The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-13
To Strengthen Department

If recommendations which have been
 made to the Alabama legislature by pr. Thomas M. Owen, director of the depart ment of archives, are favorably acted | upon, the department of archives and his- | tory at the state capitol will be put on as 1 firm and substantial a basis as is to be | found in any similar department in the | United States. At a session of the board Of trustees of the department, held in the office of Gov. B. B. Conner today, the di- rector's report of the years work was read and commended. and legislative committee was appointed to undertake the securing of such legislation as is de- sired for the state.
 In general the recommendations of the director are that chief clerk be appoint ed to work for the state at salary of s150o, and to generally assist the director in the maintenance of the department; that archives collector be appointed at salary of s12o0 to go about the state for the purpose of adding to the states historical records anG relics; that repair work be undertaken in the rooms of the department whereby the archives now in the cellar of the capitol be placed in steel
 
 ble, and that work be undertaken where by the department can regularly reinforce its present collection of books, an appro- priation by the legislature being necessary for this purpose.
 pr. Owen in his report calls attention to plans now on foot for the creation of another division of the department to be known as the archaeological division. All of the activities of the department during the fiscal year of October 1, 1909,
 to September 30, 1910, are discussed at length in the document, in each para graph of which is a record of the phe- nomenal strides taken by the department in preserving the states historical records and relics.
 On motion Of P. J. Hamilton of Mobile, the director is required hereafter to de- vote a small sum for the up-keep of the site at Twenty-seven Mile bluff, on the Alabama river Mobile county, the site of the old city of Mobile. Resolutions were passed at the same time promising the help of the department in making the bi- centenary celebration of the founding of Mobile a success. Both the governor and the director were thanked in resolutions for the splendid cooperation which they have given the department in placing it on it's present basis
 | A legislative committee, composed of l J. Manly Foster, w. D. Jelks and W. l.. Lancaster. was appointed by Lle trustees to look after the passage of the legisa-
 tion desired by the board. The com
 mittee has been instructed to get to work on the question at once, in order that
 the incoming legislature may pass such
 measures as are desired.
 1 Those present at the session of the 1 board were Gov. B. B. Conner, a member
 of the board and ex-officio chairman; Dr. 1 Thomas M. Owen, ex-offcio secretary; | P. J. Hamilton of Mobile, representing
 the First district; J. Manly Foster of Montgomery Second district; pr. J.. H. 1 Johnston of Talladega, Fourth district; 1 w. l.. Lancaster of WetumplSa, Fifth | district; pr. ". H. Blake of Sheffield, l Eighth district; Col. Sam Will John of Birmingham. Ninth district; ex-Governor
 Jelks of the Third district; ex-Governor
 Foster of the Seventh district and o. D. 1 Street of the Sixth district.