HISTORICAL MISCELLANY
Old Oregon Trail marking in Nebraska has been one of the important activities of the Nebraska State Historical Society, as shown in volume XVIII of its Publications, recently issued, covering the years 1908-16, inclusive. The volume narrates frequent anecdotes of travel on the Old Oregon Trail. The historical society has had the co-operation of the state legislature, the Daughters of the American Revolution and numerous other patriotic societies. The trail crosses fifteen counties in Nebraska.
A centennial celebration of statehood will be held this year, on an extensive scale, in Illinois. The state was admitted into the Union in December, 1818. The state board of agriculture is planning a great fair and exposition, and the city of Springfield is making extensive preparations. Several counties have formed centennial associations. Numerous pageants will be displayed. A special state commission is making the general plans.
Reminiscences of William Craig, the frontier trapper and plainsman, associate of Joseph L. Meek, Robert Newell and Joseph Gale, well known figures in early Northwest affairs, appear in the Lewiston Morning Tribune of March 3, 1918, written by Thomas J. Beall. Craig was engaged in the Rocky Mountain fur trade, first went to the Lewiston country in 1829 and died there in September, 1868. The reminiscences contain numerous interesting narratives of the life of Craig.
Rescue of the Georgiana party of Americans from Indians of Queen Charlotte Islands, in December, 1851, was so expensive that its propriety was questioned by the Treasury Department, on the ground that the rescue should not have been effected by Simpson P. Moses, collector of customs at Olympia, but either by the territorial officers of Washington or by the navy. The cost, according to report rendered by Moses, was $11,017.01. A letter defending his action, written by Mr. Moses and directed to the Secretary of the Treasury, dated
