davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Arizona republican., 1908-06-28

6e discovered upon the parchment by tIreIul microscopic examination They also reported against the proposition which had been advanced to apply chem icals with n vlew to restoring the original rolor of the ink. It was the opinion of the experts that such applications could be but partially successful. inasmuch as q considerable portion of the original ink was removed In making the copy of 1870, and also because such application might result in serious discoloration of the parchment.
 Finally the committee reported adverse ly upon the suggestion that any solution Snch as collodIn, parafin, etc. be applied with view 10 strengthening the parch- ment or making 1t moisture proof. But the committee did urge that the docG- meut be kept in the dark and us dry as possible, and never placed on exhl- bition. Ever since 1891 1t had been hermetically sealed in a frame and placed in the steel case above meniioped to- gether with the original copy of the Con stitution of the United States. Then, in 1902. Secretary Hay issued the order in accordance with which the huge square steel box that holds the Declaration was locked and sealed. It has been opened once since that time in order that the officials might ascertain the condition of
Arizona republican., 1908-06-28

HG HEN. a few weeks ago. the news paper dispatches from Washington W made mention of the fact that a descendant of one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence had applied to the President for permission to look st the famous document the public re- ceived its first hint Of the extraordinary care exercised by Uncle Sam for the safe keeping of what Is. in a way. the natiou's most prized possession. Probably DO relic in the world is more carefully guarded thsn this self-same piece of parchment with its roster of significant autograph signatures.
 Every time an exposition Is held any where In the United States the projectors conceive the idea of borrowing the Decla- ration of Independence as their chief drawing card fin the way of an historical exhibit, but all hopes of this kind are doomed to disappointment. The Declara- ton was transferred to Philadelphia for the Centennial in 1876 but never before, nor since, has it been out of its deposi- tory at the national capital. and it Is pretty snfe to predict that it will never in future be disturbed.
 During the past decade there has been a redoubllng of protective measures look ing to the safeguarding and preservation of the Invaluable document. Six years ago the secretary of state Issued an order that the Declaration should be hermetI- cally sealed in a light-tight, freproof. burglar-proof safe and that this safe should not be opened except upon hIs written order. How resolute Is the de termination of th c officials to keep the document in that seclusion that is be lieved to be essential for its preservation may be surmised from the fact tdat never in the six yenrs since the retirement order" was issued has any person been able 10 induce the Secretary of State to Issue the necessary order to obtain a peep at the important document
 The Declaration of Independence has
Arizona republican., 1908-06-28
and
 the Fourth.

Just why the young America of the days Immediately following the Declara- ton of Independence decided that fire works was the right sors of material for al! patriotic display would be hard ta SAY. Nevertheless, the history of ire works in Western nations has great h. terest. Perhaps everybody knows thar the Chinese. who seem to have invented everything eIse under the sun before Eu- rope learne5 about them, also Invented fireworks.
 Until a few brief years ago the only first grade fireworks were made In China Nowadays. however. the best fireworks ere made In this country. and even the Chinese lantern and the Chinese ire cracker which form so large a part or our display on July are DO longer made In Asia and imported. but manufactured right in this country by American capital and with American labor.
 But the father of the boy of nowadays knows that in his early years 1recrackers were expensive, and although few were then made In New York state that ell the really good crackers came from abroad.
 Firecrackers and qualification seems SYNONYMOUS h human nature. At the time of the Revolution hrecrackers were hor- rlbIy expensive Only the very wealthy could afford them and when they were displayed the entire town. city or county was wont to congregate about what would now be considered only a fairly ordinary display.
 All over the United States on the Fourth of July every little town and county seat will have It's special display. Tous ot powder will be set off and millions of lire crackers and rockets disposed of.
Arizona republican., 1908-06-28

