The Chilhowee echo. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1899-19??, 1899-10-28

E'TcCOullG Oh Une Inception, progress ana compile
tfon of the Building.-EDs. ECHO.
The women of Knoxville have long
9elt the need of place that was always
available and was suitable for holding
the meetings of the various organiza-
|tions, philanthropic, literary and social,
(Which have sprung up in the last few
.tears and have been such large fac
nor in the development of Knoxville's
social and literary life. Many sugges-
fiOns have been made and discussed,
ut abandoned as being impracticable
nd beyond the reach of those inter-
rsted.
.kWhen a business man of Knoxville
Proposed to the women that they bring
back to Knoxville the Centennial Build
ing which has represented US and our
resources in Nashville at our State Cen
fennial and resurrect it and make out
Int it a permanent abode for an exhibit
LOT counties resources and use it for any
either purposes they might wish, it was
received by many with misgiving, but
by others as the opportunity for the
Women to secure the long-wished-fo
building.
tWhen Ossoli Circle decided not to
sake hold of the matter, the Woman's S
Executive Board of the Free Street
Fair and Trade Carnival for 1897 called
| tor a mass meeting of the women of
Knoxville who were interested in the
lFeturn and resurrection of this building
| to be held at the Chamber of Commerce
November 27, 1897. Between twenty
live and thirty persons responded to the
Icall. An organization was effected un-
Ider the name of "The Knoxville Cen
ls,ennial Building Association. The
| following officers were elected:
Mrs. L. D. Tyson, President; Mrs
Samuel Mckinney, Vice-Prest; Mrs.
Iohn Williams, Secretary; Mrs. J. E..
/ Bentley, Treasurer.
| "A charter was secured and stock
lcompany organized. The work of rails
ling funds and interesting the public
.yas carried forward rapidly. Mr.. AL
tDert Bauman was architect and Galyon
LIZ Selden contractors. The building
Iwent up with such rapidity that it was
1completed in less than year from the
I@time of it's inception, and now stands on
Othe historic grounds upon which the
k5ld court house stood for so many years.
1tt is lasting tribute to dhe energy
knd wisdom of the Centennial Commit
! fee, who had it erected in Nashville, as
1 well as a monument to the courage and
batriotism of the women and their
siSnfs who hSought lit back and have
taa4aa4e..-o.at lli4
buildings of Knoxville. The lower floor
IS used for permanent exhibit Of
Knox county's resources and for Other
public purposes. The upper hall anc
ioof gardens are used for public anC
private entertainments, the meetings o.
The various womans' clubs, lectures
concerts, etc. The County Court, ap
breciating the high purposes the wo
nen had in view and the advantage
their building would be to the count,
hnd city, allowed the building to bt
placed upon the old court house lot upor
terms advantageous both to the Count,
hnd to the Building Association. Tht
!, marble pagoda which so handsomel.
shows our marble resources, occupies
; one end of the building.
The work of selling stock, giving en-
, tertainments and devising means tt
raise money to meet running expense
and notes as they fell due, has been ar
duous and taxing in the extreme. Thi
has been done by the Executive Boarc
| and only those who have had part in i
know what the burden has been.
} At public meeting the stockholder
| held March 10Th, 1899, it was suggested
by our lawyer that in order that W,
| might keep the stock in the hands o
, persons who would always be friendl,
, not only to the building but to the in
, terestS of the promoters OF the building
J it would be well to be careful of it's sal
t and in order to keep the cOntrollin!
J share in the hands of the women h.
suggested that in the future in givins
| entertainments to rent the building a
the usual rates, after paying all eX
| penseS connected with the entertain
l ment to invest the money in stock whicl
t would go to the liquidation of the debt
Up to this time no one but the direc
tors have availed themselves OF thi
: uggestiOn but any stockholders an
g sny friend has the same privilege.
During the summer months when tn
g revenues from rents were very Smal
r the Board decided in order to meet run
!, ming expenses to open the building
g few evenings in each week and serve re
freshments. The roof gardens wer
n cool and pleasant, the hall was delight
e full for dancing and one of the best OF
i chestras in the city furnished the music
d These evenings were always chaperor
= ed by two members of the Board an
nothing unpleasant ever occurred in tn
e building.
+ 1t has been one of the unwritten law
J governing the Board that they as
T Board would never serve punch in an
d form in the building and this has bee
l. strickly adhered to, and of all the entel
d tainments given in the building, an
k there have been great many, pune
Q has only been served twice. On bot
> occasions by the persons who rented tn
Q building-the Board had nothing to q
d lwith it.
l. The building has been rented fe
II times by ladies who wished to ente
e tain their friends at cards. These ente
y tainments have been exceedingly ell
d giant and pleasant. Mr.. W.. ]. Bryan
d was given banquet and it was pr
d hounced one of the most elegant eve
a given in Knoxville, a city famous for i
h elegant entertainments. The woman
N building stands for the highest ar
D. best culture, for advancement along a
" The lines moral, intellectual and physic
The Board who control it have made
fn the past and hope to make it for Il
Of Future place where the best class
n entertainments can be given-whe
The best class Of young people and old