the support of James G. Blaine for President. In 1888, he made speeches in California, in support of Harrison.

But the most admirable achievement, in the line of intellectual endeavor, on the part of Judge Hill, was his codification of the laws of Oregon, and later of Washington. In 1886 he went to San Francisco, as code commissioner selected by the Legislature of Oregon, to compile and annotate the laws of the State. He prepared two volumes embodying the statutes, with annotations of decisions, in a code which is accepted everywhere as the perfection of legal accuracy, and comprehensiveness.

"The completion of this great work," says a recent historian of Seattle, "found Mr. Hill's health, never very robust, seriously impaired, and in the hope that change of climate would be beneficial, he took up his residence in Seattle in 1889, at once occupying an exalted place amid a bar of lawyers recruited from the foremost Eastern ranks. The transition of Washington from a Territory to a State, necessitated radical changes in local jurisprudence, and to Judge Hill special attention was inevitably directed. Responding to suggestions of his professional brethren, he commenced the publication of a series of articles urging the adoption of a judicial system which, in his own words, would make the State's courts a means of administering justice rather than the mere forum for technical disputation. His plan involves

an entire revision and condensation of time-honored but cumbersome practice; it vests all jurisdiction, civil, criminal and probate, legal and equitable, in the same courts; abolishes terms of court, and divests the machinery of justice of the cobwebs of antiquity, of technicalities which have survived conditions long obsolete. His thorough knowledge of constitutional law, his clear insight into fundamental principles, his logical accuracy in threading the labyrinthian mazes of written and unwritten law, enabled him to lay down rules of practice which were readily adopted so soon as impartial judgement took the place of firmly rooted usage."

At the very first session of the legislature of the new State of Washington, Judge Hill was selected as commissioner to perform for that State the great service he had already rendered Oregon. He bent his full energies to the task, and at the next session, in 1891, he presented to the State a work upon which his reputation may securely rest.

The foregoing is but a meagre outline of a busy and useful life; but the mearest sketch of a brilliant and scholarly man. But to those who can gauge character from events, even this is sufficient to show that William Lair Hill is not only one of the leaders of thought upon the Pacific Coast, but a man of action as well. Nor is his full work yet done, as those who know him best look upon this much as but a preparation for even better work in the

future. As one who has long known him has well said: "He stands at the head of his profession in the northwest country, and his judgment is ever appealed to upon question of paramount importance. With all his genius he has been paramountly a worker. He has had no faith in any road to success not made by individual effort;

no faith in the value of a result not reached by independent research. His attainments are due, he insists, to laborious application, even his education, which is far reaching and comprehensive, having been acquired without the advantage of more than a very limited school training."

THEODORE JOHNSON.

ORIGINAL explorations in various parts of the United States which have not been carefully examined, are to be set on foot by the Archæological Association, which is under the auspices of the University of Pennsylvania. Several men who are experts in scientific work, will be placed in the field. During the summer of 1891 the Association has thoroughly explored a number of ancient village sites in the valley of the Delaware, and the work has thrown new light on the customs and conditions of the prehistoric Indians. On an island in the Delaware an implement maker's workshop was found, and in another place were 116 finely chipped knives, averaging about six inches in length. The quarry of jasper, where the Indians got their raw material, was found, and thousands of specimens of their workmanship secured.

:

MRS. JOHN A. LOGAN recently spoke as follows concerning the monument proposed for the dead statesman and soldier, John A. Logan "I should like to have this monument ready for unveiling when the Grand Army meets in Washington next year, but I fear there is not time enough now to do it. Gen. Alger has promised me to ask the committee to meet in Washington at an early day to ask for designs. I want the monument to be of bronze and granite. I think nearly enough money has been raised for the purpose."

MR. J. FLETCHER WILLIAMS, Secretary of the Minnesota Historical Society, has pub. lished a card in which he somewhat freely unburdens his mind concerning Willard

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Glazier's "discovery " of the source of the Mississippi. He says: Capt. Glazier, the mendacious discoverer, has just returned to Minneapolis with a party of tourists, whom he induced by some means, to go with him to the head waters of the Mississippi, and his organs in this State now announce that he has rediscovered the true source of the great river. His companions on the expedition are ready to back his claims. Of course they are. That was what they were taken to Lake Itasca for. The value of the verdict of a packed jury is always rightly estimated."

GENERAL CHARLES W. DARLING, the efficient corresponding Secretary of the Oneida Historical Society at Utica, New York, has been appointed a member of the Advisory Council of the World's Congress Auxiliary on Historical Literature of the World's Fair. This Congress is authorized and supported by the exposition corporation for the purpose of bringing about a series of world's conventions of the leaders in the various departments of human progress during the exposition season of 1893. It has been recognized and approved by the Government of the United States, and its general announcement has been sent to foreign gov. ernments by the Department of State. An appropriation on account of its expenses has been made by act of Congress.

