The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-07-28
AIMS 10 PRESERVE
CURRENT HISTORY
uA71oNAE oksANIsA11oN ronMnD
10 MAKE RECORDS or Con-
TEMPORARY EVENTS.
Mr.. TAFT PRESIDENT
GIVEN HONORARY POST, WHILE
MIR. RRrDGMAN WILL BE AC-
TIVE HEAD - RECORDS
ON PARCHMENT.
Mr.. TAFT PRESIDENT

NEW YORK, July 27.--Having for
It's purpose the preservation for fu-
ture generations Of the. records OF
cotemporary history and achievement
by the best methods known to modern
science. a unique organization known
as the Modern History Records as
ISOLATION has, been organized In New
York. with former President Taft as
its honorary president and many
prominent men as its members.
The organizers Of tho association
point out that tho larger part OF the
records OF contemporary history, life,
and civilization, as given In the latest
books, newspapers, periodicals,
pamphlets and reports. Is printed on
sulphAte or wood pulp paper. In
. from nifty to seventy-flve years. It ~
said. many Of these records will have
crumbied TO dust. In a century COM
parativeiy little OF the printed record
OF this great age OF the worlds his
tory will be In existence.
Much OF the paper now used In re-
cording wills. mortgages and other
State. county and city legal proceed
ings Is 81 poor quality. 1t Is pointed
out, UNITED for long life. Many
court records are known to be no
longer available because the paper
used could not stand the constant
handling to which 1t was subjected.
and can now be saved only by copying
at q great expense.
Associations Object
To offset this situation. 80 far as
possible, by permanent records Of the
vital events In history. and remedy
the evil itself so far as possible. Is
claimed N the aim Of the new axso-
citation. This In to be done in vari-
GUS ways. including the printing OF
important records with the best ink
and on paper with such a large per-
centage of rag flber that Its perma-
hence through the ages IL guaran-
teed.
A unique part OF the work OF the
association 10 to he the filing away. In
two lead-iined steel chests. OF inter-
esting records OF the year 1918. in
Guiding family records, messages and
pictures OF members. One of these
chests is to be placed in the New
York public library and the other will
be placed in vault near the Cheops
pyramid In Egypt.
To BE o.. med in 20f3.
On the box in New York will be
placed copper plate inscription ad-
dressed to the citizens of New York.
directing them 10 open the chest jan
uary I, 2ol3. one century hence. The
chests viii also contain various docu-
1nents. tablets and photographs reiat-
ing to the life and affairs Of the peo-
pie in the year 1918. 1t Is expected
TO be an interesting message to pos
terity.
Records OF contemporary life are
10 he kept in various ways. One of
these ways is TO be through talking
pictures A set OF the first dozen
records has been made by Edison for
the association. Photographic rec
ords are also to be obtained.
"Movie' FL ms, Also.
Moving pictures Of historic events
are to be obtained through co-opera-
ton OF the Aim companies. Many of
these priceless records. such as those
covering Amundsen's discovery OF the
south pole. the fghting in the Baik-
ans and the Inauguration OF President
Wilson. are already In existence.
Another method Of keeping records
Of the age in to be through parchment
records, made with permanent ink. by
the men and women associated with
big movements. Among the nearly
nifty already collected are records by
peary and Amundsen on the conquest
Of the poles. an expression by EXPIRES
ident Taft on his peace policy. mes
cages from Maurice Maeterlinck, Lord
Rayleigh, George Bernard Shaw, Col
onel Theodore Roosevelt. Luther Bur-
bank James Bryce, Sir Hiram g.
Maxim, the late President Madero. Of
Mexico: william Jennings Bryan. An
drew Carnegie. Admiral George Dew
ey, Sir Arthur Wing Pinero. Ehhu
Tedder. Richard Strauss. DIR. Alfred
r. Wallace. II. g. Wells. Sir William
Ramsay and others.
A parchment OF Frederick Harrison.
which has been said to contain a
prophecy as to the fate of the British
empire. Ii to be preserved. at his re-
quest. unopened for at least century.
Work has also been begun In Sc
curing rag paper records from the
worlds greatest scientists Of first
hand stories OF their discoveries and
theories. from explorers stories of
their travels. from leaders Of thought
the story OF some philosophic idea
or economic theory. from the actors
in great events their photographic
record. from artists, muAicianA sculp-
tors. architects. military leaders and
greatest achievement OF their great
est work.
Plans Own Building.
It 10 announced that the ultimate
aim of the association in the securing
Of an ideal building OF its own. de-
signed especially for the preservation
OF records, but In the meantime all rec
ords are to be stored in the New York
Public library. Duplicates Of the orig
lnals are to be distributed to all men,
bers. II IL also aimed to obtain. a
/. picture. gallery al all the. great .laad-
ers Of the age.
The officers Of the association are
a. follows:
Honorary president william H.
TAFT.
President--Herbert L. Bridgman.
Vice preside nts---Re r.
r. Peary. Justice Victor J. Bowling.
Robert C. Morris. Or. George r.
Kunz, John Barrett. Colonel d. l.
Rrainard, u. 8. A.. and Alexander
= Kon4a.~rrH-- Z Y