Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-12
THE PUBLIC ARCHIVES
RESULTS OF AN EXAMINATION
OF DEPARTMENT RECORDS.
Phase Of Carnegie Institution Work
Discussed Last Evening at Co.
lumbia Historical Society.

The condition and character of the manu-
script records of the general government
especially those of historical interest, were
described last evening at a meeting of the
Columbia Historical Society, held at the
Shoreham The speaker was Mr. Waldo G.
Leland of the department of historical re-
search in the Carnegie Institution of Wash
ington. and as he gave some of the results
of the investigation for the first time made
of the archives of the government it was
evident that sources of national history of
much Importance to be found in the
files and records of the government in this
city.
Several years ago the Carnegie Institution
published what was termed a guide to the
federal archives. which contained much
that the labors and researches of Mr.
Leland and those associated with him had
brought to light in regard to this matter
The Importance of the publication lies not
only In what is disclosed relative to the
public records. but also in the fact that It
is the first attempt to make any study at
all of this subject.
AS stated by the speaker. the government
ITSELF judging from it's recorded acts, has
practically done nothing toward making
these records available for use. move I'm
that direction. in the opinion of the speaker.
was made when authority was given to Sc
cure a site for a hall of records.
one OF the ulmcultleS about making any
use of the records is that their dispersion
through twenty departments or bureaus or
commissions, instead of being concentrated
in one place. such the archives Office a
familiar feature of the governments of
England and France.
What Has Been Accomplished.
Something is being done in the way not
only Of bringing into one place these scat
tered manuscripts, but also In making them
more accessible. An instance of what has
been done is found in the office of the mill
tary secretary of the War Department.
where all the material of this sort in the
department has been centered and for
which a card index has been prepared.
Congress has also acted along the same
lines In directing all purely historical pa
pers in the various departments to be trans
ferred to the Library of Congress The need
of some relief arises from another cause
and that is the congested condition Of the
department buildings. The room for such
records, which have now reached an enor-
nous bulk. Is of course inadequate, and the
consequence is that much Of this matter Is
thrown into Easements and garrets and
cannot be consulted nor in fact can n
At any rate the investigation made by
Mr.. Leland. 1t Is quite evident, furnishes
for the first time something of a guide to
the maze, and assistance Of such q substan-
tial character is appreciated by all who
have occasion to consult the government
archives. This thought was expressed by
several OF the speakers who discussed the
paper and who expressed their interest and
appreciation Of what had been done and
what was proposed by the Carnegie Insti-
tuition In affording information as to the ex-
tent and character of historical material
in the archieves Of the government.