The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-12-26

eGale provisions FOR the care 81 the
state libraries and historical col
iectlons was the motive which in
duced the Legislature 70 make the
appropriation. Indeed, the act Itself
cites, as the necessity Tor such
bulIdlng, the fact that IS xal4ablo
~Horarles, priceless manuscript. n.s-
-oTlc relies, many records and much
pubic properly are housed n
many separate and unat pula4nxs.
exposed 10 constant danger from nre,'
therefore 1t IS lnperauN.IN necessary
l-dt larger and safer quarters be pro-
E-ded for them, and Il
was enacted that a a.rproof build
ILs, adequate for the purposes IN
tended and required, should lie
erected
In this building. which is to DE
erected at the head OF Fayetteville
street, facing on Morgan street AMI
overlooking the Capitol square. COM
moulous and convenient quarters are
&c be provided for the State Library
and the State Historical Commission.
10 the former the building commits
sion has assigned the first moor, 10
the latter the econd floor. on this
moor Will be provided Offices fer tho
Historical Commission, a Document
Room for the nling OF The Commits
go - 10 49, III Il dINIALNcS OIL
the state, an exhibition hall for the
exhibition OF manuscripts. a hall OF
history for the preservation Of his
tore relics, q portrait gallery. read
ing rooms for students, and other
facilities for the work uf the His
tCrIcal Commission.
The North Carolina Historical Conn
mission.
Nothing can better illustrate tho
prnnrTh il, IN, r,rfa rta md - n.tH4s~
interest of the work OF the North
Carolina Historical Commission than
the Willingness Of the General AS
Sembly to make sue generous pro-
visions for its present needs and lis
future expansion.
Manuscripts.
h chief activities OF the Historical
Commission during the past year have
been in the collection Of manuscripts.
Il is impossible to state accurately
how many historical documents have
been added to the States collections
il his way, but speaking con-
seryatively the number cannot fall
short of ten thousand. Among them
are the letters and pa pcrs OF William
a. Graham, Archibald ID. M~urphey,
J David j.. Swain, the Pettigrew family
tnotably the papers Of bishop-elect
Charles PettigreW, Congressman Ebe-
nezer ~PettigreW, and General J.
Johnston P~ettigTcp), ana a large coli
lection OF miscellaneous manuscripts
From Mrs. j. L. Minis, Of Savannah,
Ga. the Historical Commission has
received several valuable military
maps of Eastern North Carolina made
for the Confederate Government by
her father, Major-General J., L. Gill
lner, Chief OF tie Bureau Of Eng!n-
GERS, 6. S. A., a native of North Caro-
ina
The Ransom Bust.
During the past year the Historical
Commission has been the means Of
securing for the state handsome busts
OF three of her most eminent sons.
on March 4, 1910, Hon. Robert w.
Winston, d former president OF this
association, addressed Il communlca-
ton to the North Carolina Historical
Commission stating that he had in
hand funds sufficient for the erection
of a bust of former United States
Senator Matt ". Ransom, and placing
the same at the disposal of the His
torical Commission to be used for
placing a bust Of Senator Ransom
in the rotunda of the State Capitol.
The Historical Commission accepted
Judge WinSton'S generous offer, and
placed an order for the bust With
Mr.. T.. W. Ruckstuhl, a w~elI-known
sculptor OF New York. ON January
il, 1911, in the presence OF The state
Literary and Historical Association,
the Governor OF North Carolina, and
the General Assembly Of the State, the
bust, occupying the niche on the south
west side of the otunda, Was un-
yelled and presented to the State. As
Acknowledgement Of the state. as
Encouragement in the Confederate
States army, and as Senator in the
Congress Of the United States for
uuenty-three years, Matt ". Ransom
rendered services TO North Carolina
which entitle him TO high rank
among her public men. and justly de-
serve this tribute TO his memory.
Johnston and Norehcad Bust~
During the year. through the gen.
crosby of the Grand Lodge OF Masons,
the State Historical Commission has
been enabled TO place an order for
the bust of Samuel Johnston. Gov
~ 80 - Z go 4rv Er0t