The Helena independent., 1892-03-31
The Corner Stone Of the Helena
Public Library Building For
mally LAID.
Mayor Kleinschmidt Conducts tho
Services Before Large
Gathering.
An Eloquent Address Delivered by City
Attorney A. j. Crsven-What the
Corner Stone Contains.

The corner stone of the auditorium build
ing was LAID yesterday afternoon with tho
usual ceremonies. In spite OF the raw
weather there was a large crowd present.
Among them were John s. Toeker, United
States Marshal Furay, William Harrison
Cornelius Vawtor, Aldermen Anthony Har-
rity, Herman Kline, Moses Morris, I. T.
Fuller and Daniel Hanley, School Trustees
S. G. Gilpatrick. Joseph Cans, Jacob Wal
ker. W. FL. Guthrie, :. ". Langhorne and
G. B. Miller. The stone, which is three
feet long, two feet wide and two feet deep,
and weighs 1000 pounds, was suspended
from derrick over the northeast corner Of
the building. On it's top was square hole
TO receive the copper box containing tho
various articles which were to be placed
in the corner stone. When every thing was
in readiness Mayor Klelnsohmlut stepped
to the front. I'VE are assembled"
he said. for the purpose Ct lay
ing the cornsr stone OF the .helena
public library building. 1t is beautiful
custom handed down to us that there shall
be contained in the corner stone some
mementos from which future generations
may learn something Of our history or To-
day." The mayor enumerated the various
articles in the copper box. The address OF
ths occasion, he said, would be by City At
torney Craven. The mayor said that ne
could add bat little to what the city attor-
nav would say, except to state how the
bnIldinq had been brought about. After
telling ST the petition, the appropriation
and the other steps, ne SAID 1t WAS the 7 uT-
pose to make the libra Y oae OF the proud
al institutions Of the city. It was to be
"a taH th4 wants OF the
visitors who were expected in Helena this
summer. 1T has gone forth to the world, "
said the mayor. "that there IL in tho con
fines OF the Rockies state known as Mon
tana. an empire i'll itself, and city,
Helena. of which its citizens are proud. We
should leave nothing undona to make
in the queen city Of the Rookles-Woalthy,
rafned. educated. The beginning here is
only the beginning OF great ending. The
people who visit Us will go back and spread
our praise. Let as make the occasions OF
this building grand success. Let US tai n
ont to q man. 10 no person or persons is
tho credit due, fer it was the people who
did ito The mayors remarks were greeted
with applause, and when he had sealed the
copper ossket and placed it i'll the corner
stone, City Attorney A.. .. craven was IN
troduced lie sald
Fallow Citizens of Helena: The short
notice of this occasion. given BY the com
mites having the construction OF this
building in charge, is in fitting accord with
the alacrity with which the city council
and the school board responded whsn It's
necessity was apparent, aud tao marvellous
dispatch Of the mechanics which insures
tie completion Of the structure for the re
cantion Of your many friends who will
Gather within its walls in the early days OF
June.
IN the hush and lull of the clangor Of the
hammer and the trowel Of it's builders we
Gather as honored represen tatives OF the
Good people OF this community whose en-
ternrise alone made the erection OF these
walls possibility, for the purpose OF lay
ing this corner stone ana OF dedicatlng the
lofty structure which shall tower above 1t,
to the social and intellectual advancement
of this community.
No thoughts OF mine, crude and made
ouate. can contribute to what you already
know and feel. Tho scene itself, which
confronts you, abouads with the oratory
born of the skies and the rocks. winch rele-
gate to silence the mumbllng attempts
of artleulats speech. Below us and
around as the growing city, before US the
valley with it's Solids looking up from Il
winters sleep into the genial face of spring,
their broad landscapes fecked with tbs
sable shadows of tho mountains, while sur
rounding us is tho jeweled rim OF mountain
range commineling III beauty the blue OF
the pines and the radiant whlteness OF the
lingering SHOWS
And the question comes, what is the full
meaning OF these verlt&ble temples OF
learning in whose shadows we now stand,
and what is the hgheat sentiment which
we, who are gathered here on the feuEda-
tion of free public library, may carry
back with as to our several homes and In
weave into our lives? ASK the mlners who
first cast down their blankets by the eide OF
yonder gulch ovsr & quarter OF century
ago. ASK the older Inhabitants of this city
who yenturad kere with their tam1llas and
have seen the ude beginnings CT pFecarl-
ous mining camp grow into the ce talntias
of great and mlgaty coHmenWaaith. AK,
If it were possible theGe mighty splrlts
who planted thel colonies along the east
ern seaboard, the gigantic human p oauets
of revival OF lea nlng, those falr children
of new dawn, who brooksd no danger,
feared no harm, crossed ssas and ieysied
forests, dehed the king ana crowned man-
ask them who troelalmed treedom OF mind
and conscience, and shouted liberty along
the lone seashore, and hallsd nnbowed
trees in the traakless forests as brothers;
who built school houses and charchos,
founded colleges and established Libraries
and proclaimed to the world not only the
emancipation Of toilinq hands and bend
ing backs I ON the scourze OF the la on,
but the emancipation of struggling intel
lect from tho torturng grasp of the self
constituted powers that were, whose DOM
ination over frea thought kne" no bounds
but the limits of tyranny.
In looking down on Helena and this val
lev from these mountain tops, II counter
part in history naturally Suggests Itself to
4 f,.sf tIa Y,,