things pertaining to this matter. These people are travelling through the country without the means of subsistence and our citizens are willing to give them food as an act of humanity, but we did not invite them to come here, we are not prepared to take care of them and we do not want them to stay with us. ISAAC L. HILLIS, Mayor. There were filed with the council such protests as follows: Messrs. Dean, Longshore, Christy and Redhead wish a protest entered against encamping the Kelly army on their land adjoining the east part of the city. JAMES H. DEAN, GEO. L. LONGSHORE, On April 30th the council formally acknowledged the receipt of a letter from Supt. Egan of the Chicago Great Western Railway to which there appears the following response: To W. P. Egan, Supt. Chicago Great Western Ry. Co. Dear Sir: Your communication to the city council and the mayor giving notice that there is danger that the so-called Kelly Army will capture one of your trains, is at hand and contents carefully noted. In reply let me assure you that we will gladly aid with the police force of this city at any time or place when you notify us that there is specific danger of any unlawful act on the part of the said Kelly's army. Yours Very Respectfully, ISAAC L. HILLIS, Mayor. A resolution was adopted April 30th in the following terms: It is the sense of the council that the mayor be requested to inform General Kelly and his army that they move on and that at once. It was transmitted with a letter as follows: "General" Kelly, Des Moines, Iowa. Des Moines, Iowa, May 1, 1894. Dear Sir: Please take notice of the enclosed resolution and oblige (Signed) Yours respectfully, ISAAC L. HILLIS, Mayor. AS TO THE PALMETTO FLAG. Edgar R. Harlan, Curator Historical Department, In the July, 1911, number of the ANNALS is the description of a "Palmetto Flag", in possession of the Historical Department, captured at Columbia, South Carolina, February 17, 1865. In the article reference is made to a similar flag in possession of The State Historical Society, at Iowa City. As the two flags are not identical, it may be worth while to describe the flag in possession of The Historical Society. The material is dark blue bunting, measurement 20x36 feet in its perfect form, before the removal of about 18 inches from the bottom of the flag, the entire length, and also the removal of a strip about six inches in width about half the length of the flag. It is a fair conjecture that these strips were taken as souvenirs by some person. The emblems on the flag are a palmetto tree in the center, measuring ten feet 8 inches in height, and a crescent in the upper left-hand corner, measuring 4 feet 8 inches from point. to point. These emblems are not stitched upon the goods of the flag, but are insertions accurately fitted and nicely stitched. There is also a very slight difference in the foliage of the palmetto as compared with the illustration given in connection with your description of the flag in possession of The Historical Department. The flag in possession of The Historical Society "was captured at Columbia, S. C., Friday, February 17, 1865, by then First Lieut. William II. Goodrell, Fifteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, picket officer on the staff of Gen. William W. Belknap." The language here quoted is that of Brevet Major II. C. McArthur, in a recent published account of the capture of Columbia, who was of the party capturing this flag. Major McArthur further says that the flag was "found stretched along the upper edge of the north wall of the unfinished new Capitol Building." The flag was presented to The Historical Society by General Belknap, commanding Crocker's Iowa Brigade, Seventeenth Army Corps. J. W. RICH. Iowa City, Iowa, June 10th, 1912. NOTES. The Thirty-fifth General Assembly appointed Senator N. J. Schrup and Representative Walter F. Craig to serve on the Allison Memorial Commission. An act submitting the creation of the county of Larrabee to the legal voters of the county of Kossuth, Iowa, passed the Thirty-fifth General Assembly. It is proposed to divide Kossuth county and form of the northern part a new county named in honor of Ex-Governor William Larrabee. The State Board of Education in meeting of February 5th approved the naming of the women's dormitory at Iowa City Currier Hall" in honor of Dean and Mrs. Currier. Dean Currier had been a member of the faculty over forty years and at the time of his death probably had a wider acquaintance among the alumni of the State University of Iowa than any other person. After years of discussion by parties interested, definite arrangements have been made by the Historical Department of Iowa and the Polk County Pioneers Club for marking the grave of William Alexander Scott, who in 1856 gave to the State of Iowa the ground upon which the Capitol now stands. The grave, which is on the bluff south of the Capitol, will be marked with a granite boulder bearing a bronze tablet setting forth briefly the eventful dates of his life. The