The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-13
WILL USE COPPER TABLETS.
HISTORICAL RECORDS FOR THE
CAPITOL CORNER STONE
The Committee Has Decided That
the Contents of the Stone VIII
BE Preserved Longer If the Rec
Ords Are Inscribed on Plate Than
ANY Other Way-History of the
State Being Prepared.

The subcommittee on archives Of
the capitol commission, appointed to
decide upon the contents Of the corner
stone for the new state capitol building,
will meet this morning in the rooms Of
the Minnesota State Historical society
and prepare a report to be submitted
TO the commission. The committee
has held an informal meeting and de-
cided, so far as possible, to have all
records inscribed on copper plate as the
srrest method of preserving the records
OF the states history. Other events of
Importance of the day will also be
chronicled on copper tablets.
The commission in selecting the data
to be used will aim to preserve all the
traditions Of the nineteenth century,
William B. Dean, a member of the
subcommittee, has said that unless we
are bombarded or an earthquake Oc-
ours the stone may remain intact for
a thousand years.
After the various tablets ETC., are
deposited in the stone, it will be hermet-
iCally sealed, SO as to absolutely insure
the preservation of the contents. The
committee has given as much consid-
GRAFTON to the matter as the limited
time would allow. 1t has report from
u foreign consul of the opening Of a
corner stone Of am old Turkish Mauso-
leum, which had teen sealed 1900 y a s.
The contents had evidently been parch-
| ment, but nothing but a handful Of
| ashes remained when the air struck the
Taper This led the committee to de-
eide upon the use of copper table s.
The most important of the informa-
| ton to be engraved on these tablets
will be the history of the state. This
| is now being prepared by N. P. Lang
| ford and Capt. Russell Blakely. A COM
| plete history of the advance of civili-
cation in Minnesota will be given, and
| particular attention will be paid to the
treaty of Traverse de Sioux, by
which the state acquired all lands west
| Of the Mississippi river as far as Big
Stone lake. This was in 1851, just after
| the territorial organization was per-
fected, and was signed by Alexander
| Ramsey. The subject has been much
neglected by state historians, and as
the initial step towards the formation
of the great North Star state particular
| attention will be paid to the events
| Herewith connected.
Tablets reciting the constitution of
! the state of Minnesota and the consti-
| tuition of the United States, with a list
| of the state officials and mem
| bers Of the capitol commits
SIGN, and copy TO the act
of the Legislature of 1895 which au-
thoriZed the building of the new capt.
toll will constitute part of the contents.
Half-toue pictures of the capitol
building in course of construction, in
Guiding the view of the property before
the ground was broken, will also be
among the relics. A complete set of
coins Of the present day and engrav-
ings of postage stamps issued by the
bureau of engraving and printing at
Washington, will be included, if the
cuts can be secured from Washington.
The committee will place a copy of the
Bible, the legislative manual, and a
| number Of other executive documents,
which are too lengthy to transcribe on
copper, in the stone. Matrix sheets of
the st. Paul and Minneapolis papers,
ard those of other towns, VIII be placed
IN the stone, as it is thought they will
Keep much better than printed copies
of the papers.
sum equal to the amount of the ap-
preparation left over after the building
IS completed will also be on the list.