Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-08-06
THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE
Woodstock, Vermont.
Printed Saturday Morning
ONE DOLLAR A YEAR
WOODSTOCK NEWS
MEMORIAL LIBRARY AT
BILLINGS, MONTANA
Additional Gift From Frederick
BILLINGS

The Billings Mont. DAILY Ga-
zette notes the recent donation of
$500 by Frederick Billings of
New York and Woodstock for the
building Of wing to the Parmly
Billings memorial library in that
city, The Gazette says:
The announcement to the effect
that Frederick Billings. Jr., of New
York city, donor of the Parmly Bill
lings library, this city, had given
$500 for the building of wing
for the children's department, was
received with considerable pleasure
by book lovers in particular, and by
the city i'll general. 1t mani
tests the abiding interest Mr.. Bill
lings and members of his family
have not only iu the library but in
the city.
The present structure was dedi-
Gated on October l, 1901. The
dedicatory exercises were held in
the opera house. the then mayor, w
B. George, officiating.
The first news of the generous
bequest of library came on March
10, 1899, and the building committee
selected by the Billings family was
composed of A. L. BaDcock, chair
man; /. d, O'Donnell, James R Goss,
j D. Matheson. secretary, and E. L..
Boardman, Messrs. O'Donnell, Goss
and Matheson are still directors of
the library.
@. S. Haire was the architect.
The main building is 60x50 feet, and
is built of native sandstone. The
walls and the ceiling are beautifully
decorated, and the rare interior fur
nishings are of oak. The lighting
effects are splendid. The pictures
that grace the walls were donated
by the Billings family, and these it
would have taken years for the Ii
brary to collect otherwise.
The structure is of the Romanesque
style of architecture on the exterior
Simplicity and elegance combine to
make it handsome structure, The
lawn, always we'll kept, adds to the
general pleasing effect the structure
has upon visitors
The memorial tablet has place
OF honor in the entrance to the
library proper. The inscription
engraved thereon was designated by
the mother of the donor.
Frederick Billings. Sr., lawyer,
railroad man. and public spirited
citizen, died at his Vermont home
at Woodstock on October l, 1890
In his early days he had settled in
California and with his brother-in-
law, Captain Simmons. was one Of
the first to open law Office in San
Francisco.
He practiced in that city until
1863 He was a member of the
well known law firm of Halleck,
Peachy & Billings. He married
Miss Julia Parmly, daughter OF DR.
Eleazar Parmley of New York city,
and in 1865 he closed his affairs in
California and went east.
He bore a leading part in the re-
organization of the Northern Pacific
railroad after the failure Of Jay
Cooke. He was finally made presi-
dent and held the position for several
years, when he retired because of his
health. He continued director in
the road, however. 1t was for him
that the city of Billings was named.
Parmly, the eldest son, began his
business career in this city after
leaving college. He was part
owner of ranch and one of the local
banks. He died in 1887 ,at the age
of 25, after contracting cold dur
ing fatiguing mining trip. The
library was named for him.
Frederick Billings, Jr., the donor
of the library, and son of the late
Frederick Billings, lives in New
York city, as does his mother. he
has given much of his time to law
and literature and is traveller Of
some note.
Mr.. Billings, ST., in his early days
gave the Congregational society itt
church edifce. and donated liberally