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Natural History Society, Montreal, Canada.

Missouri Institute, St. Louis.

New York Library, Albany, N. Y.

Georgia Historical Society, Savannah, Georgia.

It sends the annals also regularly to the following organizations within the State from which it receives from time to time contributions to its cabinet, or library, or museum.

Institution for the Education of the Blind, Vinton.

Agricultural College, Ames.

Monticello Library Association, Monticello.

Keokuk Library Association, Keokuk.

Library of the State University, Iowa City.
Deaf and Dumb Institution, Iowa City.
Soldier's Orphan's Home, Davenport.
Soldier's Orphan's Home, Cedar Falls.
Soldier's Orphan's Home, Glenwood.

It distributes seven hundred copies of the annals quarterly.
In every field of its work it is making good progress.

Good:-Speaking with reference to the nature of the work performed, and the difficulties in the way of rapid accumulations, and accomplishment.

Growing out of the nature of the work to be accomplished, and the inadequacy of the means for a pursuit of a different course, the society has been compelled to depend very largely upon gratuitous contributions of articles of virtue, for its cabinet and to its printed historical collections.

Its financial means being only equal to the effort of foraging for the source of history and soliciting the unpaid work of those holding the keys to the class of knowledge desired, and of disposing with proper care, or publishing, the receipts of its foraging efforts.

Of course, without the stimulus of compensation from time to time or talent bestowed, or articles of value asked, comparatively few of the many who have participated in, and helped to make the history of the State, or who carry in their memories valuable knowledge concerning it, have been found willing to contribute the time,

labor, and patience necessary to give their knowledge to the public, and the future; or, to part with valuable relics, however supremely valuable to the collection of the society.

Yet hedged by all these embarrasments, the printed matter published within the time since the last report, has swelled to a thousand pages of valuable monographs by those who have confined themselves chiefly to the hitherto "unwritten history" of the State. And have gathered their facts from living witnesses, or recorded their own remembrances of transactions of which themselves were participants.

FUTURE WORK.

It is the wish of the board to enlarge as rapidly as possible every department of the labor contemplated at the organization of the society.

To push the personal, political, statistical and physical history of its early years, especially those subjects of its history which are passing most rapidly from sight or memory.

In a few years the generation of pioneers will have passed "to that bourne from which no traveler returns," and with them will pass, unless garnered now, treasures of pioneer history of priceless value to the future. To gather and preserve this class of facts, is a prominent and constant endeavor.

Also within a few years will pass away forever, much that is valuable from the domain of its natural history. Its feathered tribes, its finny schools, and all the families of its fauna, are rapidly diminishing the number of their species and varieties, and in a few years the naturalist, in his search for the indigene inhabitants of the prairies, forests, and rivers, will search in vain for ocular evidences of their existence, unless systematic and persistent work is given to gather and preserve specimens now. To this end the society has established a department of natural history, and made some acquisitions for it, and is hoping to extend its conquests in this field until it has secured all the remaining endangered classes.

Like changes are, in a measure, being wrought upon other original conditions; witness the great change of physical feature: a few years and scarce a trace of the original beautiful Iowa will be discernable. The grandeur and beauty of its prairies, and groves, and

streams, in their primitive aspect, which made it the delight of every early witness, and drew from even savages that emphatic exclamation, significant of rapture, which gave it the name it bears, pregnant with the idea of beauty in the native tongue, are already nearly covered from sight by the habiliments of art, incident to cultivated life.

To snatch from oblivion which must shroud these various original features, are among the objects to which the energies of the society have also been addressed.

The liberality of the last legislature has enabled them to push these objects beyond the accomplishments of any previous equal period; and placed it measurably beyond the embarrassments of pecuniary wants which pinched its heretofore and crippled effort.

With the same liberality continued, the board feel confident, that the laudable objects undertaken can be pursued with still greater effectiveness, inasmuch, as the fields of labor are already opened, and the sources of historic wealth developed.

We therefore respectfully submit a statement of the sum which would suffice to continue the society in a vigorous career of usefulness, and set forth the specific objects for which an appropriation is asked at the hands of the General Assembly.

1st. Compensation to officer, one or more to give needful

time and work in all its departments, annually......$1,500.00

2d. To aid in the publication of the annals....... 3d. Contingent fund to pay for articles of historic value not obtainable by exchange or gift, annually........ 300.00

600.00

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In addition to this, we need a permanent building, for the use of the officers, and meetings of the society, and the safe keeping of its precious property.

We do not feel that we too greatly magnify our purpose and our work in extending our request for a special appropriation for the

purpose of erecting a convenient fire-proof building for the uses indicated.

Ten thousand dollars thus expended would bring a return to the State, not measured in value by dollars and cents, but by measureless value to the future in that sense of satisfaction which its future millions of citizens will feel in the historical knowledge of the days of its beginnings.

We feel assurance that with the grant of this moderate sum, this city will contribute, if necessary, the amount necessary to make it a fitting receptacle for the treasures of future history, and place them safe beyond the chance of destruction by the elements.

RECAPITULATION OF APPROPRIATIONS NEEDED.

For annual expenses in carrying on the work, and publishing "Annals" and additional collections, binding, etc.....

$3,000.00

For the special purpose of erecting a building as archives of collections...

.10,000.00

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REPORT OF THE TREASURER.

Of the State Historical Society of Iowa, submitted to the Curators, December 1st, 1868.

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10, 13, 16, 20, 27, 29, 31, 38, fitting rooms and fixtures

681.54

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1, 2, 3, 15, 17, 35, 37, printing the "Annals"

747.30

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9, 12, 18, 25, 30, 32, 39, incidental expenses...

Balance in Treasury.

62.75

$3,333.39

$316.49

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