100 years ago in Spokane: Spokane Museum receives butterfly donation

The fledgling Spokane Museum was about to receive an unusual collection: rare butterflies from as far away as India.

C.W. Herr of Priest River, Idaho, donated his collection of butterflies to the museum after displaying them temporarily at the Interstate Fair.

“The butterflies are arranged in six trays and are selected chiefly for ornamental effect,” said the Spokane Daily Chronicle. Herr also had a more scientific collection on display in a museum in Pasadena, “which he may bring to Spokane” as well, the newspaper reported.

One of the rarest specimens was a Papillo Buddha from India, which Herr secured after a 15-year search.

The museum was located on the fifth floor of the Crescent Building, pending a fund drive for permanent space.

From the international rescue file: Florence Duryea of New York spoke at a local conference for Near East relief, and told her listeners that more than 100,000 girls, “the flower of Armenia,” were being held in Turkish harems.

“I am not going cease my labors until the children of starving Armenia are taken care of,” she said.

Spokane women vowed to send funds to support 334 Armenian orphans.