, 1906-01-24

!, provide a maintenance fund of So, 900
annually.
Then the work began in earnest. A
meeting vas called and the proposition
met with the hearty and unanimous en-
dorsement of the people, some of the
heaviest taxpayers in the county be
ing among the most enthusiastic peo-
pie in the matter of the tax to maintain
the library. once it had been housed in
the structure for the building of which
the money was at that time available,
thanks to the generosity of the great
philanthropist.
Mr.. Nelson followed the progress of
the matter, telling of the securing a
site, one which had met the ideas of a
vast number of people, the preparation
of the plans, he himself having drawn
a rough sketch of the building as he
would have made it, which met the en-
dorsement of the other members of the
building commission, Messrs. Holiday
and Crumrine, who, with DR.. Nelson,
had been appointed by the board OF
county commissioners. He told of the
awarding of the contract after the city
council had bought and paid for the
site, the builder being the w. H. Holli-
day company. Every brick, every
stone, every shovelful of dirt had been
handled with a spirit of unselfish patri-
otism, a feeling of good for the whole
community, and now, with the frui-
,tion of their labors,t the commission had
completed its work and vas ready to
end its existence.
The recital of these details waS
pleasing to the audience, and when the
speaker paid a just tribute to the mem
Ders of the commission, the members
of the board of county commissioners,
the members of the city administration
and all who had had anything to do
with the beautiful building, the audi
ence broke into hearty and prolonged
applause, which DR.. Nelson accepted
with becoming modesty and grace.
Mrs. l.. w. Trumbull was introduced
and sang a lovely solo, but declined to
respond to an encore. Miss Laura Lee
was at the organ during this number.
SudlGIudu STuulTluG tueH MliOuiuCSu
Hon. w. H. Holiday. who delivered
the dedicatory address, which is given
in full in connection with this report.
Mr.. Corthell responded to this ad-
dress, or the part of the board of coun-
ty commissioners, giving his idea OF
the uses of a county library. He said
that as the site of the building occupied
tho nnptn. of tho aity tho 1hrary IT.
self should become the heart of the
social and intellectual community, and
he hoped to see every citizen OF the
county taking a personal interest in
the library. only in that way" he
said, shall we get return for the
money we pay annually into the treas
ury to be expended for the benefit of
the library"
Bishop Keane of Cheyenne was h
introduced, his address being fervid
and deeply interesting. He said many
books were harmful and should be
stunned. A coed book is a companion
and a friend, speaking from the past,
giving the best thoughts, the best inn
pressions, the pest desires and the
best hopes of the writer and bringing
the reader in touch with the life of the
past for the life of the present and
the hope of the future. Bishop heane
was witty and cheerful, paying a IBID
ute to Laramie, whose reputation 1or
intelligence and mental training was
countrywide.
Mr.. Holiday was again introduced
that ha might formally deliver the
building to the county commissioners
for the whole people of the county,
handing the keys of the door to Mr.
ICorthell. The latter received them and
handed them back to Mr.. Holiday as
the president of the board of trustees,
and the building commission from that
moment ceased to exist, its mission
fulfilled, its work completed.
Rev. Bross was asked to make a few
remarks, speaking along the line OF
good books and their help in the intel
I%lectual and moral atmosphere OF the
community. Mr.. Hogbiu excused him.
self from making an address.
Judge Groesbeck recited an original
poem, full of local illusions and hear
7 'tily received by the audience.
Mr.. Crumrine announced that MISS
) Burke's physician forbade her attempt
{, ing to sing and Mrs. Gibson, h was
i also on the program. was not present
i The meeting closed at 10 o'clock, many
D of the members of the audience spend
1 ing some time in looking over the