Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-03
FOR A[DR|CH
Venerable Curator OF Historical
Department Sees Contirma-
ton of Dreams
HISTORICAL BUILDING READY
Valuable Relics and Archives Housed
in Their Permanent Home - Aid
rich Entitled to Credit for Good
Work - Cities and Towns at Sea
over Law for Choosing councImen.
pecial to Times-republ,can.

Des Moines, Jan. 3.-When Hon.
Charles Aldrich curator of the state
historical building, comes down from
Boone, which he will do in few days,
he will see the contamination of his
dream, the completion Of the state
historical and memorial arts build
ing.
Charles Aldrich has lived a most
useful life. He served as an editor OF
several newspapers, which placed him
in positions of responsibility, and after
coming to Iowa served as clerk Of the
house and later as a member OF the
house during the nineteenth general
assembly. Some years ago, after hav-
ing accomplished more than the or
binary human being accomplishes in a
life time, he set about devoting the
declining years OF his life to securing
the proper preservation of the histor-
ical relics and documents of the state.
With his own private collection Of
valuable material as a nucleus he Sc
cured consent of the legislature to oc-
cupy a little corner of the state IL
brary. From that modest beginning he
has been able to persuade the various
legislatures as to the Importance OF
the work, with the result that mag
nificent new building is just now near
ing completion. One-half of the build
ing Is devoted to the preservation Of
documents and material of historical
value and the other half to the state
library and the library, commission.
Owing to his health and because OF
the shifting of the materials and fur
niture into the new part, Mr.. Aldrich
has not been down from his home IN
Boone for some days. He Is expected
here shortly. When he comes he will
find the building practically complete.
His office has been moved to the new
part and with the exception Of a little
Strengthening around of furniture and
the like the historical building is now
complete and the results of the hard
work Of Mr.. Aldrich have their re-
ward.
Scores of letters are reaching the
office Of Attorney General Byers ask
ing for information on section OF
chapter rs Of the acts of the Thirty
second general assembly. The last
legislature desired to amend the law
as to cities Of the second class and
towns so that they would have uni
fcrmly the same number Of aldermen
and other offices. In doing so 1t was
necessary that the language Of the
law be more or less involved and as
a result town and city officers all
over the state as the time for the
election approaches Are very much
concerned about what they are to do.
The law extends the terms Of some
city and town officials and provides
that the law shall be- in full force
and effect not till 1910. AS a result
many cities and towns are unable to
tell whether they are to elect one, two
or three aldermen at the coming city
and town elections. The inquiries will
be answered in short time by Assis-
tant Attorney General Cosson.
The oil paintings that adorned the
walls and ceiling of the supreme court
room at the state house before the
f:re, in 1904 have been placed on the
walls of the reading room of the his
turical department in the new histor-
ical building. At the time of the fire
hey were loosened by the water and
.st was necessary to remove them.
When the building was redecorated
they did not fit into the painting
scheme of Artist Guernsey and SO they
tn, r1o
They have now been placed in the
historical building. The work was
done by T. I. Stoner and the scheme
of decoration has been very neatly
adapted to the paintings so. that they
form one of the best schemes of mural
decoration in the state. Mr.. Stoner
has also just completed the other
decorations in the new building and
they are meeting with very flattering
comment. The decoration of the ro-
tunda and the marble Wainscotting of
the rotunda will not be completed till
the next legislature has made an adj
ditional appropriation as the funds
available are now all exhausted.
The state treasurers office has re-
sumed paying cash and all warrants
are now cashed as soon as presented.
None of the warrants issued have ever
been stamped mot paid for want of
cash. and none will draw interest be-
cause thru the furry when the state
couldn't get it's money out of the banks
those having state warrants were not
insistent.
AnAIee AcAIMsr aEEr Hiu rnpE