The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-03-17

Valley. In addition, my collection en-
braces all of which were published at
Centerville, and of course contained
much matter of special interest TO
Richmond, more especially at the
present crisis, the files being nearly
complete. First comes the Wayne
County Record from 1910 to its close
as the Wayne county Wing ten years
later. For the most part it was print
ed by Samuel G. Meredith and edited
by John b. Stitt. Among much other
matter of interest the latter prepared
a history of the several towns of
Wayne county, gathered from the
county records. Readers of DR.. Plum
mer's historical sketch of Richmond,
will not fail to notice that he drew
literally from Stitt's history of Sails
bury. This collection of early Cen
terville papers is not bound, but is
well worthy of that distinction. Next
on the list come the Free Territory
Sentinel and the True Democrat, from
August %, 1913, to Jan. Is, 1853, in
three bound volumes, conducted by
Rawson Vale. | had strong impress
sion that these files of Oldest papers,
Centerville, should remain in Wayne
county, and repeatedly indicated to of
fetal represe natives of the Morris
son-Reeves Library my desire to dis
pose of them for a merely nominal
consideration; but wholly failing to
interest them, I was compelled to sell
them to the City and State libraries
at Indianapolis, where, however they
may be consulted and perhaps pur-
chased at a moderate cost. These are
but a few of many similar instances
which might be abducted showing the
not to say astounding in
difference to local history of Rich
mond and the community of which it
is the center This state of things
has not been from any lack of mater
ial, as alleged in the passage from the
Sun-Telegram, but a manifest loss of
interest in the subject. Take some
further instances. Near the begin
ming of the awakening on the subject
of the centennial, / wrote longtime
of the Morrisson-Reeves Lii
brary inquiring what they had in the
line of local history, and in reply, on
the authority of the librarian, re-
ceived a pitifully meager and unsat-
isfactory list. AS reported TO me
there was not in the library a COM
plete file OF any local newspaper, and
the fragmentary files they had were
chiefly of the less important papers.
No mention was made of the partial
file of the Public Ledger mentioned
BIZ the Sur-Telegram, and | remember
seeing II stated that it was the prop
erty OF private person, deposited in
the library for safekeeping, in the alb
souca CT any archives for the preser
yation OF such felies of former days."
a fact mentioned by Plummer, and a
condition which still continues.
have a distinct remembrance of hav-
ing seen a statement published in a
Richmond paper that young Mr.. Elder,
being about to remove to the east, had
a complete file of the Jeffer-
sonian to the Morrisson-Reeves Ii
brary; but l do not find any mention
of it as now belonging to that institu-
ton. 1t seems to me it should be ac-
for. From the absence of any
regular place of deposit, too, the
files of other old time Richmond pa
pers have long been unavailable to
the public, and even to the publishers.
For instance take the Palladium. Not
long since, in correspondence with
Mr. Fitzgibbons the late editor and
publisher, I had occasion to refer (not
for the first time) to the series of
Sketches of Centerville, it's Early
History, Social Life Etc which APP
peared in the Palladium in 1S79-s0,
T. 81,
Julian, a few years after his removal
to Irvington. The sketches range
from the earliest days down to 1910.
The early days of Centerville are of
course closely interviewer with those
of Richmond, of Wayne county and to
no small degree of the State. They
are written in a graphic and interest
ing style. and if available would form
a valuable addition to the history of
the county and state. But Mr.. Fitz-
gibbons informed me that the Pallad
ium files were slowed away in such a
shape that it was next to impossible
to refer to them. Now files in this
condition are closely equivalent to
just none at all, and only furnish an
other illustration of the shameful in
difference above referred to.
Thus far my article OF a year ago,
but what of the better commemora-
ton OF the Centennial now, on this. its
last year of grace? Is it realized that
it is to be now or nevere ITO be or not
to be; that is the question" l confess
was reconciled to the postponement
to the present year, because / clearly
saw, that, as inaugurated, it would be
a practical failure, unsatisfactory and
But / do most earnest
~ protest against the indefinite post
ponement with which we are now
For weeks, yea for
/ have scanned the columns
Of the city papers for any sign of life |
IN the moyement-no mention of it
even from my correspondence from
various directions that final failure /
would be a grieyous disappointment to-
he few surviving early settlers and |
heir descendants. In every point of |
view it would be most discreditable. |
{ has been announced and reiterated |
hat We were at least to have a his |
Ory of tho rifV ONO aoo az >-a,-o,,,