The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1912-12-19
RECEPTION At
new CITY HALL
CROWDS OF VISITORS ,THRoNG
AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
SOUVENIRS WERE GIVEN TO ALL
Special Decorations and Special Mu,
sic Were Furnished for Occasion
Officials Take Pleasure in
Showing and Explaining.

/ Oskaloosa'; new municipal building
was visited Tuesday afternoon and
ievening by crowds and throngs of
visitors, citizens and tax payers, who
we're formally received in the new
home by city officials and the council
men of the current administration,
upon the occasion of the formal open
ing of the new property following Of
fetal acceptance.
On account of the incompleteness
of the building at the time of dedi-
cation. October 23rd, 1912, inasmuCh
as the rooms contained little or no
furniture, the opening was incomplete
and hosts of people asked for social
function to be held in the new hall
to permit visit to the house for the
purposes of inspection. Bad wealth
.er interfered with the former official
Opening and many people:jwere not
permitted to see inside the doors OF
the structure. Tuesday evening, De-
'cember II. 1912, was therefore set
aside as the date for the formal apen-
ing of the Oskaioosa City Hall and a
general invitation was extended to the
people of tae city to come in and view
THE wonders tnat had been wrought.
Afternoon and evening were given
over to the entertainment of the visit
ing hosts.
Special provision had been made
for the reception of the guests and the
hall was nicely decorated with palms
and cut flowers from the Kemble
green houses. Decorations were to be
found in every room of the home, the
!pOtted plants were placed here and
there about hall ways, foyer and on
the stairway, giving pleasing rellef
to the fixed decorations of the place.
Orchestra music was furnished during
the evening hours and added its
charm to the occasion. Beckman' S
IorchestTa of seven pieces including
eupnCnium and fiute was secured Tor
the occasion and tie director secured
the presence of his daughter Mrs. Leila
Hermann, 'haFpist, OF Des Moines for
the occasion. The orchestra had a
position on the first floor in a corner
of the lobby and near the stairway.
The music could be distinctly heard
in all parts of the big building and
many of the younger elements visiting
the hall, were of the opinion that the
city had been unduly hasty in having
the council champeT seats. fastenedin
position. The floor was SO nice and a
little informal dance in the new build
ling, in their opinion, would have been
just the thing in the way OF an open
ing of proper impressiveness and fit
ting dimensions. But the affair. was
very nice and satisfying as it was. 1t
was a great success for ali concerned
and the guests OF the occasion were
more than pleased with the entertain
ment furnished aside from the privil.
eye granted of visiting and inspecting
the new building.
! Souvenirs were given away to the
| visitors during the evening hours oil
! the reception, an official leaflet bear
| ing a photograph of the building; a
list OF the present officers and council
members and a brief description OF
the building. On one page OF the SOU
lyenir appears the following: "COmpli-
ments City of Oskaioosa. Public re-
ceptioD. New Administration Build
ing. Tuesday, December Seventeenth
Nineteen Hundred and Twelve.
Each of the city officers were pres
ent in their Offices to meet the people
and to show them through the several
apartments OF the building. Unusual
interest wa; shown in the municipal
laboratory, the department OF the clty
health officer DoctCr Mark +. Boyd,
and that gentleman was busy explain
ing the work and the purpose of the
recently created department of public
health. City Clerk Thomas II. Carlin
interested many visitors with the new
equipment of the fire proof vault, the
new steel filing cases and racks for
the city records reposing with the
clerk Tor safe eeping. City Engineer
Earl f. Bridges also had apartments
that contained many things of interest
for the visitors. Officers of the may
or, city solicitor and street commits
sioner the Jail section of the new hall,
the police department in charge OF
Chief Falls and the police court were
visited by several thousand people
afternoon and evening.
Surprise and delight were voiced on
every side. Criticisms were few and
far between Praise for the enter
prise sud spirit that had made the
new building possible was expressed.
Almost every one visiting the build
ing for the first time was moved to
continent Oh ldNUIdDle SOTt. fled5uIt
was expressed that OskalOOSa should
have so nice a home for its admins
tratiOn officers. Mayor Reynolds and
his men came in for their full share
of praise and commentator and
neither was the contractor, =. w.
Sparks. forgotten in remarks of ap-
probation.
II there was any one thing more
than others that excited the admira-
ton of the visiting crowds, the splen- |
did furniture of the building and |
equipment of the clerks Office were |
thus distinguished. The furnishings |
are all of natural oak extremely plain |
but substantial and massive. Each |
Office IL provided with heavy desks |
or tables, chairs and whatever else |
Is needed for the convenience and the
perfect equipment OF the department |
In the council chamber the desks OF |
the council members are placed In |
order on the west side of the room
and at the right of the mayor. The
city clerks desk Is at the front of the
presiding officer and the desks of city |
solicitor, engineer, health officer aud
street missioner IN the pacf rtte