Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-02-14
STATE HOUSE.
Regarding the Old Maine
Battle Flags.
First Step Toward PresefVa-
ton Taken by Gov. PeTham.
Changes In the Capital Stock OF
Maine Corporations.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
N.xt MEETING of Governor and Council
Tuesday, Feb. %, at ~ a. NJ

Tn connection with the proposed
work TO be done on the old battle-fiags
in th, rotunda at the State House with
:, view to preserving them from fur
Their destruction and also to renovate
them so far as possible, matter
which has been taken UP by the Gov
cruor and Council, with the assistance
OF the superintendent of public build
ings, while the arrangements for the
work have been practically completed
nothing has yet been done in the work
itself, it having been decided upon the
recommendation Of Hon. w. Scott
Libbey Of Lewiston, Of the Governors
Council. that it would be better to have
the flags photographed i'll their cases
before anything was done in the way
Of renovation, in order that the origi-
nal arrangement might be preserved.
Negotiations are now in progress for
having this done, and after the photo
graphs have been made one OF the flags
will he taken from the number III the
cases and will be sent to Taunton,
MdSs.. to undergo the process Of reno
walton, and if the work is satisfactory,
the entire lot, about 100 in all. will be
treated in q like manner. AS the con-
Germ which has offered to do the work
has the highest reputation in the coun-
try for that class of business it is con-
liucntiy expected that the results Sc
cured will be satisfactory.
After the flag; have been photo
graplied IL the cases 1t is probable tnat
a photograph will also be made Of the
flags Of the 10Th Maine Infantry, re-
quest to that effect having been made
To- the Governor and Council by En-
Governor Seldcn Conner, in order that
tie photograph might be used in the
history of the regiment. 1t was the
opinion of the committee on public
buildings that the flags should be
photographed in their present arrange
mont as it might not he possible after
they have been treated to break them
out as they are at present. After the
photographs have been made Gen.
Connor's request will without doubt
be granted.
1t is q singular thing that nearly all
of these old banners, each orc of which
la. its own history, are of silk, and it
is to this fact. together with the fact
that they have not been kept in air
tight cases, that they are dropping to
pieces through decay. The majority OF
these old flags have painted upon them
the names OF the battles in which the
regiment over which they proudly
noatcd was engaged. and the oil used
i'll the paint assisted materially in the
decay Of the fabric.
These flags are in marked contrast
to those of Europe in fabric. for while
American flags Of that period were
constructed mostly of silk, the Eu-
ropcan flags. both of Great Britain and
OF the Continental countries. were OF
bunting, and when the names OF
battles were inscribed on the flags the
work was done with bunting also, the
result being that the battle flags seen
i'll those countries arc found almost
without exception to be well preserved
Tho matter of the preservation of the
b:,ttl,.-naGS at the State House dates
back to the year 1871. Previous tf
that time, after they had been brough,
home from the war. they were dis
plavcd in the rotunda, but nothing was
done in the way of preservation. The
flags were grouped on the different
columns of the rotunda, about eight t.
"a column. while others were drdped
around some Of the portraits on tht
wallis Here they were allowed to col
Irt lust and were Swayed by every
,lrauCht Of air that found its way
through that part of the building. SO
that in course of time some of them,
already tattcrcd and torn in battle
began to fall to pieces.
1t was apparent to all that unless
something were done for the prescrva-
ton of the flags they would soon be a
thin,r ,f tho MAST and at the session
Of the LEGISLATURE in 1871 a resolve was
PASSED THAT the Governor and Coun-
Gil he requested to obtain plans and