The Calumet news., 1912-03-06

gan. IL was the colors standard pre-
sented to the Brady Guards OF De-
troit by stevens r. Mason, the hoy
governor of Michigan" The flag
Was made of fine white silk and
upon IL was painted in colors a full
length portrait of Governor Mason.
In addition there appeared the seal
of the state a painting of the COVER
nors horse. and upon the inverse
side still other figures The flag was
done by a Detroit artist. Alvin Smith.
The standard was pras"ncG TO the
brady Guards Feb. 22. 1887.
Seventy-five years later, last Thurs
day, Mrs James II. Campbell, honor
airy life regent of the Sophie de Mar
sac chapter of the Daughters of the
American Revolution, in connection
with the annual meeting Of the chap
ter, exhibited this oldest state flag,
properly encased at the Kent museum
and told with respect to it's history
all that scattered records have 20
offer. as well as gave more detailed
account of the research work which
ended in the resurrection Of the en-
hlem.
Forgotten for Fifty Years.
IL was somewhat OF an achievement
OF Mrs. Campbell's to be able to pre-
sent this old standard before the
Grand Rapids chapter precisely 75
years after the youthful governor of
Michigan had bestowed it upon the
gallant Brady Guards for valiant ser
vice rendered. II becomes more Of
an achievement when one remembers
that for all Of so years the lag had
lain forgotten and ncseurrd, that no
record of it's existence apparently
was contained i'm the state depart
ment, and that the bundle had been
literally kicked about in and out Of
the way OF the busy department clerks
The flag had been bundled together
with no thought of care. Thus it had
lain for years, simply wadded into "a
tight package. Permission was grant
ed by the state auditors through
Huntley Russell TO remove it tenn
porarily to Grand Rapids one day
it was brought into the Kent museum
in hat box. It's seal had not been
broken. Those most concerned i'm it's
preservation were loath To unwrap IL
for fear the fabric, faded TO a mere
Girty brown. might collapse into
actual dust With the utmost eau
ton Director IT. e. Sargent undld the
bundle. spreading out the silk to it's
fun size. Despite his care the cloth
did tear and fray i'm the foldings. Blu:
when the director concluded more
than n weeks work in preservation
the flag was brought forth quite
whole. Persistent and careful oiling
had SO removed the CRIME that the
colors stood forth in something Of
their original strength. Some of the
figures, particularly the portrait Of
Governor Mason is quite distinct and
The flag was encased and is on eX-
hibition at the museum. When fully
in order 1t will be restored to the
capitol at Lansing. II will not be re-
turned to an obscure corner of the
state department, however. 1t will
be given a worthy position in the
capitol rotunda among the other flags
of Michigan, than of which, though
many of them are bloody tokens of
distant battlefields, there is none 9TH
or more priceless or more worthy to
be preserved than this. the flag Of
the first governor Of the common
wealth, the official flag OF Michigan.
Recalls Birth Of State.
The flag, its long years OF obscur-
ity. it's finding and its proper restora-
tion bring up a flood Of recollections
associated with that memorable year
three-quarters Of n century ago. the
year 1887. II calls TO mind the adj
mission OF Michigan as the thirteenth
state. January 26, an event charged
with significance, not only for It's
own self, but because of its termina.
tion of that bitter though bloodless