EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE OHIO STATE ARCHEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL

SOCIETY.

(June 5, 1903.)

The eighteenth annual meeting of the Ohio State Archæological and Historical Society was held in the rooms of the Society, Page Hall, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, at 2:30 p. m. June 5, 1903. The following members were present:

Judge J. H. Anderson, Columbus; Mr. G. F. Bareis, Canal Winchester; Gen. R. Brinkerhoff, Mansfield; Mr. A. B. Coover, Roxabell; Col. J. W. Harper, Cincinnati; Mr. W. H. Hunter, Chillicothe; Rev. I. F. King, Columbus; Rev. N. B. C. Love, Deshler; Prof. J. P. MacLean, Franklin; Prof. C. L. Martzolff, New Lexington; Mr. W. C. Metz, Newark; Prof. W. C. Mills, Columbus; Mr. Robert S. Neil, Columbus; Prof. B. F. Prince, Springfield; Prof. E. O. Randall, Columbus; Dr. W. O. Thompson, Columbus; Mr. E. F. Wood, Columbus; Gen. George B. Wright, Columbus; Prof. G. Frederic Wright, Oberlin.

The meeting was called to order by the President, Gen. R. Brinkerhoff. The Secretary, E. O. Randall, was called upon for the minutes of the previous annual meeting, held June 6, 1902. The Secretary responded that the complete minutes of the last annual meeting as set forth in his minute book were very lengthy, and would require an hour or more for reading, but a condensed report of that meeting is published in volume 11, Society's annual publications (page 71), consisting of some twenty pages. He briefly outlined that published report, which was duly approved as the minutes of said meeting.

In regard to the work of the year, which this eighteenth meeting closes, the Secretary made the following report:

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

The Executive Committee, it will be recalled, is the representative and acting authority of the Society. During the past

year, ending this June 5th, meetings of the committee were held at Columbus on June 21, July 18, October 6 and December 13, 1902; February 10 and April 7, 1903; and also in joint session with the Centennial Commission November 14 and December 29, 1902, and March 6, 1903. So the Executive Committee has held during the past year nine meetings, including the three held with the commission. The Committee, as you well know, has been occupied largely during the past six months with work in conjunction with the Centennial Commission, in preparing for the Centennial at Chillicothe, hence the work of the executive committee has not been as distinct as usual, but it has worked with more than ordinary efficiency and interest, and the result of its year's labors speaks for itself.

PUBLICATIONS.

In January, 1903, volume eleven of our annual publications appeared; that volume consists of the July and October Quarterlies for 1902, and an index to all the previous volumes, including the index to the two Quarterlies this volume (11) contains. This index comprises two hundred and twenty pages, and it was thought best to make this volume consist of the two Quarterlies and the complete index, thereby making a volume of some five hundred pages, the average size of our publications. The closing of this volume with the October, 1902, quarterly, permits the beginning of volume twelve with the January Quarterly, 1903, in order that the volumes may hereafter be contemporaneous with the calendar year. The preparation of this index was assigned to Professor C. L. Martzolff, and it has been done in a most satisfactory and thorough manner. It was an enormous labor, and gives an added value to our publications as the matter in each volume is now easily accessible by means of this index.

We are just about to issue a volume of some five hundred pages on the Illinois campaign of George Rogers Clark, written by Consul Wilshire Butterfield. This manuscript was completed almost the very day of Mr. Butterfield's death, and is perhaps the most valuable production of his pen. It was placed in our hands through the courtesy of Mr. W. H. Hunter,

with the proviso that we publish it, otherwise it was to go to Washington and Lee University. The Executive Committee decided that it was not within our authority to publish this book. Finally Mr. Fred J. Heer, publisher for the Society, came to our aid and agreed to issue the book upon his own responsibility under the auspices of our Society. It will appear in a short time, the Society to have credit for its appearance.

It was clearly understood that the appropriation by the legislature to our Society, of $10,000 for the Ohio Centennial was to include the cost of issuing a souvenir volume of the complete proceedings. That volume will be issued as soon as the matter is fully in hand. It will make a separate and distinct volume of our society's publications and will be without doubt one of the most interesting books we have yet produced.

The appropriation of $6,500 which the legislature gave us a year ago last winter for the reprinting of the then ten complete volumes of our publications has been expended for that purpose. Ten complete sets have been sent to each member of the legislature and the officers of both the House and Senate. There has been a great demand for extra copies by the libraries and schools throughout the state, a demand we have been entirely unable to supply.

PERMANENT BUILDING PROJECT.

This subject is our continued story. It is perennial. In the session of 1902 the legislature passed an enactment enabling counties, under certain conditions, to issue bonds for a memorial building for the G. A. R. Franklin County, in accordance with the approval of the voters, issued bonds for the erection of such building to the extent of $250,000. The law authorizing this, by its wording permitted "occupancy by any * * * historical society," etc. (95 Ohio Laws, 41). It was thought this would include our society, and the county commissioners appointed by the Governor made overtures to our Society to unite with them. They suggested co-operation in securing from the legislature an additional appropriation which would permit the building to be so planned as to accommodate both the county purpose and that of our society. This plan was submitted to