Raynor, Springfield and Mr. D. A. Ran-

dall, Columbus. Of the members of the Executive Committee there

were Hon. D. J. Ryan and Mrs. Ryan, Columbus; Mr. Geo. F. Bareis and

Mrs. Bareis, Canal Winchester; Col. John W. Harper and Mrs. Harper,

Cincinnati; Prof. C. L. Martzolff and Mrs. Martzolff, New Lexing-

ton; Prof. B. F. Prince and Miss Grace Prince, Springfield; Secretary

E. O. Randall and Mrs. Randall, Columbus. The party reached the Fort

at 9:00 A. M., and were met at the station by Mr. Warren Cowen the

Custodian, who with carriages, escorted the party to and about the

Fort. A thorough examination of the embankments and enclosures was

made. The work done by the Society in the embellishment and improve-

ment of the property was also carefully noted and commended. Further

proposed work by the Society was also considered and certain features

of it determined upon. The party partook of a sumptuous country

dinner at the Fort house; all agreeing that if the menu enjoyed was

any sample of the provender partaken of by the prehistoric man, the

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560         Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

mysterious Mound Builder was at all events a good liver. The weather

proved delightful, and the State officials, as well as trustees, pronounced

themselves as highly pleased first with the fact that the State had secured

the property, and second that it was being so admirably protected under

the custodianship of the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society.

 

 

 

 

HARRISON-TARHE PEACE CONFERENCE MEMORIAL.

On Tuesday, June 28, 1904, at Columbus, Ohio, a most delightful and

appropriate program of ceremonies was carried out by the Columbus

Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution commemorative

of the peace conference between President Harrison and the famous

Wyandot Indian chief, Tarhe, at Franklinton, on the west side of the

Scioto, opposite Columbus. This peace conference was held June 21,

1813. The exercises of the celebration were held in the open air near the

historic spot where the conference took place. Temporary seats were

provided for the auditors in the little park which ornaments that part of

the city, the speakers occupying an elevated platform over which was

spread a canopy. The audience, it goes without saying, was a sym-

pathetic one, being composed mainly of the Daughters of the American

Revolution, Sons of the American Revolution, and members of the Ohio

State Archaeological and Historical Society, to whom the committee in

charge had courteously extended invitations. The Columbus Rifles Band

furnished fitting music. Invocation was pronounced by the Reverend

Washington Gladden. An immense granite boulder made an imposing

monument, upon which was attached a beautiful bronze tablet stating the

event which it commemorated. A most admirable and appropriate ad-

dress presenting the peace memorial to the City was made by Mrs. Edward

Orton, Jr., Regent of the Columbus Chapter, Daughters of the American

Revolution, and to whose energetic and persistent efforts was mainly due

the idea and its fulfillment of the erection of this tablet. The act of unveil-

ing was most unique and interesting, as the immense stars and stripes

which served as the veil were drawn aside by Masters Milton Wilcox and

Allen G. Thurman. The address of acceptance on behalf of the City

was made by Hon. Robert H. Jeffrey, Mayor of Columbus, who spoke

briefly but eloquently of the inspiration of honored ancestry. The chief

address of the occasion was made by General Benjamin R. Cowen, life

member of the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society, who spoke

at some length, in his usually graceful and scholarly manner, dwelling

upon the historic conflict between the white and red races for supremacy,

the past achievements, present conditions and future prospects of the

white race. It was an occasion much enjoyed by those who were so fortu-

nate as to be prsent, and greatly to the credit of the Daughters of the

Revolution, who find in such occasions fitting opportunity to express

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