314 THE HISTORICAL CONFERENCE.

Washington historical activities. He spoke of the im- portant early individual work of Elwood Evans and James G. Swan. The "Washington State Historical Society" was organized at Tacoma in 1891. Owing to indifferent sup- port and failure to receive State aid it had about lapsed. However, its present secretary, Mr. Edwin Eells, was in attendance on the conference, and reported the steps taken to merge with the recently organized Washington State University Historical Society. Mr. T. C. Elliott repre- sented the Walla Walla country, and Mr. Trimble from Spokane expressed strong interest in the prospects of co- operation among the Coast societies. Ezra Meeker, a pioneer who came across the plains in 1852, spoke of his plans to retrace the "Old Oregon Trail" and mark its lo- cation at points of interest. This was to be the first step to secure some action to perpetuate its memory. Professor J. R. Robertson of Pacific University, one of the small band of investigators in Oregon, spoke enthusiastically of the op- portunities that the field afforded in all lines of research. Professor C. A. Duniway of Stanford University described what was being done by societies engaged in historical activities in California. The pioneer associations had done good work in gathering some valuable memoirs. The Native Sons had assisted in this work and the Land- marks League was rendering good service in preserving and marking historical sites in the State. Professor Duniway urged such organization of the societies of the Pacific Coast as would secure an annual meeting for the discussion of papers and the promotion of research. Governor Prince of Sante Fe> president of the historical society of New Mexico, gave a very interesting talk on the wealth of historical material in the Territory of New Mex- ico. There were three distinct epochs of history there, the present epoch reaching back to the time of the Ameri- can occupation of the country, from that to the beginning of the Spanish dominion of the country, and prior to that