Unexpended balance in state treasury, July 1, 1905 CHAPTER 155, LAWS OF 1901 $8,619 78 19 22 136 75 255 74 $9,031 49 $3,994 24 624 25 316 88 99 00 608 73 687 65 $6,330 75 $15,362 24 61 88 $15,424 12 Unexpended balance in state treasury, July 1, 1905 2,245 21 $6,077 25 1 This represents merely the amount expended by the society for this purpose. On its part, the cost to the state university for electric light and the building's share of heating-plant expenses during the fiscal year was $6,828.81, making the maintenance of the building a total cost of $13,159.56. Each institution being charged with one-half this amount, the society was the university's debtor by $249.03, which difference was liquidated in due course. Details of the foregoing expenditures will be found in the fiscal report of the secretary and superintendent, submitted in connection herewith. A copy of this report has been filed with the governor, according to law. The Binding Fund is the product of special gifts thereto, and one-half of the receipts from membership dues and the sale of ordinary duplicates. Upon July 1, 1904, it consisted of $27,802.60 in cash. and securities; upon July 1, 1905, as will be seen by the accompanying report of the treasurer, it contained $28,093.21. This fund is of much importance in the administration of the society, for its income is used to eke out the state appropriation, in the matter of salaries. The Antiquarian Fund the income from which is to be expended in "prosecuting historical investigations, and procuring desirable objects of historic or ethnological interest," is slowly approaching the proposed minimum of $10,000, which it ought to attain before its income should be considered available. Its present stage is $6,920.82, a gain of $793.14; this is derived not only from accrued interest, but from the acquisition of one-half the receipts from membership fees and sale of ordinary duplicates. The Draper Fund had reached upon July 1 the sum of $9,884.98, a growth during the year of $670.08. This increase was derived from interest receipts and the sale of duplicates from the Draper library, which was willed to the society. Practically all of the Draper duplicates have now been disposed of, so that further growth from that direction is not anticipated. By the date of the present meeting (November 9), the fund is doubtless in excess of the $10,000 minimum established by the committee before its income could be considered available. Owing to the great necessity for carrying on the work of indexing the Draper manuscripts, it will now be advisable to commence the use of the interest accruing from this fund, probably to the extent of $400 per annum. The Mary M. Adams Art Fund has had a net increase during the fiscal year of $148.57; it now contains $4,763.08. A portion of the interest was by consent of the finance committee expended for the purchase of desirable pictures and art books, and during the coming year it will have an opportunity still further to enrich the society's art collections. Membership Dues It has for over a half century been the custom of the society to collect the dues of annual members at the end of the membership year (now September 30). From new members, however, the first year's dues have been collected in advance, thus allowing two years to elapse before the new member was called upon for his second payment. This practice has long been regarded by us as unbusinesslike, as tending to confusion, and contrary to the usage in other organizations. It has been decided by the finance committee to change this method, and the secretary has accordingly been instructed to call for two years' dues when the usual notices are sent out in the autumn of 1906-one payment to be for the year ending September 30, 1906, and the other for the year ending September 30, 1907. Thereafter will be collected only the usual payment of two dollars per year in advance. It seems highly desirable, from a business point of view, to make this change, and it is hoped that members will agree with the committee that the present is as proper a time as any in which to inaugurate it. Library Accessions Statistical Following is a summary of library accessions for the year ending September 30, 1905: Percentage of purchases (including exchanges), in ac Total gifts (including duplicates, which are not acces The accessions for the past ten years were as follows: 1896, 9,002; 1897, 8,663; 1898, 6,960; 1899, 7,727; 1900, 8,983; 1901, 11,340; 1902, 10,510; 1903, 10,584; 1904, 11,990; 1905, 12,634 – average, 9,839. Within the decade, the library's growth has been about fifty per cent; within twenty years, about one hundred thirty-five per cent. Important Accessions Among the most important books received during the year were: Book of the thousand nights and one night. Translated by John Payne. New York, 1884, 9v. Chetham Society. Publications. Manchester, Eng., 1844-1893, 149v. Collection of state tracts published on occasion of the late revolution in 1688, and during reign of King William III. London, 1671-1707, 4v. Doyle, James E. Official baronage of England. London, 1886, 3v. Elias, Johan E. De Vroedschap van Amsterdam, 1578-1795. Haarlem, 1905, 2v. Great Britain House of Commons: Accounts and Papers (18841904), 344v; Public Bills (1888–1903), 56v; Reports of committees (1884-1903), 66v; Reports from Commissioners (1884-1904), 234v. Horn scientific expedition to Central Australia, Report of. London, 1896, 4v. Hulbert, A. B. Crown collection of photographs of American maps. Cleveland, 1904. London County Council, Proceedings of. London, 1891-1904, 9v. Maynard, F. W. Descriptive notice of drawings and publications of Arundel Society, 1869-1873. London, 1873, 2v. Pennant, Thomas; works. London, 1774-1801, 13v. Plan de Paris, 1734-1739. Dessiné et gravé sous les ordres de Messire Michel Étienne Turgot. 20 sheets.1 Providence, R. I. Index of births, marriages, and deaths recorded in Providence, 1871-1890. Providence, 1894-1903, v. 5-10. 1 The purchase price of this magnificent atlas was $33, of which Howard Morris, Esq., of Milwaukee, kindly subscribed one-fourth ($8.25). |