Re: C.D. Mosher; "National Historical Photographer"
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In reply to:
C.D. Mosher; "National Historical Photographer"
1/01/02
The Centennial historical album, 1876, containing photographs, autographs and biographies ...
The photographs were removed and are in the photograph collection, Chicago History Museum, Research Center.
the collection ..
A GREAT BOON TO POSTERITY.TEN THOUSAND PHOTOGRAPHS SEALED UP FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.From the Chicago Tribune, Feb. 28.For the last five years Mr. C.D. Mosher, the photographer, has been collecting photographs of prominent persons connected with the city of Chicago, with the object of having them sealed up in a memorial safe, deeded over to the city, and deposited in the Court House valuts with the archives of the city until the second centennial of 1976.He has already prepared 5,746 of these memorial photographs and is daily adding to the number.He expects to collect 10,000 pictures altogether and have the collection completed and duly deposited with appropriate ceremony before the end of the year 1886.The memorial safe is already procured - a large iron fireproof receptacle that now stands in Mr. mosher's gallery as a monument to his own enterprise and generosity.The able space in the city vaults for the reception of Mr. mosher's gift some time before the building was completed.
the safe is pretty well filled with photographs.Its outer door bears this inscription:
"In Memoriam, 1876.Mosher's Memorial Saty Vaults, Containing Photogrpahs of Prominent Men and Women, with Memoirs and Statistics.Deeded to the City of Chicago as an Offering and Souvenir for the second Centennial 1976."
The inner door has a lengthened inscription showing the classification of the pictures.There are 16 small compartments, divided as follows: (1) City, country, and State officials, including all the Mayors of Chicago up to 1885.(2) Bankers, merchants, and manufacturers.(3) Physicians, surgeons, and dentists.(4) Judges and lawyers.(5) Editors and journalists. (6) Bishops and clergymen. (7) Principals, Professors, and teachers.(8) Prominent women and wives of prominent men. (9) Railroad magnates and officials. (10) Business men and women of miscellaneous occuopations.(11) Members of commanderies.Kinghts Templar, and kindred societies.(12) old settlers - men and women who came to Chicago prior to 1840. (13) Local and general statistics. (14) Family records and historic sermons, lectures, &c. (15) Specimens of leading newspapers of Europe and America. (16) Books and papers of reminiscence and miscellanous matter not otherwise classified.
The collection is a wonderful one and worthy the examination of every Chicagoan.If there be a man in any way prominetly identified with theis city as minister, lawyer, business man, or otherwise, whose photograph has not been gotten.Mr. Mosher would like yo know it, so that he can nail him straightway.
The New York times Published March 5, 1885