historical addresses were delivered. The first volume of transactions and reports was issued from the press in 1885. During the next eight years a good start was made in the collection of Nebraska newspapers and in the accumulation of a library. There were also published, during this period, three more volumes of transactions and reports. In 1895, with an increased appropriation and the opening of the new rooms provided by the University, which it then seemed would afford ample accommodations for years to come, the work of the Society took on new life and vigor. Rapid progress was made in the next few years, and the biennial appropriations increased from $1,000 in 1883 to $10,000 in 1901, and altogether ten volumes of publications had been issued, the last of these appearing in July, 1902. No more volumes were published until 1906 when a start was made on the series known as "The Debates and Proceedings in the Nebraska Constitutional Conventions." The first volume of this series appeared in January, 1907, the second will soon be delivered, and the third is partly in type. There will be four volumes of this series. The present volume of Proceedings and Collections is designated Vol. X, Second Series, to make allowance for the two volumes of the constitutional series yet to

come.

OUTLINE OF THE YEAR'S WORK.

Among the special lines of work which we have undertaken during the year may be mentioned the following: the organizing and cataloguing of the library and museum; the invoicing, classifying, and arranging of our exchange material; the providing of a complete system of permanent financial records; the reorganization of the Nebraska Territorial Pioneers' Association and the building up of its membership; the acquisition of new members for the Historical Society and the correction of its membership roll; and the preparation of a miscellaneous volume covering the proceedings of the Society from 1901 to 1907 inclusive. The accomplishment of these things has led to the doing of many others of minor con

sequence, which in the end will result in great good to the Society.

We have also given special attention to the establishment of friendly relations and the perfecting of exchange arrangements with the historical societies of other states. An especial effort has been made to get into personal touch with all of these societies, to keep in constant communication with them, and to effect the exchange of such duplicate material as we have accumulated for such as might be had from these various societies. Your Secretary has personally and very largely at his own expense visited all of the societies of neighboring states and made himself familiar with their plans and purposes. These visits have tended to the establishment of a closer relationship with these societies, which can but result in good to our work in the future.

In line with this idea, an invitation was extended some months ago to the secretaries or librarians of all the historical societies of the Mississippi valley to meet in Lincoln, October 17-18, 1907, for the purpose of forming an organization for the advancement of historical research, and the collection and conservation of historical material in these western states. In response to this invitation there assembled in Lincoln on the dates named the representatives of several of the most progressive of these societies. A formal meeting was held in the University Chapel, and several business sessions were held at the rooms of the Historical Society, which resulted in the organization of the Mississippi Valley Historical Association, which held its second meeting in Madison, Wisconsin, December 28, 1907.

BUILDING PROPOSITION.

From 1902 to 1907 the efforts of the Board and its officers seem to have been devoted chiefly to the work of securing a new and permanent home for the library and collections of the Society, although progress was made in building up the museum during these years. Little encouragement was given the building proposition until the last legislature made an

appropriation of $25,000 "to be expended in the construction and equipment of the basement story of a fireproof wing of a building," provided that the city of Lincoln within two years from the date of the act should donate to the State Historical Society block 29 in the city of Lincoln, known as "State Historical Society Block, or property of equal value." This act was approved by the Governor April 10, 1907, and became effective July 1 following. Soon after the passage of the act, committees were appointed by your Board of Directors and by the city council of Lincoln for the purpose of devising some plan to comply with the provisions of the act. One joint meeting was held by these committees, which resulted only in revealing the fact that there was pronounced opposition on the part of the city government, backed by a considerable public sentiment, against conveying to the Historical Society Market Square or any part thereof. Therefore, if the Historical Society is to benefit by this act, it is incumbent upon the city of Lincoln to provide some other "property of equal value."

While cooperating to secure the block now known as Market Square for the site of the proposed Hall of History and Archives, because there were those who seemed favorable to this location, your Secretary is and has been from the first opposed to this site. First and chiefly because of its surroundings, which do not give promise of improvement; second, because the continued insistence upon this site, and the attempt to array Omaha and the country districts against Lincoln, is liable to alienate a very large number of influential friends, and possibly defeat any effort to secure another site; third, as a citizen and taxpayer of Lincoln he is opposed to giving to the Historical Society a block of ground that is worth for.commercial uses $50,000, when other properties of equal if not greater value for the purposes of the Society are to be had for much less money. This matter can well be left to our public-spirited Mayor and business-like Council to provide a site conforming to the law, and that in ample time to make use of the appropriation before it lapses. This

much confidence may be placed in the intelligence, public spirit, and civic pride of Lincoln public officials and taxpayers.

DIVERSITY OF WORK.

The varied activities of the Nebraska State Historical Society and the great variety and scope of its enterprises are indicated by the following divisions into which the work undertaken by the Society naturally divides itself:

First
Second

Third

Fourth

Fifth

Sixth

Seventh

Eighth

Ninth

Tenth

Eleventh

Twelfth

Thirteenth

Fourteenth

Fifteenth
Sixteenth

Daily care of rooms and collections.

The erection of monuments or otherwise marking historic spots.

These divisions may be subdivided in turn, until the amount of work shown to be necessary would seem almost disheartening in view of the limited number of employees. In a word, the work of the Society has grown out of all proportion to the ratio of increase in the appropriations, and if Nebraska is to maintain her place and reputation among the sisterhood of states in this work of preserving the present for the future,

two things are absolutely necessary: first, a commodious fireproof building; second, appropriations for maintenance large enough to enable the Society to do the work for which it was created.

The character and variety of this work is well illustrated by a few of the requests, selected at random, from among the hundreds received by the Secretary the last few months.

A prominent member of the Woman's Club of Hastings, Nebraska, wants material for the preparation of a paper on the early explorations in the Nebraska country.

A pioneer lady of Falls City wants to know where she can find personal reminiscences of early Nebraska.

The Secretary of the Nemaha County Historical Society wants a photograph of a distinguished pioneer of that county. A citizen of Cass county inquires by long distance telephone the date of the great blizzard in Nebraska.

An attorney of Dundy county, Nebraska, requests by first mail a certified copy of a legal notice appearing in a paper of that county several years ago.

A high school girl of Hall county, Nebraska, wants data concerning the early settlement of that county.

The Governor of the state forwards a request from an eastern magazine for a historical sketch of Nebraska.

An eastern publication requests biographical sketches of several leading Nebraskans, by first mail.

A Chicago lawyer wants information concerning one of the early judges of Nebraska territory.

A prominent lady of Nebraska, a member of the Society and a taxpayer, requests the assistance of the Society in tracing her genealogy.

A gentleman of New York city wants a pamphlet issued by the department of education of Nebraska in 1898.

These and other requests of like character follow each other so closely that a good stenographer can be kept busy writing letters explaining to these people the reasons why the Historical Society can not do the work for which it is supposed to exist.