The Savannah morning news., 1900-12-09
FORGOTTEN CENTURY SAFE.
TSP CAPITAL CELEBR ALTON
DRAWS ATTENTION TO 1T.

Greatly Disappointed because the
safe Has necn. Moved From les
Original Position-whnt the safe
T. supposed 80 Coutafn-Other Mat
ters 81 General Interest.
Washington. Dec. Though thousands
won't 40 90 the capitol, 60 witness the
ceremonies attending the opening OF Con-
rress-the some old scene. by the way.
nat har marked the begiauirg OF every
prev ols Clugrc perhaps not a dozen
persons know anything about the Cen
fury Safe" which stands in plain sight
ou the por,co OF our big national build
ing Though the box with It's priceless
contents. has not yet passed a quarter
os SIS pronoeed century OF existence 1
doubt II "a hundred Washingtonians re-
tain the fllutest recollection Of a.. or the
. object for which q was designed. The
present government architects. who are
supposed 10 have charge OF the capitol
building ana an itf contents. ore by v.r-
tue OF their Office. nominal custodians 9f
the owrrrless safe. but nothing whatever
can bee learned about 10 from them. Mem
! ores attached 20 tho historic thing seem
/ % have strangely faded from the minds
uf those VINO see the outside Of the
easkct every day 81 their lives. ana even
ola employees OF the C1pitol. whose halr4
have grown gray ln various office about
. tlo uatti.uE. can give but fragmcutarp
/ o.t OF Information concerning %. Per-
7 oops tais Oblivion 90 Il matter of great
. nauouai interest springs from thc mate
/ ufal reluctance OF The human mind 20
haraor thoughts Of wha; rs COINS 10 hap
pen Years aud years after We Of to-day
are returned TO dust.
Tho facts are these: The scheme ~ tGe
/ Century safe was the conception aul ex-
I eeuuOn OF Mrs Charles r. Denim 80
commemorate the centennial year Of 1875
ana TO transmit 90 the American nation.
as D should be at the second centennial
% lts Independence IN 1916 patriotic rec-
or4s of the illustrious men ana women OF
the first century's close After indie
| iaugable labors che collected auto
graphs and photographs OF eminent Amer
/ cans, of every state iu the Union and
/ ot national repute Tacee ahe mounted
/ ~ strong. fine albums. and the safe do
signed Tor their reception, was placed
on exhibition IN Philadelphia during the
| centennial Exposition. Owing entirely 10
/ Mrs Deihms persistent efforts. favora-
nle action on the part % Congress was
cured. and space was allotted 90 her safe
| 10 Sthtuary Hall. Of the capitol building.
ana hero. twentv-oue years ago on
Naslington's birthday OF is7a-the CEN
tennary Of our hrst Presidents advent
I INTO Tits vale OF tcars-the casket was
closed with solemn ceremonies by Pros
dent Hayes assisted bv an hts cabinet
and members Of both Houses or Congress
/.
The design was chat the precious relies
/ should next be behoIdcn bv generations
Yet unborn. as tho KEY was not 10 be
turned again uutl July 4. 1875 The safe
u heautiiul ono especially designed Tor
! iho purpose. ITS exterior Is delicafafv
tinted ana emhe:lishcd wth designs IN
the national colors. on top ID the inscrip-
] u"tL Dedicated 20 the people OF the
/ United States by g. y. Deihrn July 4
l@e' II S. lined with royal purple velvet
the inner doors Of plate glass. with a
"otdef OF cut-glass The outer doors OF
IRON are constructed 20 be opened when
os'ired, ana 10 was intended that thev
Snail remain open AZ al times 20 permit
raising generations 20 view the contents
through the glass doors Uron each OF
tne outer doors Is suitbale tnscriptio
ON one door go inscr bed the words. 1T
Is Mrs be.hm's wish chat this safe may
/ remain closed until Julv g. 1876 Then 20
be opened BY the Chief Magistrate ~ Tho
United States" on the left door is paint
ed In memory 81 those whose names
appear upon che pages OF the album de-
posted within. who have rendered de.
tuEu.shet service 20 the country" 4
speaking likeness OF Washington adorne
tAe eornice above the top of the safe. ara
piftfaiis Of Lincoln ana Grant are found
"a each side OF the outer iron doors
.
Just what IS within tho safe. nobody
now remembers 10 a certainty Among
many miscellaneous articles. whose hls-
.pil' value Will be the heritage OF the
next century the most interesting are IA.
two albums which represent such vast
| amount @. work on the part OF AIRS
'eihm. The FIRST contains the photographs
ana the second the autographs Or the
most distinguished statesmen. jurists. leg
isi+tors orators poct-aufhors scientists.
| e'eieNmeu. historians and merchants o.
tho year 1876 when the collection was
| accomplished. In the Photograph albums
are counterfeit presontmcnts" OF more
| IMAM i've hundred 81 the leading men OF
INC nation. This alone Is beyond price
| even to-day. since the majority OF those
here represented have already passed to
me land ~ eternal youth. The autograph
| album. sent 70 every state ond territory
| IN the Union. contains the signature Of
the most eminent men Of each. A line
I has been reserved under each name In
order That ono hundred years later. the
/ nearest living descendants OF those who
/ wrote, may Inscribe their names Besides
these two albums % the inner case. three
others were placed In the outer box when
/ me receptacle was closed. one or thes.
was an autograph album. with spaces
provided Tor one hundred thousand
! ramcs II was intended that an the Pros
| iierts, speakers OF the House OF Rapre-
| sentative Generals ~ the army. adm.
rails Of the navy ard Governors or states
! WHO should succeed 20 those position,
subsequent 90 the scaling o. tho centur,
safe should therein subscribe their names
t.
The second album was for the re.en-
ton ~ photographs % che succeeding
Pres .den's and vie pres dents: and The
third album was designed TO hold The pr-
I tufoi faces OF lesser lights according 10
the following pinu. Every two wears
rhotos were 20 be- added OF four Of the
I most prominent mon az The NAVY ana
for in the army. two Senators ana two
/ Representative. from East. West south
ana North. What has become OF these
albums which we're pet mitted TO remain
outside The safe. is unknown Possibly
I they may have been Increased with the
safe. and are now rcposre on rs broad
I con. ll' " fha' ls true their original pur-
pose is lost Most likely somebody is Ia
possession - three most valuable. hut
/ incomplete albums. whieh Dee is OBLIGED
60 keep hidden. FOR obvious reasons II
their purpose bad been carried our. iusf