The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-11-25
ARE NOT WASTED
Kansas State Historical Society
a Complete Machine.
Duplicate Volumes Disposed of
to Advantage.
SENT TO OTHER STATES
Historical Matter of Interest to
Kansas Received in Exchange.
Historical Collection of Great
Value and Completeness.
SENT TO OTHER STATES

Some of the clerks in the state audi
tors office got busy yesterday, after
resting up from their labors in chasing
possible fraudulent warrants on the leg
islative payroll, and had house-clean-
ing. In Auditor Wells private office is
a large book cabinet. 1t has been filled
with several hundred volumes of reports
of auditors of Kansas and other states
from time immemorial, and with num-
erous other volumes. Among them were
several old directories of Topeka, a
gazetteer of Kansas dating back in the
seventies, and miscellaneous volumes OF
similar character.
1t was desired that only complete
file of the reports of the auditor of
Kansas, and the late auditors reports of
other states and other volumes which
might be useful for reference in the
auditors Office be kept, so all the rest
about $50 volumes in ALL had to be dis
posed of.
Around the state house there is
standing joke that whatever anybody
else doesn't want can be pa1med off on
the State Historical society, so word
was sent up to the historical department
that the society could have these Old
volumes of dry reports and out of date
directories and gaZetteers- The offer
was promptly accepted.
Most people around the state house
have an idea that the society simply
takes these old reports, many OF Which
are simply duplicates of what they al
ready have, and stores them away on
its shelves but that is a very erroneous
idea. On the contrary, those old vol
umes are sent out to other libraries and
to people who want them in exchange
for matter that the Kansas library de-
sires. Secretary Martin has sent out
thousands of volumes in this way In the
past year or two. and has received
great deal in return.
The way this exchange is managed
is his: The Kansas society lists all
the duplicate volumes which it has for
trade and the various state reports
given it for disposal. These lists are
furnished to other libraries all over
the country The librarians of these
other libraries look over these lists,
pick out such volumes as they may
want, and notify Secretary Martin: In
the meantime similar lists have been
received at the Kansas library from
other libraries and those in charge
here select such volumes as they
would have use for from those lists.
and the exchanges are thus erected.
There is q big room in the sub-base-
ment of the state house, away down
under the offices of the secretary of
state, that is completely filled with
shelving. and is used for storing these
volumes and packing those for ship
ment that go out.
Some time ago the Kansas society
sent two or threeohundred volumes of
this kind of matter-stuff that the
donor to the society considered value
received in return from Yale about
five hundred volumes of valuable
works
George Root, who has charge of the
work of making these exchanges, says
that the old directories and gazetteers
are egerly sought by eastern libraries.
probably for genealogical purposes.
Kansas people have little idea of the
Iva Of hAi7- cfo "a icfn col i1,rcl-
All sorts of information can be secured
from it. The other day man who was
very anxious to know the dimensions
of the state capitol of Iowa and other
details about it went to the historical
library. He found just what he want
ed. Another man few days ago
wanted to find out about some ancient
claim against the state of Kansas. He
got his information from the state his
torical library. A short time ago a
man asked if the society had the files
of Lawrence paper back some time
before the Quantrill raid. The file was
article from it.
You see,'' he explained to an attend
ant, Il was married in Lawrence about
the time this paper was published. All
the records were burned at the time of
the QuantriIl raid. including those of
the probate judges office. In this pa
per 1 find a half column account of
my wedding, which I want as evidence
that L was married all right
Another man sought the newspaper
files in the society's collection to find
his own obituary. He once lived in
Nemaha county but moved away many
years ago. Later the report came back
that ne had been killed, and a Nemaha
county paper published his obituary
telling that he was eccentric but was
never known to hurt any one, and 9TH
er similar statements. Several years
afterwards an old acquaintance met
him and was surprised to find him alive.
Then the man heard for the first time
that his obituary had been published
long ago. When he came to Topeka he
spent some time in hunting it up, but
he found it.
lection in the United States of the size
Strangers express the greatest surprise
on the prairies.
Many of the duplicated volumes which
come into the hands of the society are
furnished to various government de-
partments in Washington, especially to
the congressional library. All such mat
ter is simply franked through the mails
without expense to the state. If the
Kansas society has government reports
which some other library wants, the
government also furnishes mailing
franks for them, but a record of all
such exchanges is kept in Washington.
Kansas City and Return $2.oO via
Santa Fe.
Football THANKSGIVING day. Kansas