*

Dana,* Oswald Ottendorfer,* Chauncey M. Depew, Horace Porter, William Allen Butler,* Mornay Williams, George G. Haven,* Elbridge T. Gerry, Walter S. Logan,* Henry E. Howland, Edward P. Hatch, William L. Bull, James M. Taylor, J. Hampden Robb, Ebenezer K. Wright,* Alexander E. Orr, William M. Evarts,* Wager Swayne,* Charles R. Miller, Frederick W. Devoe, Elbridge G. Spaulding,* Frederick S. Tallmadge,* Thomas V. Welch, S. Van Rensselaer Cruger,* Frederick J. de Peyster,* Morgan Dix,* John A. Stewart, Charles C. Beaman,* Francis Vinton Greene, Peter A. Porter, M. D. Raymond, George N. Lawrence,* Benjamin F. Tracy, Augustus Frank, Charles Z. Lincoln, John Hudson Peck, Sherman S. Rogers, William Hamilton Harris, Lewis Cass Ledyard, Alexander B. Crane, John Hodge,* Robert L. Fryer, J. S. T. Stranahan,* Samuel Parsons, Jr., Charles A. Hawley, Henry E. Gregory, Frederick D. Tappen,* Henry J. Cookingham, Henry R. Durfee, H. Walter Webb,* and such others as shall become associated with them in the manner and upon the terms and conditions prescribed by the by-laws of the corporation hereby created, are hereby constituted a body politic and corporate by the name of the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society, with all the powers and subject to the provisions of the eleventh section of chapter thirty-five of the general corporation law as amended by chapter six hundred and eighty-seven of the laws of eighteen hundred and ninety-two, except as otherwise provided by this act, and shall be capable of purchasing, taking, receiving and holding by gift, grant, devise, bequest, or otherwise, in trust or perpetuity, real and personal estate for the uses and purposes of said corporation, the value of which shall not exceed one million dollars.

2. The objects of said corporation shall be to make recommendations to any municipality in the State of New York, or its proper officers, respecting movements in the scenic or material conditions thereof, to acquire by purchase, gift, grant, devise, or bequest, or in any other lawful manner, historic objects or memorable or picturesque places in the State or elsewhere in the United States, hold real and personal property in fee or upon

*Now deceased.

such lawful trusts as may be agreed upon between the donors thereof and said corporation or as may be constituted by a court of competent jurisdiction and accepted by said corporation, and to improve the same; admission to which shall be free to the public under such rules for the proper protection thereof as said corporation may prescribe, and which said property shall be exempt from taxation within the State of New York.

§ 3. The affairs and business of said corporation shall be conducted by a board of not less than five or more than thirty-five trustees, a quorum of whom for the transaction of business shall be fixed by the by-laws. The persons now constituting the board of trustees of said corporation shall continue to hold office until others are elected in their stead, as provided by the said by-laws. Vacancies in the board of trustees may be filled in the manner prescribed by the said by-laws.

§ 4. None of the trustees or members of said corporation shall receive any compensation for services, or be pecuniarily interested directly or indirectly in any contract relating to the affairs of said. corporation, nor shall said corporation make any dividend or division of its property among its members, managers or officers.

5. The board of trustees shall annually, at a time to be fixed by the by-laws, elect or appoint from their number the following officers: A president, four vice-presidents and a treasurer, who shall hold office for one year and until their respective successors are clected or appointed, and shall perform such duties as are provided by the by-laws. The board of trustees may also appoint a secretary and define his duties, and shall have the power to manage, transact and conduct all business of the corporation, to prescribe the terms of admission of its members, and to appoint and fix the compensation of and remove its employees at pleasure. The said corporation shall have no capital stock, and shall have no power to sell, mortgage or otherwise incumber any of its property.

§ 6. Said corporation shall annually make to the Legislature a statement of its affairs, and from time to time report to the Legislature, by bill or otherwise, such recommendations as are pertinent to the objects for which it was created, and may act jointly or otherwise with any persons appointed by any other State

for similar purposes as those intended to be accomplished by this act, whenever the object to be secured or purpose sought to be accomplished is within the jurisdiction of this and any other State, or can only be attained by such joint action.

§ 7. This act shall take effect immediately.

FINANCES.

The Society is maintained by membership dues, the income from the Andrew H. Green Memorial Fund of $10,000, and occasional small donations. There are four classes of membership: Annual members pay $5 annually; sustaining members pay $25 annually; life members are those who have contributed $100 at one time; and patrons are those who have given $500 or more in property or money at one time. The income from these sources has always been limited and inadequate to the demands of the work. The total income during the year ended December 31, 1907, was $3,486.33, and the total disbursements, $3,458.23, leaving a balance on hand January 1, 1908, of $28.10. For its general work the Society receives no financial assistance from the State. Moneys appropriated by the State are applied exclusively upon the properties of the State without any charge by the Society for its executive services, and duly accounted for to the proper State officers. Detailed statements of the disbursement of State funds since our last annual report are given in the following pages.

ANDREW H. GREEN MEMORIAL FUND.

As stated in our last annual report, the Society received from the heirs of the late Hon. Andrew H. Green, by deed of gift dated November 12, 1906, and delivered January 8, 1907, the sum of $10,000 to constitute or be the nucleus of a fund to be called the Andrew H. Green Memorial Fund. The terms of the deed of gift require the principal to be invested permanently, the income therefrom to be devoted to the promotion of the objects of the Society. The deed further requires that "Each and every report