Annual Report: The Library 41 gift of the Directors of the Spingler-Van Beuren Estates, Inc., we received five property maps (variously dated 1799-1843) relating to the area of New York City from the Bowery to Sixth Avenue (Avenue of the Americas) between Twelfth and Fifteenth Streets. Through the courtesy of Mr. Eugene A. Hoffman we received forty-eight photographs of late 19th-century New York City and from Mrs. William Kehoe a group of thirty-three photographs of the same period depicting Manhattanville and environs. Added to our collection of broadsides was one entitled At a Meeting of the Whig Society, at the Long Room in the Coffee- House (New York: ^784). This interesting Revolutionary War item concerns a debate on a proposal to remove from the state "certain characters of influence who have ... [opposed] .. . the liberties of the people." Of especial interest to us is the fact that John Pintard, Founder of The New-York Historical Society, is listed as secretary of the meeting. An important addition to our collection of broadsides relating to the War of 1812 is an item entitled Peace! Treaty of Peace signed and arrived! . . . (New York: February 11, 1815). Of an entirely different nature is the broadside purchased by us which marks P. T Barnum's first venture as a showman. This useful addition to our circus collection announces the appearance of . . . Joice Heth . . . nurse to Gen. George Washington ... Age of 161 Years! . .. (1835). From Dr. George Labalme we received an engraving by Alexander H. Ritchie after a painting by Francis B. Carpenter of The First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation, 1862, signed by the artist and engraver. From Miss Eliza Alice Hovendon we received an engraving entitled The Last Moments of John Brown, signed and dated 1885 by the artist Thomas Hovendon who executed the original painting. Mr. Arthur Winter presented a lithograph Cutting Ice, Rockland Lake, New York by C. and W Endicott after a drawing by John W. Hill (New York: c. 1847). From Miss M. Louise Salisbury we obtained two lithographs of General Zachary Taylor,