Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1870 [PAGE 68]

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T. E. Rickard, Ornithology; and S. J. Westlake, Zoology, as restricted. Mr. A. L. Whitcomb, also a student, accompanied the party, paying his own ex. penses. A trial camp was made in the woods, near Urbana ; after which we went south to Cairo, then north upon the main line of the I. C. R. R. to Galena, back to Mendota, thence to Chicago, and from Chicago to Champaign. Throughout the route, we stopped at every point deemed of special interest to us ; but the most valuable collections were made in the vicinity of Villa Ridge, Cobden, DuQuoin, LaSalle and Galena. We were everywhere very kindly received and often greatly aided by persons interested in our labors ; but at the risk of seeming invidious, I wish to record the names of Mr. Thomas Tizon of DuQuoin, Mr. J. M. Tracy of Cobden, Deacon Lothrop of LaSalle, and Mr. and Mrs. Danforth of Montgomery—from all whom we received special favors; and of Mr. John Bulmer of DuQuoin and Mrs. Graham of Galena, for specimens presented. Among the many industrial establishments we visited, the Pottery at Anna, Illinois, and the Glass and Zinc works at LaSalle, Illinois, are particularly mentioned. The former is supplied with excellent potters' clay, a specimen of which was procured, from a bed thirty-three feet in depth and of unknown extent In the immediate vicinity, a good quality of lire clay is also found. Each of these natural deposits will doubtless prove a source of inexhaustable wealth, now scarcely imagined. Both the glass and zinc works at LaSalle are the result of comparatively recent enterprise. The former is supplied with sand from the St. Peter's sandstone, which here crops out, and with lime from the rocks adjacent; but the soda used is imported. About 500 pounds of sand, washed and sifted, 185 pounds of soda, and 120 pounds of lime are used per week. Their sales for the last year amounted to about $190,000. The glass is a very superior article. Zinc is made from what had been for years the refuse of the lead mines, and is now brought to LaSalle from Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin, instead of transporting the coal necessary for smelting. One firm alone use from ten to fifteen tons of ore per day, and give employment to two hundred and fifty men. We gave special attention to the growing crops and the soils upon which they were grown. Frequent specimens of the latter were secured, but being in the middle of the summer very few seeds could be obtained. The collections made and now in the University building may be summed up as follows : Number of specimens of plants named 432 " " " " " not yet named 150 birds 42 reptiles 32 u " " " insects 150 " " " " mammals 5 Besides these, a large number of fossils, of fresh water shells and of minerals, together with some specimens of different kinds of wood, of soils, of materials of manufacture and of manufactured articles, were secured. Two hundred dollars of the appropriation were drawn and expended as follows: