New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-06-19
PRICELESS PHOTOGRAPHS.
CiUI War Series Preserved by the
Government.
Trnom TIE TRIBUNE BuREAu.l

Washington June 1s-The most valuable Of
Photographic collections is stored in the attic of
the War Department, and estimated to be worth
$4,000. This collection includes the photographs
and negatives made by the late Matthew B. Brady,
wartime photographer, who spent the last years
of his busy life in poverty and lived to his valu-
able collection sold piecemeal by auction for his
failure to pay the bills Of the warehouse where it
was stored. General Grant described the ooiec-
ton OF immense value to future genera
tons. covering, as 1t did twenty-five years labor
OF an Industrious photographer who had unusual
facilities for taking pictures OF people and places
during notable period of the countrys history. II
was Secretary Belknap of the War Department
who discovered in 1874 that part of the Brady
collection was for sale, account of Brady's fall
ure to pay for the storage of his material. Secre-
tsry Beiknap then able to draw upon a fund
OF s2O0e. which he expended in acquiring frac-
ton of the collection. Later the lawyers discov-
cred that the government had insecure title to
the property, and that it would require something
ike special legislation TO give the government its
proper ownership. This obtained, along with
an appropriation of $4,000, through the good Of
fees OF B. +. Butler and James A Garfield, ii be-
ing estimated at that time that the entire coec-
tion' which was TO be bought, worth at least
$4,000. There were 1896 negatives turned
10 the government result OF this transaction.
Then followed a long period of characteristic gov
ernmental careiessness and Indifference the
possession The boxes of valuable negatives which
cost the government much money were shelved,
<%4Au opened ana reopenea UNTIL when 1t
making a catalogue Of the collection it was found
that three hundred of the plates were missing or
broken beyond repair.
mere have been requests to have the collection
reproduced. and at time the National Museum
through Professor Langley. asked for the privilege
OF selecting some of the photographs for the pur-
pose OF adding them to q contemplated collection
OF pictures OF representative Americans Moth
ing seems 10 have come Of that project, although
permission was granted the museum officials to
make use of the War Department collection. Sur
VlVlnS relatives of the individuals whose portraits
nave been preserved sometimes get authority
make copies of these photographs. Several prof.
ects have been proposed for reproducing the pict-
ures and having them accessible TO the general
pubHc-one being the plan OF General A. E. Gree
ing to the best process and 50 form illustrated
volume of the records of the War of the Rebellion.
In addition TO the Brady collection Of wartime
photographs there are other pictures tak by
army quarternlasters and army engineers Of places
and structures which have not become of historic
interest These include series of pictures OF
Union and Confederate Notifications in and around
Atlanta and the surroundings OF Charleston in
1855 Another series of pictures is that Of quarter
master storehouses, army transports and quarters,
represented by LOTT negatives. Still another series
United States railway department. which played
such an important part in the successful prosecu-
ton Of the war There is also Photographic rec
ord of the various methods OF obstruction opera
zion and destruction practi sed by the railway
Department, including the gral devices then IN
use for the first time for t1dlsporting cars ana
trains by bargeS