The papers of Representative Thomas Murray, ten cubic feet of paper documentation at the time of their donation to the Historical Society, are similar to the archival collections of other Wisconsin legislators of his era . Like those collections, the Murray Papers consist of constituent correspondence, memoranda, bill files, speeches, and press releases. They are unusual, however, in that an unusually large proportion of the papers concern local rather than state issues, and that they coincide with a significant period of economic decline in the Superior area. In the Murray Papers this appears in the form of strong research materials on the UW-Superior in the University System's post merger era, the Murphy Oil Co., tax issues, and the economic development of the Port of Superior. It is possible that the unusually disproportionate local documentation may have resulted from selection by the donor because it is clear that no discrete bill files were received for the 1973-1974, 1975-1976, or the 1979-1980 sessions. In addition, although there are discrete files of speeches and press releases as well as much additional such publicity documentation scattered throughout the collection, the papers include only one constituent newsletter (Spring, 1982), a type of document typical of most legislative collections. In addition, the files of the Labor Committee, which Murray chaired, and the other committees of which he was a member are limited, and there are no biographical clipping files, scrapbooks, or campaign materials.
The files are arranged as alphabetical SUBJECT FILES and BILL FILES. In addition to topically arranged files, the SUBJECT FILES include discrete files of speeches and press releases. Two folders in this series about the Assembly Transportation Committee are actually the files of Assemblyman Kevin Soucie, who was chair of that committee, 1979-1980. Although Murray was the vice-chair of the committee at the time and the chair, 1981-1982, it is not known why these materials were in Murray's custody. Perhaps he used them as background information.
The BILL FILES document only the 1977-1978 and 1981-1982 sessions. These were unfoldered in the original documentation and the original order was reconstructed in the Archives from internal evidence. These files are arranged by bill number.
