The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-03-25
Proceedings Of the Minnesota HistOr-
zeal Society.


Proceedings Of the Minnesota Histor.
tcal Society.
The regular monthly meeting of the Execu-
tive Council of the Minnesota Historical Socie-
ty was held at the st. Paul Library Room,
Monday evening, March 14th. Vice President
Robertson in the chair.
Present-Messrs. Robertson, Ingersoll, Ber-
key, McMasters, Mattocks, Kelley, Dean and
Mayo
Mr.. Berkey, of the committee on state ap-
preparation, reported that the legislature had
appropriated $500 to the Society, and the Au-
ditor would give an order on the State Treas
urer for the amount, whenever required.
Mr.. Kelley, the late Actuary, made a report
of the condition of the cabinet and library of
the Society, which, on motion of Mr. Berkey,
was ordered to be published in the daily pa
pers.
REPORT OF WIN. H. KELLEY.
To the Executive Council of the Minnesota Histori-
cal Society:
GENTLEMEN-In compliance with the resolu.
ton passed at the last meeting of the Council,
the following report is respectfully submitted.
/ must ask your indulgence for its lack of
Details for to have completed statement
satisfactory to myself would have required
much LANCER time than have been able to de-
vote to it.
When the last report was made in January,
1860, the collection was enumerated as follows:
Books 623; pamphlets 3O7; maps, III mu-
are S26 books; 1926 pamphlets; 1859 maps,
charts and engravings; 1,197 objects in the
museum; total, 3,428, besides 6,400 newspa.
pers; showing an INCREASE of 203 books, 929
pamphlets, 81 maps, 339 objects in museum
total increase, 1928. The newspapers were
not estimated in the report of 1860 and the
increase cannot be given.
The Society has been in very quiet condi-
ton since the Rev. Mr.. Neill accepted the
position of Chaplain to the First Minnesota
Regiment. His resignation at that time of
the Office of Secretary, seemed to extract the
life from the Society; the contributing men,
bers lost their zeal, and the few active members
were compelled to stop all expenses except
those that were absolutely essential.
After Mr.. Neilrs resignation, Mr.. Alfred j.
Hill, became acting Secretary. Deeply inter-
ested in the topography of Minnesota, he has
prepared the only map that shows the correct
northern boundary of the State, by which it
appears that q portion Minnesota has on the
north and east and on the south, the Lake of
the Woods.
Mr.. Hill has also caused partial survey to
be made of the two series of mounds on Day
tons bluff. The first series. the Dayton group,
near Carveris cave, consisting of fifteen and
the other, the Mclean group, comprising
twelve.
After Mr.. Hill had enlisted in the war for the
Union, he was detailed for duty in the topo-
graphical department at Washington. In Au
gust last he received from Signor Rosa of Ber-
gamo, Italy, reply toa letter asking informa-
ton regarding pamphlet entitled, Some ac-
count of the life and writings of Constantine
Beltrami, of Bergamo, discoverer OF the
sources of the Mississippi" Several copies of
the pamphlet were received and Mr.. Hill is
preparing a translation for contribution to
the Society's collection.
Among the contributions since the last re-
port, are to be found the original manuscript
sented by DIR. james, of Burlington, Iowa.
Thirty neurological specimens from the
northern shore of Lake Superior, presented by
Mr.. Ely.
Tracing of a sketch by j. B. Irvine of posi-
tions of the LIST Minnesota Regiment at the
battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861.
Copy OF the newspaper called The Fret
Minnesota " printed on one side of the Berry
viUe Comservator," March 2. 1862. Specimens
of rebel scrip, and q piece of rebel war
balloon; all presented by Lieutenant Colonel
(now GovernOr) Stephen Miller.
In the spring of last year, q patriot from the
mountain region of Tennessee visited st. Paul.
He was much interested in the collection of
our Society, and presented for the cabinet
human Uranium, on which he had placed the
following inscription:
"a rebel skull from the battle field of Fort
Donaldson, presented to the State Historical
Society of Minnesota by DOct. Alexander B.
Tadlock, of East Tennessee: Surgeon in the
4th regiment Tenn. Vols. A trophy for the
brave heroes of the bloody field Of Fort Don
aldson, and prize for the loyal let it ever be
q paU to the TRAITOR and a ,od7ninQ to all :"
The dakota War Whoop," by Mrs. H. E.
B. McConkey, with the following inscription:
ITO the Minnesota Historical Society the
first miscellaneous book published in the State,
is presented by the author, Dec. LIST 1868.
A finely preserved Eagle has been presented
by Geo. Culver. Esq. For the want of suita-
bic place to display it in our Overcrowded
room, the noble bird is perched upon the
Speakers desk of the First Territorial, Legisla-
tlire of Minnesota. The bones of the Masto-
don seem ready to rise from their lethargy at
the desecraton; and the Shovel-nosed Stur-
gecn, suspended from the ceiling, with gaping
mouth looks on in mute establishment while
the Eagle, with wings widely spread and head
poised towards Ingersolls Block, seems pref
pared to leave his temporary perch for more
appropriate position:
it is matter of cOngratulation that the
Society has chosen most suspicious time for.
its resusritatiOn. So many thousands of our
citizens have molly volunteered their services
in defence of the greatest and best government
ever established that III addition to collecting
heroic incidents relating to the war, the ar
chiyes of the Society should contain the names
of all who have enlisted, not forgetting a sepa-
rate record of those who bave laid down their
lives that the millions who are 10 follow this
generation may enjoy the blessings incident to
an enlightened, free people.
VIM. H. KELLEY,
Late Actuary and Secretary.
On motion of Mr.. Dean,
Resolred. That committee of three be ap-
pointed to confer with the committee of the
st. Paul Library Association, in relation to
moving the collection of the Society from its
present location to the room adjoining the Ii.
brary Room.