Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1839-08-08

obtained Tor The use OF me society -
This Committee has recently discharged
its duty, aud made Report to the Board.
Mr.. Brown made, by viii, no disposition
Of his historical collections. Sundry
papers, transcribed by him for the use OF
this Society, have recently been pre-
scented to our Cabinet by his family -
The remaining collections are still in
their hands-to be disposed of, hereafter,
in such manner as shall be thought
best.
Representations having been made to
this Board, through Wilkins Updike,
Esq. that valuable documents relating
To the history of Rhode-lsland were TO
be found in the Office Of the Secretary
of the State Of Connecticut, a Commit
tee was appointed, in December last, to
cause the most important Of these docu-
ments 10 be copied, at the expense Of the
Society. The sum Of fifty dollars was
% appropriated for that purpose. This ap-
preparation was not, however, required,
as the General Assembly Of Rhode
Island, at its session in January, 1889,
appropriated the sum of seventy dol
lars for the same purpose. For this
seasonable and patriotic movement on
the part of our Legislature, the Society
and the public are largely indebted to
Elisha II. Potter, Esq. a member of the
House Of Representatives from South
klngs,own. The documents in question
were copied, ngrceably to the direction:
Of your Board. They are quite voIumi-
nous, and now form part Of the collec-
iions in our Cabinet.
The Board now invite. the attention OF
the Society to the importance Of provid
ing, without farther delay, suitable ac-
conmodalions for the Library and Cabi-
net. They are still kept in a room in The
Arcade, belonging to Cyrus Butler, Esq
aud for which, in consideration OF the
objects of this Society, he eXacis no
rent The confined dimensions of this
room forbid systematic arrangement
of the books and papers which have been
accumulating ever since the organization
of the Society. They are, therefore
comparatively useless to the historical
inquirer, and, though sheltered from tn.
elements, they are liable to injury from
other causes. The time for decisive nc.
ton on this important subject has now ar
rived. The Society is free from debt,
and its funds, now lent to the City OF
Providence, and drawing an interest of
six per cent, amount to the sum Of $500
A subscription is also in progress, for
the purpose of raising not less than thirty
h,nIroI 1nlInrc for thn hnnnEf aI
the Society. Agreeably to tho condi-
tons of this subscription, the whole a
mount, when raised, must be appropria-
ted to the erection Of suitable building
for our Library and Cabinet. Twenty
one hundred dollars have already been
pledged by few gentlemen for this OBJ
Ject, on the express condition that the
whole amount shall be obtained. The
causes which have induced your Board
TO delay an appeal to the lberalty Of the
public, in behalf of this enterprise, hav-
ing ceased TO operate, they will put forth
immediate and vigorous efforts to pro-
cure the sum of fourteen hundred dollars,
which is necessary to complete the sub
scription. In this good work, they ask
the cordial and efficient cooperation Of
the Society at large.
1t will be recolected that, in the year
1880, the heirs of the late Nathan Wa
terman, Esq, gave the Society con
tingent interest in lot of land at the
corner of Waterman and Benefit streets
This interest became a vested one, iI
the year 1895. AT a meeting Of your
Board, in March, 1889, Richard Water
man, Esq, for himself and his sister
Mrs. Sally Thompson, proposed to con
vey to the Society a lot Of land, bound
ing southerly on Waterman street, forty
feet in front, and extending back he
feet, on condition that the Society relin
qush their right to build on the lot a
the corner of Waterman and Benei
streets. A committee Of your BoaIc
was appointed to confer with Mr. Wa.
terman in relation to the subject Of his
proposition. After mature delibcration
this Committee made report in favor
Of accepting MIR. Waterman's offer
The Board, adopting the sentiments o
this Report, then voted unanimously
that ii be recommended to the Society
to accept Mr.. Waterman's offer, provi-
ded they could purchase, for sum not
exceeding $3.50, the lot adjoining the
one which he proposed TO convey to
them. AT special meeting Of :he So
ciety, the recommendation of your Boald
was unanimously adopted, and directions
were given to the Treasurer to make
and to receive the necessary conveyan-
ces. The Treasurer has informed the
Board that he has complied with their
directions. The lot adjoining the one
conveyed to the Society by Mr.. Water
man having been purchased, the Socie-
ty is now the owner of lot Of land,
fronting 80 feet on Waterman street, ,and
extending about ll6 feet back Wheth-
er or not this spot shall be selected as
the site Of the contemplated eJi6ce, has
been left to your Board to determine
This question will not be decided with
out grave deliberation, nor without an
earnest desire to promote both the present
and the future prosperity of the Society
On the 30th Of April last, the New
York Historical Society celeb ated the
50th anniversary Of the Inauguration of
Washington, ms President of the limited d