make suggestions as 10 ways and means for Its preservation. Accordingly. Pres
 dent Agassiz, of the National Arademy. appointed special committee. consisting of John $. Billings. Ira Remsen anG Charles r. Chandler, to confer with Scc
 retary Hay or the subject. Eventually this special committee was given an Op- portunity to make q careful examination of the precious instrument. with the sistance of MT. A. II. Allen. then sery
 ing as the chief of the Bureau of Rolls and Library of the State Department. and also with the aid of pr. Wilbur NJ. Gray, of the Army Medical Museum.
 IL was found that the document. had suffered very seriously from the very harsh treatment to which It wns ex- posed during the earlier years of the re- public. Folding and rolling have creased and broken the parchment. The wet press copying operation to which II was sub jected about 1920 for the purpose of pro ducing facsimile copy removed Q large portion of tine ink. Subsequent ex- posture to the action of light for more than 30 years while the instrument was placed on exhibition has resulted ln the fading of the ink. particularly In the sig natures. The committee was pleased however. 10 Gnd that no evidence of mold or other disintegrating agents could
Arizona republican., 1908-06-28

private nagmakers to follow whatever de- sign may be adopted by the fighting seryIc.s.
 There is no rule stipulating whether the Navy Department or the War De- partment shall take the initiative in pro- viding G new design for the flag when a change becomes necessary. In the pres ent Instance the Navy people got ahead Of their military brethren in planning for the transformation of the Stars and Stripes. No sooner had 1t become a cer- tainty that Oklahoma would be admitted to the Union than the matter of rear ranging the flag was brought to the at tention of the head of the Navy Depart ment by Mir. A. C. Wrenn, chief clerk of the Bureau of Equipment. This iat'-- office has, as part of It's work, the provision of the flags needed for all our warships, and MT. Wrenn was particular ly interested in the subject through a long continued study of the history of the flag and its evolution.
 The powers that be in the Navy De partment decided that, although there was no immediate need for the new flag. 1t would be au excellent idea to perfect plans for the change when 1t should be necessary. Accordingly. Flag Architect fWrenn was asked to prepare several diff ferent designs-that Is. several possible ar 13 stripes representing the l3orlginal states remain unchanged. no matter how many latter-day additions there may be 10
Arizona republican., 1908-06-28

Uncle Sans fami!y. The flag expett fouad tna; he had no easy tasa aLead oi him. Not only was it desirable to per feet the most artistic possible arrange- ment of the stars, but 1t was also neces- sary to constantly bear In mind that the scheme of encouragement must be such that a star could be added to each of the flags already on hand without marrinS their appearance.
 However, Mir. Wrenn finally evolved three different designs, each fulfilling all requirements. One of these was chosen by the officials of the Navy Department and recommended to the Joint Army and Navy Board. of which Admiral Dewey is presidents This boIy unhesitatlngly 9dopted the iLdcrsed design, and there. upoh the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of War isSued general orders calling for the adoption of the new flag. The order of Secretary Metcalf. whtch embodies the official description of the new flag IS as follows: ''To comply with the provisions of Section 1I92 of the Re vised Statutes of the United States, ihe union Of the national ensign and toe union jack used by the naval service shall. on and after July 4. 1908. contain 46 stars, arranged In six rows-the first. third, fourth and sixth rows to have eish: stars each. and the second and hfth rows To have seven stars each"
 No sooner had the newspapers made mention of :he fact that the government experts were wrestling with the problem cf the encouragement of the dag Una
Arizona republican., 1908-06-28

, expense of having specially prepared small book on the red leather cover of which he had impressed in gold an ar engagement of the stars placed In accord ance with his ideas. The leaves of the little volume were given over to a writ ten explanation of the advantages of the plan.
 However. the officials had passed upon and approved the design submitted by Mir Wrenn ere this avalanche of flag correspondence descended upon sthe gov erument offices. As was perhaps to he expected. quite number of persons living In widely separated sections of the conn try ultimately submitted plans almost identical with the one first presented by NIT. Wrenn. Que man, former sallmaker in the United States Navy. now residing In Maine, got his suggestion in only few days after the acceptance of the de sign originated In the Department and this Maine man sent with 'h!s' communi- cation an American flag wifh-the- stars arranged in the new forni.@ @Thls little piece of bunting is now preserved In the archives of the Navy Drpurtneut Es the first flag of the new type
 as was perhaps to be-eypccted. many suggestions for the new flag came from the State of Oklahoma. and inst here It should be noted that especial interest at
Arizona republican., 1908-06-28

