The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-05-26
Interesting Papers Read by Members.

roomS III Clty Building yesterday afternoon
Hon. j. w. Bradbury of Augusta, president
in the chair.
On motion of r. X Sewall, Esq, of Wis
casset, it was voted to authorize the standing
committee to expend such sum as in thei,
Judgment may be required to illustrate the
paper on Fort Halifax in the volume of the
Collections now in press.
A communication was received from Messrs.
Hoyt, Fogg & Donhan Of Portland, accepting
the Office of agents for the sale of the Society's
publications.
Fl. W. Bryant, Esq, Assistant Librarian,
read his annual report as follows
LIBRARIANS REPORT.
Mr.. President and gentlemen:-I have been
requested by the standing committee to report
to you concerning the library since its removal
to this city.
Since January 10th last we have received
271 bound volumes and 526 pamphlets. These
arc mostly gifts to the society, only o few
being exchanges.
Our cabinet has been enriched By the fol-
lowing donations:
Hammer, Relic of Des Mont's expedition 1904;
from j. A. Lee, Calais.
Ornament from the sounding board of the Old
First Church of Portland; from William Burn
ham.
from NJ. n. Rich.
Key to the cid Portland Jail; from e. L. Q.
Adams.
Fragment of exploded shell, relic of Louisburg,
1855; from j. P. Baxter.
Copies of portrait and commission of VIM. Hen
shaw; from Miss Henshaw.
The gun of Dominicus Jordan; from Samuel ,Jor-
dan, Deering
The gun of David Brown; from Adolphus Brown,
MSS. notes of errata found in the late illustrated
History of Cumberland County; from w. NJ Sar-
gent.
Early newspapers; from Geo. M. Brock.
Assessors special tax book of Falmouth and
nelghborhood in 1876
Papers. relics from the rebel pirate Tennessee
various papers and port surveyors book of 1892
the last hree items from NJ. N. Rich.
Confederate general orders, 1864 1865; taxbills
Droadsides and early newspapers; from George
Ancient axe, ploughed up on Richmond's Island;
from DR.. j. Cummings
MS. fragments from the old parish records of
Freeport from Geo. e. Gerrish.
MS. books and correspondence concerning the
Indian languages from Rev. Z. Vetromile.
AT our solicitation Prof. Loagfellow has
kindly sent us largo framed lithographic por-
trait of himself, and Mr. Edward E. Preble
mas generously given us a framed photogra-
phlc copy OF the portrait of his distinguished
ancestor, Commodore Prehle
Mr.. j. I'll. Lamson, the photographer has
promised us copies of cabinet-siZe photographs
OF prominent citizens of Maine, native and
resident, from his collection.
Before another meeting we expect to make a
Soodly showing OF portraits 1t may be lneE-
toned here that we will be pleased to receive
as loans portraits, family-relics and heir-looms
to be returned at the option of the owners.
In order to dispose of the duplicate volumes
and pamphlets of our collections, correspon-
dence has been opened with book-collectors
and booksellers in other places Mr. George
p. Littefed of Cornhill, Boston, is our agent
there, and Messrs. Tibbetts and Shaw of
Providence, Il. l., will attend to our interests
there. Our method of exchange is to atfix
book. sellers prices to our books, and allow
market value for the books we take in return
Miss Scammor has been employed to open
the library daily and keep the books in order.
The visitors register shows over 1000 names
and we believe half as many more persons
have visited the rooms without recording
names.
The principal work which has been accom-.
plished besides placing the books on the shelves
has been the asserting Of the pamphlets, the
unpacklng, counting and replcking of the
volumes, and stamping them with d rubber
stamp The cataloguing OF the library will
begin as soon as we have an appropriation for
the purchase of the cards, and q cabinet to
hold them; the expense of this will not prob
ably exceed $50. We propose to catalogue
each book and pamphlet twice-by author and
by subject
Our cabinet contains many interesting AUTO
graph letters and documents. These should
be mounted in folio volumes of manila paper,
numbered and catalOgued. To do this would
require perhaps ten Volumes which may be
purchased ready-made ct about one dollar
each. l beg to recommend also the expenai-
tIre of at least $50 in binding. Our periodi-
calls and town histories in pamphlet form
should be substantially bound, as also should
many pamphlet genealogies which receive
much handling.
