Fortieth Annual Meeting 259
REPORT OF THE MUSEUM COMMITTEE
Vice President George F. Bareis,
Chairman of the
Committee, read the following report:
The Museum Committee held one
well-attended meeting on
June 17, 1925. Director Mills outlined
his plans for the occu-
pation of the new building, as to
departments and space. Pro-
fessor Hine, the new Curator of Natural
History, was present
and made a report as to his plans and
progress. The commit-
tee heartily approved the plans and
programs.
Doctor J. M. Henderson, a member of the
Committee, dis-
cussed the advisability of establishing
a Department of Numis-
matics, and volunteered to lend his
assistance. He is Presi-
dent of the American Numismatic Society,
and has a large col-
lection of coins of his own. Doctor
Henderson was chosen
Honorary Curator.
Respectfully submitted,
(Signed) GEORGE F. BAREIS,
Chairman.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FORT ANCIENT
Dr B. F. Prince, Chairman.of the
Committee, read the fol-
lowing report:
Your committee on Fort Ancient would
report that so
far as the appearance of the grounds is
concerned, everything is
in good condition. Even with the dry
weather the grass was
green almost every where. Some
improvements have been made.
Thirty rods of fence have been built,
costing $33.50. Twenty
thousand shingles and nails, at a cost
of $140.00 are on hand
for use on the barn. Gravel was hauled
on the road in places
where most needed, and a number of minor
repairs were made.
The amount expended to July 1st, 1925,
was $315.00. Bills for
hauling gravel since that time have not
been rendered.
The bad feature to report has been the
lack of water. From
a depth of twelve to eight feet of water
usually in the well, it
fell to eighteen inches, and at that
stage very little, or none,
could be secured.
Much dissatisfaction was expressed by
visitors at this con-
dition, with reflections on the
custodian, directors of the So-
ciety, and the state of Ohio. In view of this situation
two mem-
bers of your committee spent a day in
study of the condition,
and as a result they somewhat
overstepped their authority in or-
dering another and deeper well put down.
They did this firmly
260 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
believing that the people should be
accommodated. The well is
not quite finished.
The number of people who visit the fort
on the Sabbath
day runs from 1500 to 2000. Even on last
Sabbath, dark and
gloomy and rainy, there were one hundred automobiles
present,
perhaps with five hundred people. Our
Society must take care
of them in the best possible way.
The present graveled road was built
about twenty-five years
ago, when only poky horses, drawing vehicles,
now and then,
found their way into the Fort. The road
was a good one for
its day, built at an expense of about
$150.00. But the rapid
automobile can tear any graveled road to
pieces, and that is
what they are doing with our road at
Fort Ancient. Then, too,
the road was built as a single-track.
When carriages passed each
other they had to turn on the grass. The
same must be done by
the automobiles now. What is needed is a
road wide enough for
vehicles to pass each other without
leaving the roadway. It is
a matter that this Society ought to
prepare for presentation to
our next General Assembly.
It may not be amiss to present another
thing. With the
crowds that gather weekly at the Fort
during the warm season,
there ought to be a person who will give
his whole time in that
part of the grounds where the people
park their autos. He could
prevent fires from being built against
trees, rough treatment of
the state's property, and any violation
of good order, and also
be a source of information to the people
who gather there. The
people of our state are disposed to make
certain places a point
for gathering, as Buckeye Lake, Indian
Lake, Fort Ancient, and
other favorite points, all being state
property, and the state can
afford to make its own grounds pleasing
to the people.
Respectfully submitted,
(Signed) B. F. PRINCE,
(Signed) JOHN L. ZIMMERMAN.
The report was ordered received and
placed on file.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON SERPENT MOUND
Professor W. H. Cole, Chairman of the
Committee,
read the following report:
The general conditions at Serpent Mound
Park during the
past year have been satisfactory. The
custodian, Mr. Guy Wal-
lace, has been reasonably watchful and
efficient in looking after
the property.