taches 10 the various ceremonies nnG er- ercises whereby the people of the new born state will commemorate the advent of the new flag, created especially for their benefit. Particularly significant will be the exercises in the various Indian schools maintained under governmental or other auspices and some of which schools are attended almost exclusively by the boys and girls of the Osage tribe of Indians the richest children per cap ita in the world.
 The American Gag was adopted In the summer of 1TfI as the result of the work of committee of which BenJg min Frank lin was a member and came as the sue cessor of q varied and promiscuous lot Of flags which had been In use during the earlier days of the War for lndepend- cnce. Before Betsy Ross made the first national emblem In accordance with the plan followed to this day more than 90 flags had been conceived, used and dis carded. So long as the country was con- posed of the Is original states there were l3 stripes and l3 stars arranged In circle. However. after Vermont became state fin lT9I anl Kentucky entered the family, In 1T92. IL was deemed ad- visable to place the stars in the form Ot a constellation.
 In 1872 Congress appointed committee
Arizona republican., 1908-06-28

had most interesting history since IL came into existence on that memorable Fourth of July in Philadelphia one and one-third centuries ago. The penned document that now reposes In the library of the State Department at Washington Is the one and only official instrument. So far as Is known there was no dupll- cate nor extra copy of the Declaration made for printers copy" as would now be done in the ease of any Important document. the contents of which were to be perpetuated It Is believed that the copy in the hands of Secretary Thomson st the close of the session on that first Independence Day went to the official printer. John Dunlap. and was used by him as copy. The next day in making up the journal of the Continental Congress the Secretary wafered in a blank space left for this purpose a copy of the broad side print
 Copies of the printed broadside were also sent out, in compliance with the reso- lutiOn of Congress. to assemblies. con- ventions. councils of safety" etc. Other editions differing somewhat in style were printed by Dunlap to meet the demand for the Declaration and a few copies were printed on vellum. Meanwhile the original document wss most carefully preserved. Under an act of Congress. approved July 9. 1Ts9, the Declara- tion was deposited in what was then known as the Department of Foreign Affairs. A few months later the name of this branch of the government was changed to Department of State and the secretary of state was declared to have charge and custody of the Declaration.
 The Declaration has virtually been in the custody of the State Department continuously from that date to the present time. To be sure it reposed in the Patent Office at Washington from 1Sil to 1S0, but the Patent Office, it may be recalled. was for many years a part of the Department of
Arizona republican., 1908-06-28
A New Star for the
 State OfOklahOma,

~ oURTH OF JULY will this year wit
 ness the formal introduction of a new y American flag. Of course, the na- tion's emblem is not to undergo any rad ical change on the nations birthday, but rather is 1t to be "enlarged and i'm. proved" by the addition of a new star for the new State of Oklahoma. The general public has been wont to think of Okla homa as a full-hedged member of the sisterhood of states ever since action was taken many months ago looking to her admission to the Union, but as matter of fact she does not fully attaIH@to the dignity of her new relation l1ntil Inde- pendence Day. when Uncle Sam will un- furl a <8-star flag in her honor.
 The new flag, which by mandate of the United States government will henceforth constitute our national insignia. was de- signed almost year ago. and for months past the governmental and private flag makers have been busy adding the new star to each flag in stock and manufac- turing new flags with the revised ar engagement of stars This has been no small task, for the government has thousands upon thousands of flags of one sise or another in use iu all parts of the world. That Uncle Sam has been forehanded in this matter. however. IS attested by the fact that some weeks ago the officials of the House of Repre- sentatives inadvertently violated the law by raising a 46-star flag over the United States Capitol. Of course it was all a mistake. but it proved that new flags were in hand at the nations law fac tory all ready for use weeks before they were needed.
 The United States Navy Department and the War Department are jointly the custodians of the American flag. Not only do they use more flags than any body else, but they manufacture their own flags. The flags for the ships and stations of the Navy are made by large forces of expert f1agmakers at the navy yards at Brooklyn. \. r.. and Mare Island. Cal, whereas the red, white and blue bunting comprising the Army flags is sewed together at one or another of the government arsenals. All the other flags used by Uncle Sam, including those which float from the public buildings scattered throughout the land and the branch offices" of the government in foreign parts, are manufactured by pri- vate firms under contract with the gov ernment However. whenever 1t Is nee essary up'n the admission of a new state to rearrange the flag. as in the present Instance, the various federal de- partments that make outside purchases and War Departments and instruct the
Arizona republican., 1908-06-28

