Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-09-10
Historical Department Comes
Into Possession Of Many Val
liable Articles
JESSE JAMES SADDLE LATEST
Many Articles Identified With Early
History Of Iowa--Two New Species
Of Flowers Found in Iowa-Rhine-
hart Not Concerned Over Hearst's
Invasion Of the State.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Molnes, Sept. 10.-Jesse James
saddle is on exhibition at the state
historical building and is now the
property of the state of Iowa. Wlln
IL in few days are TO be placed al
ndavits showing that it Is the gen.
uine saddle that Jesse James used.
There is absolutely no question as to
the identity of the saddle. Assistant
Curator Harlan secured the prize from
patriotic Iowa people who knew the
historical value of the thing and nave
placed it in the historical building.
The saddle is of the old style ana mas
the marks OF bullet hole in It,
Along with the trophy the state his
torical department has lately been en-
riched with number of important
and interesting finds that are Identified
with the early history OF the state OF
Iowa and are therefore. valuable from
a historical standpoint as showing
conditions of those times.
One of these things is the Day
Book" of Layfayette Spencer, who with
others made Il trip across the country
by OK team from Birmingham, Iowa,
to Portland, oregon, in 1852. The
book is small memorandum book In
which from day to day are chronicled
the more important happenings and
the route taken. The route can now
be traced by the use of an atlas. The
party left Birmingham May IL, 1852,
and landed in Portland Oct. %, 1852.
On the journey 4 large number Of the
party died of cholera including his
brother, Charles Spencer, and Charles
Spencer's wife Robert Carter, one of
the party. died June 1S, and Nancy
Spencer, wife of Charles Spencer,
June 10.
In one place the book tells of the
difficulty with the oxen. The oxen
got across a stream and it was i'm
possible to get them back till they
were driven up the river to a bend
in the stream just below a rapids
where after the oxen were driven in
once they were washed across the
stream. On the last leaves of the book
is letter to a brother of Spencer in
which he advises him as to the new
country and the hardships endured in
making the journey.
Among other relics is handmade
bear trap of the early days which
was brought to Iowa from Kentucky
by ancestors of Harvey Thomas Of
Van Buren township. A lot of hand
made tools of the early days such as
tools for cutting out shingles and
marking cattle and the
like are in the collection.
A number of very important oil
portraits of persons prominent in the
early history of Iowa are soon to be
placed in the portrait gallery at the
historical building.
T. Van Hyning has discovered two
practically new species or specimens
of flowers in this state. One is a
white thistle and the other is white
Gentian Blue Gentians are common
and purple thistles are common, but
not cnly in Iowa, but elsewhere in the
western states. They are SO rare that
a prominent scientist, when they were
first shown him, pronounced them en-
tirely new specimens never before
and prominent scientific
printed a lengthy article on
their discovery 1t has not been dis
covered that Athey existed before and
have been made known to science be-
fore this. Mr. Van Hyning is museum
assistant in the historical department
Custodian McCurdy has begun work
on replacing the east steps at the state
house with granite steps. The old
steps were of soft stone and have
BEEN fcrumbling for some time.
Professor Riggs will shortly make
known some figures showing the exact
condition of the schools and teachers
of the state in relation to compensa-
ton. 1t has been discovered that the
new certificate law is resulting in ele-
walton of teachers salaries for the
certificates they hold are good in any
county, and the shortage of teachers
makes the demand for teachers spir-
tied. There are more teachers in the
state than there are schools, but the
schools are after the best teachers.
Many teachers of experience are re-
fusing to sign contracts to teach for
more, than one term this fall unless
given substantial increases in wages,
because they expect to get better po-
sitions later in the year. The result
is that salaries are going up all over
the state Information on this in
crease will be ready for publication
soon.
George F. Rhinehart editor OF the
Chronicle Of this city, is not
over the Hearst Indepen-
dence League movement In this state
'In the first place the league is made
up of independents" said Mr.. Rhine
ha rt today. Some are democrats and
some are republicans but they are in
DEPENDENT Hearst can control them rs
against any such corporation men as