Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1865-10-02


CrtFfoA, sept 20. 1875.
In my report Of Dec. sist, 1851, l wrote
= follows: f .....z.a
.And in counectios With IL value Of
some Of the records in this Department, 4
reconmend that provisios b made for The
purchase Of suitable safe for The ~ Of
this Office. in which can be deposited thee
records, which, in future years mus b. 81
immense Importance to the people Of this
ckate"
No safe or any 6re-preof accommodation
have ever been furnished. Many times
during the past four years hsvc Rad to
fesort to private safes for the preservation
Of valuables belonging to soldiers or their
fhmilics.
But now that the records Of the Ado
tAst Generals Office have grown to such
N extent, and their value by the benefits
that Thousands are daily receiving in every
Tiatt of the State h somewhat appreciated,
il becomes matter Of inquiry II it Il not
the duty Of the State to provide suitable
ljuilding for the protection ofthese records.
One thing is certain, if these records are
Destroyed, they can hever be replaced. II
they are worth anything for our State his.
tory, or as mere matter NJ money ana
worth hundreds Of Thousands dollars TO
our people, they are worth protection.
There should be erected at the Capital
Of the State fre-proof building for these
records and the records of other State OH
GERS. The building should not have stick
Pof timber in its construction. 1t should be
built entirely of brick or stone, and the
roof should be ofiron and slate. The win
dow sash and doors should be of iron, and
the cases for the books and papers should
he of iron.
The Hon Richard BARTLETT nearly thirty
years since prepared an able document
on the subject of preservation Of public re-
cords from which take the following ex
tfact
40 provide for the safe and perfect
keeping Of the Public Archives is SO OBJ
viously one Of the first and most impera-
tive duties ola legislature, that no argu-
mont could make it palmer to reflective
mind. They are treasures Of 80 sacred .
character, that the public enemy who wan
tOnly dcvotcs them to the flames is, by all
civilized people, branded "a barbarian !;
and of 50 priceless value, that no money
could purchase them Of the poorest State
destroyed. And yet legislators, who would
not sleep until their own title-ieeds were
on record and their buildings insured
against fire. feel no concern for the safety
Of the archives and editces of the State,
although its prrsc is in their hands, and
they have solemnly sworn to discharge
their duty with fidelity This astonishing
AZ athy, in matter Of such interest to the
whole community, may, perhaps, be deemed
the less censurablc because it is go general
but what reproach will not justly attach
to those constituted guardians Of the com
mon veal, who, after having their atten-
ton turned to the subject, shall carelessly
and ncgligcntly leave rho original records
and papers of the State-the only authen-
tic materials of its history--toa remote, it
may be, but ultimately certain destruction
Of fire"
From Mr. Bartirtt's researches, it appear
ed that thirty years since public archives
had been partially destroyed Ivy fire as fol
lows In New Hampshire 1885, in Massa
chnsctts in 1s47, in New York 174O, and
1873, in New Jersey in 1885, in North Car
Dina in 1881, in Soush Carolina 169S,
capitol has been burned twice:
Mr.. Bartlett continues:
'Thc national archives have been par
TALLY burned at three several times, viz
In $780, when the buildings of the War
Department were accidentally consumed
in 1914, when the public buildings and
many of the records and papers Of the
War, Navy and Treasury Departments
we're destroyed 10y the British troops; and
in 1893, when the Treasury buildings were
burnt. It deserves special remark, MS IA
striking evidence Of the utility Of fire
proof offices, that the valuable papers in
the two fire proof rooms Of the War Office
in 1914, and those in the firc-proof ioems
ofahe Treasury Department in 1888 were
al saved. while many Of the others were
consumed
In a note Mr. b. observes: "Since these
remarks were written, the conflagration
of the Patent Office, the General Past
Office and the City Post Office has &C
cured"
Many other facts might be given, many
other contiagrations Of State and public
archives I've referred to, but as have writ
ten this note only for the purpose Of call
ing attention to the matter, in order that
our journalists and public men may CON
slider and discuss the su,1tctsto which at.
tcntion is thps called, will stop
- -Ffuly Yours -ss
I N.B..BAkEn
'0N 14r' glft.
eAu will remember the burning Of the Smithsonian