State. and occupied what was believed to be q freproof building. whereas. that which then housed the Department of State was not regarded as afording any surety against damage by fie. After the Centennial. however. the declaration was transferred to the State Department proper. that branch of the government having in the meantime acquired an up- to-date building. Here 1t has remained ever since Tn the library. which has spa cious quarters on the fourth floor of the great granite building occupied by the State, War and Navy Departments.
 The present solIcitude for the preser- vation of the Declaration with all pos sible care dates from n period somewhat prior to the Worlds Columbian Exposi- ton In Chicago In 1893. It wns proposed to transfer the Declaration to Chicago for exhibition. and a steel safe, or pack ing case" as it was then termed, was specially constructed to serve ns re posltory for the document en route ard during the period of the fair. While these preparations were in progress the officials of the State Department turned the mat ter over in their minds. and eventually came to the conclusion that 1t was risky business 10 have the nations most hon ored relic carted about the country, even If the moving was done with all possible cnre The President took this view Of the matter also. and so 1t was decided not to allow the Declaration to be transferred 10 Chicago.
 About the opening of the year IoOc 
 tary of state. asked the National Acad- emy of Sciences to carefully investigate the condition of the document and 10
Arizona republican., 1908-06-28
lokePt

met that stands adjacent to the safe containing the original Declaration. The steel exhibition cabinet also holds one of the facsimIIes of the engrossed copy of the Declarntion-one of those reproduc- tions made by order of President Monroe. in order to secure 200 copies for the signers of the Declaration and their heirs-
 In a glass case in this same treasure house of historic mementoes Is the snaii' plain, unpublished mahogany desk, on which Jefferson wrote the Declaration Of Independence This Interesting relic came into the possession of the government in 1880 The desk had been given by Thomas Jefferson 10 Joseph Coolidge. Jr.. upon the occasion of the latters marriage 10 Jererson's granddaughter. Miss Kan dolph. On the death of NIT. Coolidge. whose wife had died year or two pre- vjously, the desk became the property or their four children, and was by them pressed wish of the donors "to oner U presented to the nation. IL was the ex- to the United States that 1t may have place in the Department Of State witn The immortal instrument which was Writ- ten upon 1t In 1776.
 
 ferson's handwriting. as follows: "Thomns Jefferson gives this writing desk to Jo- seph Coolidge, IT.. as a memorial of his sHection. It was made from drawing of his own by Ben Randall. cabinet- maker. of Philadelphia. with whom De first lodged on his arrival In thai city' in May. TIC and Is the identical one on which he wrote the Declaration Of h. dependence. Politics as well as religion hns Its superstitions. These gaining strength with time. may one day give imaginary value to this relic for Its asso- ciation with the birth of the great char ter of our independence. Monticello. No vember IS, 1925"
 Although Jefferson was nearly S3 years of age when he presented the desk. his donation inscription, above given, IS writ ten In the same bold, clear and strong handwriting fin which he penned the De claration of Independence almost haf century before. when young man. little more than 30.
Arizona republican., 1908-06-28

