It is important to note that the survival of the various types of documentation across the nearly 140 years of its existence is very uneven. There are large gaps in each of the series. T he minutes of the Board of Directors, for example, is virtually complete for the period from 1898 through 1947 and virtually non-existent for the period before that. The same disparity holds true for most of the other series. There has been significant physical damage to many of records, especially the large bound volumes. In those cases where missing information can be inferred, it is added in brackets. Where information about numbering of materials is intact, it is mentioned in the descriptions. An example of this it the use of a "Catalog" number applied to the paper wrappings of many of the volumes. If the wrapping survived and still had the "catalog" number it is noted in the finding aid. There are other labels which have been associate with many items. If they are extant, they noted.