Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-08
ARCHIVES YET INCOMPLETE
Much Hard Work Ahead Of Those in
Charge in Iowa.
FEW ATTEND SCHOOLS FOR DEAF
Institutions at VintOn and Council
Bluffs Good Ones, but Patients
Have Repugnance TO
Attending.
CFrom a staff Correspondent.l

From a Staff Correspondent.)
DIES MONIES. Ia. Dec. L-(Specisl.)-
The report Of the archives department of
the state Of Iowa just made, indicates that
this department has before 1t several
years of hard labor before the records of
the state are all properly classified and
cared for. Four years ago a start was
made in a small way to have the state
papers taken out of musty pigeon holes
and arranged so that they may be seen.
The work done. however. proves to have
been labor wasted. Two years ago a new
commission was organized along strictly
business lines and a force of competent
clerks placed In charge. j. r. Kelly, mem
Der OF the legislature from Polk county,
was placed in actual charge Of the work.
Since then the department has handled
over $4,000 pieces OF matter, all state pa
pers or records, running back to territorial
days. mainly from the office of the gov
ernor and that of the secretary of state.
These old documents are being cleaned
and placed in flat cases and filed in extern
sive steel cabinets, and so classified that
any paper may be found very quickly.
Sometimes papers are handled several
times before they reach their destination.
The report OF the commission shows that
the work has only fairly been commenced
and that it will take several years to
complete the same. 1t is probable that the
legislature will make an additional appro-
priation to enlarge the commission and
have the work done as quickly as pos
sible. No effort had ever before been made
to have the state papers placed where they
would be permanently cared for.
Don't Use the Deaf school.
Some time ago members Of the State
Board of Control made investigation to
find why 1t was that the attendance at
the state school for the deaf in Council
Bluffs has smaller attendance than 1t
had years before. The small attendance
at the school makes 1t very difficult for
the board to run the institution on the
allowance Of the state and maintain the
high efficiency which has long character
lied the school. 1t was found that the at
tendance at the blind school at Vinton
is also not growing though it is a very
efficient school. The belief is that there
is a general feeling over the state that
these two schools are classified with the
charitable institutions of the state and for
this reason there Is repugnance to attend
ing them. One remedy has been suggested
and that is to have these schools aiken
III NiS DOolN "a SOaNAN S"N
der the general board of control for the
educational institutions whenever it is
created, and thus have them classed as
strictly educational institutions. Another
is to make attendance at these schools
compulsory. though this will be opposed
by some. The attention of the legislature
10 to be called to the situation.
Trouble over n state Contract.
The trustees Of the state college at
Ames are having some trouble over the
completion of the new agricultural hall.
The contract was let to Schleuter of Chi
cago, who started the work, and later
failed. The surety company, which was
on his bond, undertook the completion OF
the contract. Now 1t is found that the
surety company is unsuited to this work
and it's demands are such that the state
can hardly afford to comply. The work Is
going on at the college, but very slowly
state Fair Management.
The annual meeting of the Iowa farmers
institute is to be held in Des Moines this
week. The delegates come 'from county
fairs and farmers Institutes and 1t elects
the directors of the Department of Agricul-
ture, who conduct the state fairs and have
charge of the year book and other matters.
1t is expected there will be no change in
the membership of the board, as in the
last few years the state fairs have had
such phenomenal success that everyone
desires the management to continue with
out change. President Cameron has had
the office two terms and does not care for
it further, but he has been connected with
the fair management much longer now
than any other person and there is general
desire he continue at the head several
years. Secretary John C. Simpson will be
reelected without question. Ex-Governor
Packard, who is on the board, contemplates
going to California for the remainder OF
Z the winter. but he will retain his residence
in Iowa and will be retained on the board
; The board will ask the legislature for lib
eral appropriations.
Tax Revision Activity.
The annual meeting of the State Tax
Revision association, which will be held
in Dies Moines the coming week. will make
strong commentator to the state legis
lators to make very great changes in Tx
law as to assessment and taxation. The
commission desires virtually to have al
moneys and credits exempt from taxation
II is proposed that in some way mortgage,
be taxed and this only when recorded
The general tax laws OF the state neec
much revision and the association will con,
slider all phases of the subject.