The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-08

has 1921 bound volumes and CAT
pamphlets, besides many books in this
class published by societies, others CIV
ing genealogies of many families col
lectively, and the genealogical portion of
township histories. These collections,
free for the use of readers and students,
are much consulted for tracing lines Of
ancestry.
The Minnesota department of the IL
brary is contained in five large cases. 1t
includes 1856 bound books, and about 1900
pamphlets.
Full List of Reports.
Another department which is much con-
suited is the complete series Of reports
of the United States patent office, which
fills seven cases. All the publications Of
our national government are received
gratuitously, this being a, designated de-
pository library.
Files of all newspapers published in
Minnesota as a territory and state since
1S49 have been gathered and preserved
by this society. It's number of bound
newspaper volumes at this date is 1853;
and it's number of Minnesota newspapers,
daily, weekly and monthly, regularly re-
ceived is 432, these being donated by the
editors and publishers, who appreciate
the Importance of having them placed on
file, where they will be preserved for all
coming time. This department Of the
library is a priceless treasury of ma
terials for future historians, showing the
development of Minnesota, of it's counties
and of its separate townships from their
beginning to the present date. The news
paper collection is kept in an extensive
f1reproof vault, which is a part of the
society's rooms in the capitol. 1t is ac-
cessible to all who wish to consult it,
and is so arranged that any paper Of any
date can be readily found.
The society desires and is grateful for
gifts of books, pamphlets, newspaper
files, maps, manuscript narratives,
diaries and original documents of every
sort which may throw light on the his
tory of any portion of the United States,
and particularly of Minnesota and the
Northwest
Especially it is desired to obtain all
new publications of township or other
local histories and of family genealogies.
Many volumes in these departments have
been received through donation. If they
should not be so available the secretary
wishes to be informed when books and
pamphlets of these classes are published,
with note of their number of pages and
scope and the price for purchase.
The library, museum and portrait gal
lery are all notable for their complete
ness and value.
The society holds its annual meeting
next Monday night, and the meeting will
be especially important from the fact
that Secretary Warren Upham will read
a paper on "The First White Men in
Minnesota, Greseiiliers and Radisson, in
1855 at Prairie Island"
These earliest white explorers of the up
per Mississippi river and of the area that
is now Minnesota are shown to have
come to Prairie island, on the west side
of the main channel of the Mississippi,
between Red Wing and Hastings, about
the first of May, 1856, and to have con-
tinued there till near the end of June,
1876. In a second expedition they trav-
ersed the central and northern part OF
this state during the winter and spring
Of 1659-60, being then the first of Euro
peans to visit the Sioux. Ten years later
they aided in founding the Hudson Bay
company.
This is a subject upon which there has
been great discussion of late years, lead
ing historians of Minnesota, Wisconsin,
Canada and France having delved deep
into the explorations of these sturdy
Frenchmen. Four years ago Capt. Rus
sell Blakeley read a voluminous paper on
this same subject. Mr. Upham was fortu-
nate enough last year to make fresh dis
coveries on Prairie island which gave q
new clue to the real character and work
of these explorers, and he will on Mon
day evening present the results of his
recent research. His conclusions differ
somewhat from those reached by other
| historians, but he has made a very par
ticular study of his subject and believes
that his conclusions are fully justified by
authentic record.