The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1900-04-26
A BIT OF ANCIENT HISTORY

| IsAHluboWtt uDllt i<lDi Oh hNNe~A~ SSe~-'
of the earlier efforts made to start Ii
brary here. Probably the first attempt
made in that direction was in 1853
when the legislature passed an act en-
towoc Library and Scientific Associa
titled AN Act to Incorporate the Mani
ton" A certified copy of this document
is among some old papers in the posses
sion Of the Carus family. In those days
all interpretations were accomplished by
act of the legislature, there being nc
general statute providing for the organ
izing of companies or associations. There
was then no provision for city or village
Libraries supported by taxation, such as
there is at present. Consequently the
only method Of getting IA public circu-
lating library was by the associating to-
gether of public-spirited men for the
raising of necessary funds by private
subscription, not only for the purchase
of books but to pay running expenses.
That was what was done over forty
years ago in the then village of Mantle
voc The act incorporating the society
reads as follows;
AN ACT
To incorporate the Manitowoc Library
and Scientific Association.
The People of the State of Wisconsin,
represented in Senate and Assembly, do
enact as follows:
SECTION 1. Jacob Lueps, S. A. Wood,
William Bach, William Vette, Charles
w. Fitch, Charles Hottelmann, Richard
-klingholz, Henry Baetz, Charles Walk
er and F. Solomon and such other per-
sons who may hereafter from time to
time become associated with them, are
hereby constituted a body corporate by
the name of the "Manitowoc Library
and Scientific Association" and by that
name to remain in perpetual succession,
for the purpose of establishing and main
tanning a library and reading room, EN-
bracing in its purposes literary and sci
entific lectures, and providing other
means of moral and intellectual improve
ment.
SECTION q The corporation hereby
created may in its corporate name &C
quire, take hold, transfer and convey
real and personal property and estate to
the amount of twenty thousand dollars
and also take, hold and convey all
such books, cabinets, library furniture
and apparatus as may be necessary
for attaining the objects and carrying
into effect the purposes of said associa-
ton
SECTION g. The officers of said asso-
citation shall consist of President, a
Vice president, Secretary, who shall
be ex-officio Librarian, a Treasurer and
three Directors, who together shall con-
stitute an Executive Committee, in
whom shall be vested the direction and
management of the affairs and concerns
of the association.
SECTION 4. The officers of said asso-
citation shall be chosen by ballot on the
first Monday of May in each year, and
shall hold their offices until their success
ors are duly elected and qualified. Ten
days previous notice of the annual cleo
ton shall he given in the newspapers of
the Village of Manitowoc by the Secre-
tary of the association.
SECTION 5. The said corporation shall
have power to make from time to time
such bylaws, rules and regulations rs
shall be judged expedient and proper
for the election of officers, prescribing
the duties and functions of the same
and the mode of discharging those du-
ties, for the government of the associa-
ton, for the admission of new members,
for regulating the admission fees and
annual rate Of contribution to the funds
of said association, for appointing the
times and places for meeting, for sus-
pending or expelling such officers and
members as shall neglect or refuse to
comply with said bylaws, rules and
regulations, and for managing the gen
eral affairs of said association, and for
filing vacancies that shall for any rea
son occur in the offices of the associa-
ton.
SECTION g. The estate, property and
funds of the said corporation shall be
devoted solely to the general purposes
and objects specified in the first section
of this act
SEDTIoN T. The first annual election
shall be held on u call made by ma
iority Of the members mentioned in this
act
SECTION s. This act shall take effect
from and after its passage.
The act is signed by William p Lyon,
speaker of the assembly, and f. ID. Camp.
bell, Acknowledgements and president
of the senate, and is approved, March
81, 1853, by Alexander w. Randall, then
the governor of the state. William p.
| Lyon afterwards became u justice of the
\Iiu,,,.in s,,1ra,pa a,,,rt th.p .h;of