St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-15

enterprise. public spirit and generosity
of her citizens and the love of culture
which pIedominates among the citizens
of Minneapolis. Begun in singularly
humble way. thirty years ago. it has
grown 10 be one of the most important,
as well as one of the most attractive
features of the city.
Very democratic was the origin of
this institution, whose creation was in
stigated by one of the most democratic
of men. Bayard Taylor. 1t was in 1859,
when Minneapolis was but a baby in
Uncle Sans family of great cities, that
this grand American announced that he
would lecture here for the benefit of
any literary society desiring it.
That lecture Melted $3.50. 1t was
but modest beginning for library
which Is expected to contain GO, 600 vol
nmes before 1881 has passed, but it
was a beginning. In 1860 the associa-
ton was incorporated as the Minneapo-
lis Athen3um. Other lectures were
given, and more money was raised. The
year Of 1866 came, and $1,000 had been
secured. A site was purchased and
the old AthenRum building was
erected at 2lj Hennepin avenue, which
was occupied until last July. In 1870
DR.. Kirby Spencer died leaving his
whole estate, upon the payment of a
few specific requests, to the Athen2um
for the purchase Of books of certain
designated classes. as follows: Miner
alOgy, botany, chemistry, zoology, geol-
ogy. astronomy, biology, human and
comparative anatomy, psychology. eth
nOlOgy, conchOlCgy, mathematics, ge-
ogTaphy, history, biography, me-
chanical philosophy, designing, archi-
lecture and the bellies letrres." The be-
quest took the form of real estate. which
has now come to be worth about $780,
Geo: the annual income has risen from
q few hundred dollars to about $4,000,
and may shortly. perhaps. yield double
that. Among the early records of
the Athen8um may be found
the names Of men who have
since contributed much to make
the city what it is. DOrillUs Morrison,
S. c. Gale, II. 7. WelleS, II. g. Harri-
son, G. 4. PillsbuTy. c. VI. Loring, I.
B. Walker, are all to be found as di-
TectOrs at one time or another. But
there was one to whose efforts in no
small measure are due the credit OF
having made the athenIum success.
That was Thomas Hail Williams, its
first librarian. Mr.. Williams was APP
pointed librarian IN 1866, and continued
to act as such until 1880. He is now in
charge OF the athenRum at Providence,
r.
ALooK AHEAD.
In 1884 the athen@um collection ag
regated 1900 volumes, while the
Spencer fund provided for the purchase
of books it said nothing about their
maintenance. This was & new diff
Guilty, but not the only one. The ex-
penses Of the library were constantly
Increasing. Full membership in the
association cost little. At this time,
the certainty that, ere long. free pub
lie library would be established in Min
neapOiS, which would mean almost
certain death to the Atheneum, began
20 be apparent. Few would pay to be-
come members of the athen8um as
ISOLATION when free library stood open
10 them. This trouble was met by an
ticipation. They proposed the estab-
lishment by the city of public library.
after which an alliance could be entered
Into which would be Of benefit to both
institutions. Action upon this sugges-
ton was prompt, and in the spring
of 1885 an act was passed by the legisla-
ture creating the public board, the most
advanced legislation for public library
thus far enacted III the country. 1t
made the library board department of
the city government. three Of its men,
bers TO be ex-officio: the mayor. the
president of the board of education,
and the president of the union. The
athenalum officers who first suggested
this enterprise were J, T., Bell.
president; Samuel Hill, vice-president;
c. McC. Reeve, treasurer; Herbert Put
nam, secretary; A.C. Fairbairn, Rev.
James McGolrick and $. p. Snider, d.
reetors at large. The officers uuder
whom the undertaking was developed.
who were named in the charter as the
first library board. and who are still
helping by reelection. were: President.
q. b. Walker; secretary, Z. VI. John
MI. B. Atwater. Nj. B. Koon. Thomas
80 wry and Sven Oftedal. Among the
s st acts of the board vas TO make