The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-04-04

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S. CAROLINA RECORDS BURNED
Revolutionary Papjers Were Kept In
New Works Capital for Safety.

Here is the story of one of the
little tragedies of the state capto
fire. The beginning of the story
dates back to the early days Of
the Revolutionary War. The tragic
end was written in smoke and flame
early yesterday morning.
When the British forces sacked
the city of Charleston, S. c.. they
carried away with them to New York
among other papers and documents
the records and minutes of the South
Carolina naval board, a Revolutionary
organization. These remained in Brit.
ish hands until the evacuation OF
New York City by the British in
1888. They were not considered OF
any further value to the British,
and so were turned over to the To-
cal authorities. Eventually, with 9th
er Revolutionary records they were
placed in the keeping of the state,
and deposited in the state library,
where they remained until the fire.
Several years ago the existence
Of these records became known to
South Carolina historians, and they
very properly inaugurated a move.
ment to have them restored to the
state of whose colonial records they
formed natural ,,,t
part. 1t was necessary, TO accom-.
plish this transfer. however, to have
the consent of the New York state
legislature, and for several years
past there has been a bill before
the legislature authorizing this act
OF interstate courtesy. Until this
year a natural, if inexcusable, jeal-
outy has prevented the transfer.
This year the bill authorizing the
return of the records was introduced
by Senator Bayne and Assemblyman
Shortt. In the assembly it had been
reported favorably with every pros
pect OF an early passage. Last week,
at committee hearing on the bill,
Andrew S. Draper, state commission
er of education, who had general su-
peVisou CT the state library, appear.
ed before the committee in oppos-
tion. His opposition, ii is said, was
based largely on the ground that
South Carolina had no adequate pro
vision for safeguarding such valu.
able historical records from loss by
fire. Nevertheless, the prospects
were so good that A. S. Salley, sec
retary of the South Carolina His-
torical Society, was commissioned
by the governor of that state to
come to Albany, present his case to
the senate committee and be ready
to take the records home with him
if possible. re arrived to find the
records destroyed. He departed emp
ty handed to carry word back to
his state that this priceless par.
of the historical records of his state
was gone forever.
THE most unbearable part OF this
historical loss to me-" he said when
told of the remarks of Mr.. Draper
in regard to South Carolina's abil-
ity to care for the records, lis that
we have every facility for keeping
rare historical material which your
state unhappily did not have. The
manuscripts were kept here in wood
EN- cases in room with wooden
partitions and floors In South Car.
olina we have a modern steel and
cement building OF absolutely fire
proof construction in which the rec
ords could have been deposited had
We obtained them. This is the hard
est part of it all to contemplate. -
New York Post.