to decide on a permanent design for the flag. Several stripes had meanwhile been added to the original l3. but t was fore seen that this could not be continued IT many more states were to be admitted without danger of making the flag mar tistic or unwieldy. md so the congress sionai committee discarded all the stripes over and above the original number of 13. which it was d-creed should be perna- nent. with the stars In the form of square. so that new nucs could be added conveniently upon the admission of new states. This plan was formally adopted by Congress in ISIS and has ever since been rigidly adhered to. This will ex- plain 10 many persons who sent to Washington designs showing the stars arranged in the form of a giant star. circle. or some other fanciful grouping why such novelties cannot be considered The government custodians of the flag Ire committed to the plan Ot placing the stars tn even lines. regC.ariy arranged.
Arizona republican., 1908-06-28
TCl1eu0 L6eNaH Nao 0eM80ed G6eMs~Ea9

voluntary suggestions began iv pour Into Washington from all parts of the country. The men and women who had ideas as to how the flag should be arranged sent their suggestions through various chan nels. Dozens of suct. communications 'ame to the War anG Navy Departments direct, others were sent to senators and representatives in Congress and a num- Der were transmitted to the White House One man, a resident of BloomviIle. O., took the trouble to rome to Washington and personally iald before President 2 Roosevelt a geOmetrical design in which the iG stars were made to form a big star with five points.
 A fMasSa husetts man wanted to nave the stars arranged In the order of the ad- mission 0: the states to the Union. and one designer proposed that the stars be arranged t0 conform tJ tbe rnd.atinE sPokes of wheel. Considering the fact that the government hHd offered no prize fo7 q design-had not even Invited sug sestions-the widespread interest was re- Cla.kable and one enthusiast went tU the
Arizona republican., 1908-06-28

Criminal records kept. in New fork county for the last six years show that a trine more than one-half of the per. sons charged with crimes are found guilty. while expert opinion is agreed that not two out of 100 are innocent
The new era. (Walden, Colo.) 1906-19??, 1908-04-30
Laramie, Hans Peak
& Pacific to be ex-
tended to Walden.
Contracts let for sixty miles Of
Grading fromCentennial to-
ward Routt County.

The Laramie, Hahns Peak & Pacific
Railroad company, the Laramie Plains
Line which is building from Laramie
toward Routt County, Colorado, has let
the contracts for sixty miles of grading,
which will take it to within thirty miles
of Steamboat Springs, says the Cheyenne
Leader.
The contracts which have just been
closed were awarded to j. f. White of
Rock Springs, Wyoming, and Peter
Cain of Walden, Colorado. The road is
completed and in operation from Laramie
to Centennial, distance of thirty miles
and the new contracts will take it to
Walden, Colorado, sixty miles farther,
1t is planned to have the first 100 miles in
operation before the end of the year.
The completion of this road is to be fol-
lowed by further extension through
Hebron, in Larimer county, to Steam
boat Springs and the Routt county coal
fields.
The new era. (Walden, Colo.) 1906-19??, 1908-04-30
THE EXPERIMENT FARM

At meeting of the commercial club
Tuesday evening the progress to date
of the experiment farm was reported
and discussed. A majority of the ex-
pertinent farm association were present
and they authorized Superintendent
Donelson to hire and discharge laborers
as he shall see fit in the discharge of his
duties Of managing the farm.
Treasurer w. o. Mosman made report
showing $500 to have been paid in and
S1S3.3 81 disbursed, for the following
items: Seed $s337, labor $50 The as
sociation has bought seed and grubbed
and plowed the ground so as to be ready
for seeding next week, at which time
Professor knorr of the Colorado Agri
cultural College is expected in Walden
to give expert advice on planting seeds
and care af the farm.
The new era. (Walden, Colo.) 1906-19??, 1908-04-30
QUITE SUCCESSFUL
AUCTION SALE

At Stout's Barn last Monday afternoon
there was something doing all the time.
VIM. F. Donelson was the wild man on
the stump and A. A. Hunter the clerk
and recorder. The Webb family sold
out everything they had on the ground
through the Offices of tire geptlmen above
named except few sacks to carry home
the money. Everything went quickly
at good price and everybody was there
feeling fine. The sale took all afternoon
at that, as there was lots of stuff to SELL
1t was never known hereabouts that
Mr.. Donelson is professional crier un-
til the late sales. He was known to lie
an amateur of no mean standing at
peddling the soft smooth conversation
and it is plain now he has had some
training which heretofore was pro
found secret.