River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-04-07
The Public Reading and Rest
Rooms.

Although not quite half of this
years work in the Public Reading
and Rest Rooms has been done,
yet it seems proper at this stage to
make some sort of a public state
ment regarding the work and pres
ent financial condition. Since NoY.
/, 1908, the citizens together with
Mr.. S. ]. Rasmussen of Starbuck,
Mimi, and Mrs. C. H. Grant of
Missoula, Mont, have given $4,000
for the support Of this institution.
The 1. o. G. T. paid $4,000 rent in
advance.
We paid A. P. Forsyth $4,000 for
rent. Our coal bill was $500. 1t
cost $4,000 to get someone to take
charge of the rooms last fall when
it was impossible for the manager
to be present. The lights for the
winter and necessary expenditures
to arrange for cooking in the rooms
amounted to $500; $15.75 was paid
for periodicals and $500 for books,
making a total of $328.75 outlay.
In order to carry on the work for
the whole year, from Nov. /, 1908,
to Nov. 1, 1904, the manager found
it necessary to give notes for $780,
90, thinking that this sum could be
earned during the winter by home
baking, making candy, etc. Not
withstanding the high price of all
provisions this year together with
the inexperience of the manager,
which greatly reduced the profits,
something over $4,000 was cleared
besides the net proceeds of the
supper and dinner given March 4th
and 26th, about $4,000.
Many of the citizens of River
Falls lately decided that the post
office would be more conveniently
located in the rooms of which we
held a lease expiring Nov. /, 1904.
For the pleasure of these citizens
whose good will and sympathetic
he1pfulness we are anxious to keep
we cheerful1y gave up our lease for
a consideration of $143.50, although
we were unable to locate elsewhere
in near so desirable place. No.
81 which was suggested to us so
many times as being most desir-
able, would not hold our stuff and
leave room for the occupants, let
alone being either pleasant, com
Portable or convenient for the pub
lie. Moreover, | felt that if we
were ever going to establish per-
manent Public Reading and Rest
Rooms there could be no better time
than the present. Accordingly l
purchased of ]. S. Hemenway the
property, consisting of two lots and
a fraction, with the buildingsethere-
on, on Maple street and also the
John Grimm property. adjoining.
Together these give frontage on
Maple street of 70 feet with depth
of, 1872 feet. The old blacksmith
shop has been sold and will be re-
moved as soon as possible. The
old wagon shop is for sale. 1t is
my intention to face both bicycle
shops with brick, re-roof both build
ings and put in glass fronts.
The west building, 4Ox20 f., will
eventually be used for the library,
the large shop, 50x30 it,, will, when
complete, serve the same purposes
as did the Reading Room in the
fremont block. The six finished
rooms at the back may be used by
whoever has charge of the place.
There is land enough when cleared,
graded and properly treated to
make a beautiful lawn. I believe
there is no better, more centrally
located property, obtainable for
such purpose in the city than this
and that eventually it will be owned
and controlled by the city.
There is also another side to this
question worth mentioning. For
years the northeast quarter of this
block has been not only an eyesore
to all beauty-loving natures, but a
very real menace to all the rest of
the block We all know that under
certain very possible conditions, a
fire started in such nest of old
wooden buildings might bring great
disaster to the city. BY making
these Improvements the danger
necessarily will be greatly lessened
and the whole street leading to the
/ depot made attractive instead of