Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-03-11

his amendment WAb GU Itou VIII SA-s |
.hree dissenting votes. The city nai
was designated ~ the home OF tne
library. A large number Of books
we're purchased and the library start
ed in May or June OF that year, put
almost totally destroyed by the nre
which occurred in July. before the
books were all unboxed and placed
upon the shelves. There was no In
surance. The financial loss caused py
the FIRE fell so heavily upon the city
that NO further sum could then be
spared for library purposes. It speaks
well for the library spirit In this COM
that. no soon after this dis
astrous f,re. when the citizens we're
engaged In the very important WORK
of rebuilding the city and adjusting
themselves TO new conditions, the
f.adies' Library association organized
and Incorporated March 20, 1891. with
the following charter members: Mrs. \
N. Nagengast, secretary; Mrs. ]. F.
Coffman. president: Mrs. Charles New
man. Vice president; Mrs. B. N. Free
man. treasurer; Miss Lounette e.
Jackson, Mrs. 8. f. Herr, Mrs. W. r.
Vale. and Mrs. b. w. Ritter.
This was subscription library. OF
which any person might become an
annual member, maintained by their
dues. and the dues and initiation fees
OF the honorary and life members. The
control was in the hands OF the life
members. Some books were pur-
chased others were contributed. and
those that escaped the fre were do
mated by the city. Periodicals were
secured for the reading room. Va
II
for furniture and the association open
ed its rooms, now occupied by hltter
& Buchanan, In the summer OF 1891.
The library was afterward moved
to the comfortable and commodious
quarters of the then fiourishing Young
Mems Christian association, In the
new building erected by w. s. weight
man next to the First National bank,
and placed In charge OF Its secretary.
This move enabled the library asao-
citation 10 devote Its little income 10
the purchase Of new books. Changes
In the location of the Y. M. Q. A.
made another move necessary. very
desirable room was offered In the hlgn
| school building and a librarian FUR
nIshed. There for seven or more years
the library found home. The public
had access to its shelves, and the
teachers and pupils were apprecia'
tive patrons. Lack OF space forbids
the personal mention of the efficient
service of the many different boards
and officers, and those loyal members
who strove so faithfully to support
the organization. until such time as
the city could see its way to make
again an appropriation for the perma-
nent maintenance of p public library.
Following Is a list of the life and hon
| orary members:
Mesdames: e. ]. H. Amy, Bennett
Bishop. o. F. Boyle. ]. T. Brewer. A.
p. Camp, l.. A. Cobb, ]. F. Coffman. M.
H. Copeland. D. C. Coulson, D. M. De
Cow, George Dick. @. =, Dudley. w.
S. Elliott, G. w. Franklin, g. Q. Frank
lin, B. N. Freeman. F. Gallotti. F. Gutter
man, e. B. Harper, W. Helm, 8. q.
Herr, John Haggart, l.. G. Jakway, /.
Kruschke. Helen P. Look, R. McCloud,
G. E. Mcconnell. I. w. McGrew, Sarah
Mckenzie, A. Morawetz, N. Nagen-
| CAST. C. Newman. c. ]. OKeeffe. C. A.
Pike, r. C. Prewitt. q. o. Price, ].
B. Pulford. G. N. Raymond. 8. w. Ray
mond, H. II. Kicker, P. s. Rider, B.
w. Ritter, T. lockwood, D. C. Sar-
gent, r. p. Sloan, ]. p Townsend, G.
II. Tucker. w. p. Vale, w. 8. Weight
man. T. H. Wigglesworth, Adair Will
son, w. G. White. F. H. Young.
Misses: Nina Copeland. Lizzie GIL
bert. l.. p. Jackson, Mary b. Rock
wood, Mary Ross, Stella Russell. Mary
E. Sites, Minnie White. Honorary
members: T. G. Graden, Charles
Newman.
For twelve years this organization
held together. struggling under many
dlscouraglng conditions but always In
creasing the number Of the volumes
upon Its shelves. In the burning Of
the high school building in the sum-
mer Of 1903 all Its early records and
many volumes were destroyed. Mem
bers OF the association and other In
terested persons renewed their ap-
peals to the city council and that
body. composed OF DR.. McEwen,
mayor, Messrs. Berndt, Godfrey, Per-
February Z. 1905, made an appropria-
ton Of $1,000 for the establishment
and support of free public library,
in accordance with the laws Of the
state. The Ladies' Library associa-
lioi ntlu ltb undl ihcctluS do u cur
porate body. on February Is. 1905.
and disbanded after presenting the
new organization over 1900 books and
nearly$500 In cash. An ordinance con-
corning free public library and read
ing room for the city of Durango, regu-
lating the management thereof and
appropriatlng money for the support
of the same. was adopted February
a, 1908. The frst board of directors
appointed by the council and consist
ing Of six members. in addition to the
mayor, met on the evening OF Feb
ruary 10, 1905. There were present:
G. e. Weaver, acting mayor: presi-
dent, Mrs. G. w. Franklin, Mrs. B. w.
Ritter. Mrs. A. P. Camp, treasurer;
Messrs C. A. Pike, w. A. Perry and
w 8. Pickerill, secretary.
Plans for the new organization and
management were soon formed. Spa
cious quarters were secured In the
handsome new Red Men hall building
where. In the month OF May the COM
fortably furnished library. with the
books In their new cases, and the read
ing room. with Its tables well filled with
the leading periodicals., all under the
able supervision OF the librarian. Miss
Lena Newman, was opened to the pub
lie. Steps we're at once taken to en-