The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1909-10-28
STATE HISTORICAL
SOCIETY PR0SPERS
OFFICERS REPORTS SHOW THAT
FINANCES AND LIBRARY ARE
IN GOOD CONDITION..
GAINS THOUSANDS OF VOLUMES
Museum Is Congested and Larger Quar-
tiers Are Needed for Advancement of
Organizations Activities.
ARCHIvE RESEARCH EXTENSIVE.

MADISON, Wis. Oct. 22.-ISpecial]
That the library had been increased
greatly and that the finances were in the
| good shape was revealed at the fifty
seventh annual meeting of the State
Historical Society Of Wisconsin when re-
ports for the year were read and the
work Of the past year reviewed during
the afternoon and evening sessions on
Thursday.
These curators were elected for three
| years:
Henry C. Campbell OF Milwaukee; William
X. Colin of Eau Claire; Col Hiram Hayes
OF STgper1SS5 Wam w W1ght Of MI
Hanks, Niles p. Haugen, Rev. z. S. Knox,
Maj; Frank ". Oakley, Arthur l., Sanborn,
M Mas steepsand and Ray stevSps OF
Scott to succeed the late George b. Bur
rows, and Elisha j. Keyes to succeed the
late N. b. Van Slyke.
Treasurer l.. s. Hanks annual report
showed that the society's private endow-
ment funds now aggregate 500 40,
net gam within the year of $332' II.
Thousand of Titles.
Reuben q. Ihwaites, secretary and SUI
perlntendent, read report showing that
during the year ending September 80 the
soclety's library was increased by 12,473
titles books and pamphlets together).
This makes the present strength of the
library 800, 147 titles. The years growth
has been particularly noticeable in South
American historical and documentary ma
terial. Among the large gifts Of the year
were the private libraries of the late
Judge s. U. Pinney and Mrs. Anna K.
Sheldon-the latter, almost exclusively
on the fine arts.
ic uiy pf ha in
each of the departments of the library,
particularly in public documents. maps
and manuscripts, and cataloguing. More
space and larger funds are needed for
each-indeed, this is the keynote of the
entire report, relative to every activity
of the society. 1t is shown that popular
interest in the institution is rapidly
broadening, and the demands for service
to the public constantly increasing, while
throughout the library improved methods
are continually being introduced. Many
loans are made to local public Libraries,
and numerous travelling libraries have
been established.
Mlwaukeean Opens Session.
The evening meeting was opened by
President William Ward Wight of Mil
waukee, who outlined the growth and
needs of the society.
The principal speaker was DR.. James
Alton James, professor of history in
Northwestern university, Evanston, III.
His paper, Indian Diplomacy and the
Opening of the Revolution in the West"
was fine example of modern methods
in historical research.
a autobiography of Jonathan Carver"
was presented by John Thomas Lee OF
the Wisconsin department of state. Car
yer was the first Wisconsin traveller dur
ing the British regime.
4 -.
of a paper by Jonathan Henry Evans of
Platteyille, who settled near Platteville
in 1916. His description of shipping lead
by OK teams to Milwaukee, via Madison,
was graphic
The settlement of Green Lake county
was discussed in "reminiscences submitted
by Richard Dart of hartford, whose
father was the first settler on Green
lake, having come to that region in 1910.
The Settlement of Trempealeau Val
ley was briefly treated by DR.. Eben
Douglas Pierce. now of Vancouver,
Wash, but formerly of Arcadia. This
settlement began some time after the
Black Hawk war.
Defends Senator Doolittle.
Duane Mowry Of Milwaukee submitted
an appreciation OF the late Senator
James Rood Doolittle of Wisconsin.
Doolittle opened a law Office in Racine,
Wis, in 1851. Elected circuit judge
in 1856, he was the following year chos-
en- United States senator from Wiscon-
sin, being reelected in 1868. He was
president OF the Baltimore convention
that nominated Greeley. Originally a
Democrat, tho attitude of his party upon
the extension of slavery induced him to
join the Wings at first and later the
Republicans; but eventually he returned
to the Democratic fold. Mr. Mowry de-
Tended his political course, contending
that he was consistent supporter Of
the same political principles during his
entire political career and his motives
were unfairly impugned.
Paper Making in Wisconsin" was the
topic of an essay by Publius v. Lawson
of Menasha, and the papers concluded
with a carefully wrought report by DR..
Louise Phelps Kellogg of the society's
staff on the boundaries and names Of
Wisconsin counties.