Our wants in books and pamphlets are too
numerous to mention For especial needs
IN a;Irh 0nfr ~
which is always ready for reference In this
list are noted the books we need most, the odd
volumes required to complete sets, the
pamphlets wanting in sets of reports and
otherwise Beside, members of the society
sometimes call for books which we should, but
do not possess. We desire also book of
notes and queries for the use OF members, and
a scrap-book to hold newspaper cuttings de-
laiing to the society, the history of the State
aud OF New England.
Another prominent want is that of a Society
seal. None has ever been adopted and beg
to suggest that . committee be appointed to
adopt a design for seal to he engraven on a
copper plate to DO used on our acknowledge
ments as heading for our stationery, and as
book plate. A Latin motto should be
adopted to be engraven with the seals device
and the date of the Society's incorporation,
A. d. 1922.
Our collection of newspapers embraces a
wide range of territory. We have them from
Boston, New York and Philadelphia, as we'll
as those printed here and in other eastward
cities. A file of newspapers is of great value
10 the historian, since it contains data to be
found nowhere else. Our library is the
proper depository for bound volumes of news
papers, as they are too cumbersome for most
private collections. AS an illustration of the
value OF early newspapers. Que of our well-
known citizens, who had searched half Gen.
fury for certain poem, on his first visit to
onr library, found it in the Augusta Age for
1881. The records OF births, marriages and
deaths contained 10 the newspapers are of
great Importance to the historian and genealo-
gist.
With reference to the increase of our library
and cabinet, we must ask our friends in the
city, throughout the State, and all over the
Union to have us constantly in mind and send
us OF their store of money, books and relics.
we snall be thankful for funds to be used for
special purposes,-a publication fund; a
fund for the purchase of books relating to the
history of the State, and of other States; a
1und Tor the purchase of genealogies; a fund
Tor the purchase of war literature or history of
the rebellion; fund for the binding of books,
and SO forth. Every one can serve us in
collecting materials for the use of future histo-
rams. Even child's collection of business
cards has its value, and is worthy of preserva-
ton. Probably most of US would like to
examine collection OF the cards of those
In business here fifty years ago. Now that
price OF waste paper is so low. we hope to re-
ceive many parcels of 'unconsidered trl1es"
from the attics and closets. We will accept
ANYTHING in the shape of printed matter or
manuscript. Even Patent Office Reports can
DC made use olive lack some years-and
schoo-books, in perfect condition, are gladly
welcomed to our shelves. Still more welcome
a1e pamphlets and the almanacs printed prior
To 1900. State registers and city directories
are wanted-and IN fact call is fish that comes
to our net Do not hesitate then to gather
up even the fragments, as we have plenty of
storage room. OF such stuff history is made,
and to quote the motto of the Massachusetts
historical society, "Not for ourselves but for
others, gather we the honey
All OF which is respectfully submitted
Prof. Packard, secretary, stated that an an
nual appropriation of $50 has been made for
binding.
On motion of General j. NJ. Brown, of Port
land, it was voted to advise the standing CON-
mittee to provide cards and cabinet for cat
alogue of the library.
FIELD DAYS OF 1S79--SO
K. X. Sewall, Esq, from the field-day com.
mittees of 1879 and 1880, reported at length
the investigations made at Monhegan and
Damariscove in 1879, and al Castine in 1880
In his report for 1879, Mr.. Sewall included
full account of the voyage of George Wey-
mouth in the Archangel in 1905. In conuec.
ton with his report for 1880, he presented to
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