A RECENT visitor to the old home of Silas Wright, in Canton, St. Lawrence County, New York, says that it has recently passed into the hands of the Universalist Society of that place. The property consists of the

old Wright mansion and about a quarter of an acre of land. The house is a plain, twostory building with a large L, and is said to have been erected about seventy-five years ago. In this old house Gov. Wright passed the happiest part of his life. Hither he always delighted to return from the active scenes of public life; and here, the year after his defeat in the gubernational contest, he died while busily engaged in his home labors. To-day the most noticeable room in the house is the large dining room where Mr. Wright was sometimes found by prominent visitors at dinner with his workmen. This dining room is a very large room, differing from many other old-time dining rooms, in that it has a high ceiling. In the room is a huge fireplace, occupying about one half of one side. There are secret closets at one side of the fireplace. In the study is a smaller fireplace, in front of which and slightly at one side Gov. Wright delighted to sit. This was his favorite corner, and when, in 1844, he left home to occupy the Governor's chair at Albany he left it in great sorrow. The house which was until recently occupied by Mr. Plinny Wright, the brother of the statesman, now presents a desolate appearance. The paper is falling from the walls, cobwebs fill the windows, and odds and ends are scattered all about. There is a large collection of books in the old house, the floor in some of the rooms being covered with the works of great writers. Many text books, treatises on religion, philosophy, and kindred subjects, most of them printed fifty years ago and used by the two brothers at Middlebury College, are to be seen everywhere. Some of the books have the name of Silas Wright in his handwriting on the title page. The large monument erected with $1 subscriptions from the citizens of St. Lawrence County stands in a cemetery about a quarter of a mile from the house.

THE split in that Society, The Daughters of the Revolution, which promised such disaster, does not seem to have prevented either faction from going ahead as serenely as though no other claimants were in existence. The Daughters of the Revolution of Mrs. Flora Adams Darling's faction, have filed articles of incorporation in New York, that lady's name heading the list of managers. Her associates are Anna Maserau Steers, Margaret H. Mather, Valeria Berrien, W. Salus, Susan C. M. Steers, Mary C. Casy, Emily D. Steers, Julia T. Burnett, Maria A. Dayton, Ellen A. Warren, Lucretia Morris, F. Adelaide Ingraham, Elenor H. King, Janie A. Everett, Amelia F. Rasines, Louise F. Rowe, Louise S. Davis, Sadie A. Smith, Mary E. D. McGown, Francis A. M. Berry and Emily J. M. Newton. The objects of the society it is declared are "to keep alive the patriotic spirit of the men and women who achieved American independence, collect and preserve manuscripts, records, and so forth, encourage historical research in relation to the Revolution, advocate appro. priate celebrations of all patriotic anniversaries, urge the United States Government to gather, complete, and publish authentic records of every officer, soldier, sailor, statesman or civilian who contributed to the cause of American independence in the war of 1776, and establish a home for the impoverished daughters of noble sires, so that they may feel they have a home and country."

MEANWHILE Mrs. Harrison, wife of the President of the United States, the president of the other faction, has addressed a general circular, under date of September 14, to the "Regents of the National Society of the Daughters of American Revolution," in which she says: "With a view to the establishment of complete unity of action and perfect harmony of feeling throughout the National Society of Daughters of the Ameri

can Revolution, the Board of Management, conscious of the integrity of its purposes and the legality of its action, requests a meeting of every officer of the society and of every lady who has at any time received an appointment through any officer of the society, whether she has received notice that such an appointment has been confirmed or not. The meeting will be held Thursday, Oct. 6, in the drawing rooms of 1,407 Massachusetts avenue, placed at the disposal of the society, on that date as a hall and to be in no sense considered a private residence. It is earnestly requested that every chapter formed, or in process of formation, shall be represented on this occasion. It is requested that the ladies coming to this meeting shall bring a clearly defined statement of any just cause of complaint they may entertain, and documentary evidencs to support the position they are prepared to take. The Advisory Board of the National Society will be present, and each chapter regularly formed is invited, and if so desires to send one member of its Advisory Board or council of gentlemen to aid its lady representatives in maintaining its views. The fullest opportunity will be allowed for the discussion of every question, and it is believed that in the course of this candid and friendly conference a full understanding of mutual relations will be attained and confidence established in the Society of Daughters of the American Revolution, which has for its high aim the promotion of patriotism of our native land. Plans will be proposed for the advancement of the society. Practical lines of work will be considered, and each regent is invited to present her views and those of her chapter upon these subjects. It must be understood that this meeting is for conference only, and does not take the place of the Continental Congress, which meets on Feb. 22, 1892."

IN the midst of all the hurried and absorb

ing events of the day, a New York newspaper

has found place for the following echoes of the past-these facts so near in the sense of years, yet so far away when measured by the growth of the country, and, the march of progress in the new world. In laying the foundation for a new eleven-story building at the northeast corner of Broad and Beaver streets, New York City, it has been found necessary to drive forty-foot piles of hemlock into the swampy ground. To antiquarians the sight of this watery hole in the ground recalls the swamp in this vicinity and the canal which extended through Broad street and by which passengers from Brooklyn and Communipaw were landed at "the stairs near Wall street. It was a famous skating place for the Dutch lads of the old time.

AN etymological dictionary of the streets, more especially those below Fourteenth street, would prove interesting reading. Close to the Battery, for instance, are Marketfield street, so called because it led up to the open field by the Bowling Green, on which cattle fairs were held and country people disposed of their produce; Bridge street, which took its name from a bridge that spanned the Broad street canal at that point, and Stone street, so designated because it was the first thoroughfare in the city that was paved with stone.

THE oldest house in the city stands at the southeast corner of Pearl and Broad streets, but has been renovated in such a manner that its ancient owners would not recognize it.

Originally built in the early part of the last century as the town residence of Etienne DeLancy, it had become a tavern before the Revolutionary War broke out, and was famous for its coffee room and for its land!ord, Sam Fraunce, or "Black Sam," as he was familiarly called. At the time of the Stamp act outbreak a cannon ball from the