Lincoln Memorial Commission, at a conference in the White House December 4th, accepted the design of Henry Bacon, a New York architect, for a monument to the martyred president. The design is for a marble structure in Potomac. Park, 156 feet long and 80 feet wide. In the central hall will stand a heroic size figure of Abraham Lincoln. The plan calls for an expenditure of $1,775,000, and has been approved by Congress. The Thirty-fifth General Assembly held a memorial service for ex-Governor Larrabee in the House Chamber, March 20th, Governor George W. Clarke presiding. Prayer was offered by Rev. John L. Hillman of Des Moines. The memorial address delivered by U. S. Senator W. S. Kenyon paid fitting tribute to the character and public services of ex-Governor Larrabee. Mrs. Larrabee and family were present at the service. The label attached to each item in a collection of newspapers in the Historical Department is as follows: In Commemoration The West Union Gazette was established at West Union, Iowa, by Charles H. Talmadge in 1867, and he continued as its editor and' publisher until his death in 1907. He was a man of high ideals in journalism and in life, and to his unswerving fidelity to what he held to be the best interests of Iowa and the nation these volumes bear mute testimony, aside from their value as an historical record of affairs in Fayette county for a period of forty years. Mr. Talmadge was born in Pennsylvania in 1842, but was a resident of Iowa continuously from 1856, with the exception of four years spent in the union army. Presented to the Historical Department of Iowa in commemoration of the life of Mr. Talmadge by his son, May, 1911. D. H. TALMADGE. The following Concurrent Resolution in regard to an Iowa State Flag was introduced into the senate by Senator Larrabee, April 15th: Whereas, our State has no flag known as the official flag of Iowa, Resolved by the Senate, the House concurring, that the governor, the adjutant general, and the curator of historical collections be and they are hereby created a commission to inquire into and report to the Thirty-sixth General Assembly upon the expediency of the adoption of an official State flag and upon the appropriateness of the design therefor if they approve of the same. The resolution was adopted April 15th and messaged over to the House, called up by Representative Ring and adopted by the House April 16th. Extract from Message of Governor Carroll to the Thirtyfifth General Assembly, January, 1913: The Capitol Grounds. A comprehensive scheme for enlarging the capitol grounds should be adopted by you and plans made for the eventual acquiring of the lands to be added to the present holdings of the State. I would recommend that the State buy all of the grounds lying between East Ninth and East Twelfth Streets, beginning at Capitol Avenue and extending to the railroad tracks at the foot of the hill to the south. The grounds thus acquired, lying south of Walnut street, should be parked and beautified, and upon them should be placed the Allison monument and such other monuments as may be erected in the future, and when the State shall build an executive mansion, it should be placed upon the high point of ground to the southeast of the capitol building. Upon the block immediately east of the State House and south of Capitol Avenue, should be located a judicial building. I would also suggest that when the time comes that it is necessary to make any considerable improvement in the State's power plant, it would be wise to consider moving it to the foot of the hill south and southwest of the State House, where it could be reached by a switch, thereby saving the large amount of money that is annually paid for hauling coal with teams and wagons, and also getting rid of the dirt and smoke and the somewhat unsightly appearance of a heating plant in front of the capitol building. In suggesting the enlargement of the capitol grounds, I wish to say that the owners of some of the lots included in that which I have referred to, have already expressed a willingness to sell the same and some have submitted a price for their holdings. I want also to say that at two or three different times efforts have been made to secure a change of grade in some of the streets about the State House, which change would have a very material effect upon the surroundings, if additional lands are to be acquired. The council has each time objected to these changes and asked the parties interested therein to wait and take the matter up with you with a view to securing co-operation with the city of Des Moines and the State in some general plan of improving the State House surroundings, and I recommend the appointment by you of a committee to take the matter into consideration and co-operate with the officials of the city to the end suggested. In my opinion the State might profitably dispose of Governor's Square, allowing the city to purchase it for a park if so desired, and invest the proceeds in lands above suggested for purchase. |