The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-08-14

around the water power, and the pos
sibility of selling that property in
order to locate more advantageously
was seen in the dreams of the future.
Mrs. Birge's Wise Generosity.
Mrs. Blrge at once responded, cor
daily, sensibly and generously. She
said that she knew we'll the labor and
strain of collecting every year the
money to conduct the home and pay
the expenses in that manner Under
standing that was the weakest point
in the plan of operations, she pro-
posed that 1t be cured by raising
money to make fund for the sup
port of the Home.
She stated that she would give the
Benevolent Union clear title with
out restrictions to the property. if the
recipients would raise fund, over
and above current expenses. of So
900 within five years of that date,
February IL, 1907. to be used for it's
own support.
This offer was at once accepted
with gratitude Previously the Ben
evolent Union had offered to bind IT.
self to perpetually call the institution
the Birge Home; and to this Mrs.
Birge replied
And further l trust that should it
seem desirable or expedient to the
members Of the Union at any time
to change the name of the Home that
they will feel free to do so, and be-
lieve that my greatest hope and de-
sire in connection with the work of
the Union is, that it may continue as
long as possible
The Work Of the Women.
Then began the work of the mem
bers of the Benevolent Union to raise
the $4,000 within the five years al
lotted for that work The women
worked so we'll that the fund was
completed in two and half years.
The necleus was the bequest of G.
A. Kellogg, building which was sold
7 for $1.S50, and the bequest of Mrs.
I Sherwood. which finally realized ST.
j $50. Two members of the organiza-
2 ton left it smaller sums in their
. wills. The rest had to be raised by
3 the women. and they chose the usual
t woman's way to do it.
They gave Union Depot en-
tertainment which netted 1925; they
had a tag day which yielded 5000;
: thew gave various excursions which
added $500 to the fund and they
! served suppers to the members of The
Country Club at a profit of 1886.
Those last seven lines represent
seventy tons of energy applied by the
'. women to the various enterprises te
S, make that money.
Out of the Woods.
In one way and another, money II
small and larger amounts was addee
" to the fund, until at last the treas
n urer had a little over $4,000 on hant
n in the fund.
The last excursion lifted the banl
deposits over the $4,000 line-ant
Mrs Birge did not know that tbs
IF movement inaugurate by her and work
k cd at so hard by the women had beer
it successful, for she died week before
the work of the women was compiler
ed.
= Mrs. J. F. Elder and Mrs. William
K E. Praeger, her daughters and heirs
rs at once expressed their desire ana IN
er tention to carry out the plan OF thel
mother 1t was only necessary 7
: execute legal papers and comply Wit
- legal forms. This week they deliy
r. cred to the Benevolent Union an ur
re conditional deed to the property
without Any Restrictions.
The intention of the Benevolen
Union is to keep the property, use
ul ae now, and always call 1T the Blrg
es Home; also to keep the $4,000 run
* intact as an endowment and use ON
the interest on it for current e'
penses. ~
Rut so far as the ownership OF tn
is property Is concerned they are unue
sc NO obligations to do so forever lhe
at NAV sell it whenever they choose-
us should this be desirable in the iutur
~, hu and call it whatever they choose
Nc tho express permission of Mrs. Brig