The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1908-03-20
A GREAT DAY FOR BELIEVER
Town Library is an Accomplished
Fact


house d little band Of workers who
styled themselves the Bellcvirw Lii
brary Association. and pledged their
united efforts to the building and fur
nishing of II public library. There
were present at that meeting Mrs II.
l.. Smith. Mrs. r. w. Brooks. Mrs. &.
w. Newman and Mrx. Gary G. Bush,
and the following gentlemen. Prof.
| Bush, T. II. Rouse. r. Woodman. Ar
thur Brown X. 6. Ridge and several
others.
ON Friday evening, December -.
| 1886 the results of the first meeting
crystaIized into a permanent organi-
cation. with Prof. Gary T.. Bush as
president; James G. Wade. secretary:
w. r.. Strong, treasurer. with Il board
Of directors consisting of six active
town workers, and the enthusiasm ran
high. Pictures Of "A fine building and
Il noble collection of books were WV
idly imagined. In December of the
same year a fine building site WAS
secured, and the work earnestly COM
mcnced to make the library Il real
success.
One Of the first donations of any
consequence was a present of fifty
dollars made by the old reliable stand
by and faithful band of pushers-the
Belleview WOrkers-made on May >,
1887. This, with the proceeds of lee
lures, oyster supperS dramas and va
riOuS kinds of entertainments, soon
made a fund to be proud of.
From that on the society nOurishel
apace, and prOspered until the winter
Of 81 and 'SS. The dread yellow few
err scourge of the summer and fall of
1888 (nOt in Belleyiew. but in other
parts Of the State) put n temporary
stop to the progress of the organiZa-
ton. and not until the winter of 1889
did things resume their normal state
for the affairs of the library assOcia-
ton. That winter saw revival of the
interest in the matter, with a MEM
bership of over sixty
The years of 189O-'91-'92, and up to
1895 passed, showing a healthy growth
and undated in the affairs Of the as
ISOLATION. Various plans had been
presented. thought over and rejected
looking to the acquisition of a suitable
building, either by purchase or build
ing of the same, but all were rejected
for various reasons At the time it
was seriously thought Of to buy in the
Belleview block.
One of the serious set-backS met
with by the association was the loss
OF all it's funds. on deposit with the
First National Bank of Ocala. How
ever, that little incident cut no ice
with the brave band Of workers, and
they pressed steadily onward to the
goal.
Along in 1889 the association was
the owner of between five and six
hundred books, selected mainly by the
late Prof. Gary G. Bush. Up to and
through 1897 Prof. Bush had served
as president of the association contin-
uously for eleven years
On January IL, 1898, Mrs l. S. Keel
er was elected president; Alfred Alb
shire, vice president; o. M. Gale,
secretary and treasurer, with q board
of directors to look after details.
Affairs progressed merr;ly along for
year or so. when on February IL,
1901, Mr.. William G. DOOlittle was
elected to the office Of president. and
with the banner membership of the
life Of the association. made good pro-
gress toward the aim and ambition IF
the founders.
oh D, iSV-, MIS- " f>uSH
was elected president and has served
in that capacity ever since; Mrs. o.
NJ Gale, vice president; o. NJ. Gale,
secretary and treasurer, with the
usual board Of directors. and the aims
and objects of the original promoters
were kept in sight, and with SupperS,
plays, membership fees and other con-
tributions the swelling process kept
,.,-;1x
tanned some proportions.
January s, 1904. the town was visit
ed with terrible fire. in which the
Belleview block was totally destroyed,
entailing a loss of all of the books
owned by the library association
some 500 volumes
Nothing daunted, the members
pressed merrily on, and with renewed
energy prosecuted the work laid out
by their predecessors. and the work
Of swelling the funds through the me-
dunn of suppers, entertainments etc,
rolled along.
And so up to few months ago it
was decided that the funds on hand
would warrant the beginning of
building, worthy of the name and a
credit to Belleview. SO the material
was contracted for. and Mr.. COwles. an
expert mason from Bridgeport Conn,
was engaged to build the same: and