Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-07-03

them, was afraid that they might De
discovered, and he took them next DAY
another 80 miles to Leesburg, ana
gave them into the care of minister
named Littlejohn, who hid them until
the British had left Washington
Brought back again to the capitai,
| the Declaration was first housed in
building on G street near Eighteenth,
and then in another on the site OF the
present treasury, where it remained
over ten years.
Lodged in Patent Office.
In the meantime, plans for the con-
struction of the city had been drawn
up by the French architect, L'Enfant,
and many buildings were put up. in
Guiding the patent office. which was
finished in 1871. Built of white mar
BILE this structure, which still stands
at Seventh and streets, was sup
posed to be fireproof, and accordingly
the Declaration was transferred here,
with other historical records, and put
on exhibition.
For the next 80 years 1t hung there.
exposed to the light, and 1t was prob
ably during that period that 1t faded
so badly, although as far back as 1917
the signatures showed signs of deteri-
Grafton.
Fortunately, the Centennial expo
sition in 1876 in Philadelphia drew at
tention to the state Of the manuscript,
and rescued it from total decay. AS
one of the features of the celebration
the Declaration was once again placed
| in independence hall in treproof
safe with a heavy glass door, and at
this time of particular interest IN the
old historical record its damaged con-
dition aroused much comment. 1t was
not till 1880, however, that a commit
tee of the American Academy of
Science considered the matter, but be-
yond making report they appear to
have accomplished nothing.
In the meantime Philadelphia had
! tried hard to keep the manuscript,
| contending that the logical place for
1t was in the city where it had been
drawn up, but this was not permit
ted, and in March, 1877, the Declare
ton was returned to Washington and
exhibited in the library of the State,
| War and Navy departments. This
proved a blessing in disguise for a
few months later the supposedly fire
proof patent office was burned. Still,
the document received no special care,
and in 1894 1t was in such bad condi-
| ton that it was taken from exhibition
and locked up in steel safe in the
charge of the secretary of state.
Now in Library Of Congress.
| Here 1t remained for twenty-seven
years. Then in 1921, by order of the
president, it was carried under guard
| to the Library of Congress, the last
trip being made by automobile, very
different mode of conveyance from the
clumsy wagons In which 1t made its
first journeys about the country At
the library 1t was locked up until the
shrine could be prepared for 1t.
One hundred and twenty-eight years
of Indifferent care have left their
marks on the Declaration Like all
parchments, it was at first kept rolled,
and as a result Of frequent rollings
and unrollings 1t has many cracks
The text Is badly faded, but the
process has been uniform and the Dec
laration itself Is still legible.
The signatures have deteriorated
1.-THE most, these having faded much
more than the rest of the script This
is explained by the fact that the Dec
laration itself was prepared by an ex-
pert who used the best ink available.
The signatures, on the other hand,
were inscribed in ordinary ink and not
i all on the same occasion. The ink,
foo differed much from the prepare
tion TO which we are accustomed, be-
ING in the form of POWDER which
was mixed with water when needed.
This mixture varied in strength, ac-
cording to the fancy of the user, and
had a tendency to scale off when dry.
# Ia a fact that many Of the sigma
lures have peeled off more than they
have actually faded
It has been decided not to attempt
any restoration Of the Declaration,
] and those who see 1t now will have
before them the original document
and signatures.
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