New Ulm review., 1912-10-09
Library Sentiment For Once In
General Favor. A Question
of Funds.
Shall The Library and ArmOry
Com bine?

assured fact in the near future. There
was no opposition to the movements:
on the contrary, every one present
favored it. No definite action of any
kind was taken, except that COM
mittee of five will be appointed by the
Chairman to make a thorough exami-
nation into the library proposition
and to fipd out what funds, if any,
can be raised among the citizens for
this purpose.
The meeting was called to order by
Supt. II. G. Hess. F. H. Retzlaff was
elected chairman and Mr.. Hess
secretary. DR.. Strickler was recoe-
nized and briefly stated that the heirs
of the late Charles Silverson, recog-
nizing the need of q public library for
the city, had decided to donate the
sum of $4,000 to the city of New Ulm
for that purpose to be used whenever
the citizens decided to erect public
library: that it had been their inten-
ton to purchase a site and deed IL to
the city for library purposes but that
it would be agreeable to them to turn
over the money if that should prove
more satisfactory.
1t was suggested in the early part OF
the evening that it might be feasible
to combine the library proposition
with the armory proposition and, that
the lot on State Street on which the
old water tower stood might be
secured from the City and that this
would prove q very desirable location
on account of the proximity OF this
site to the public and parochial
schools.
Capt. Pfaender was called upon for
an expression of his views as to the
feasibility of combining an armory
and public library. In his remarks
he called attention to the present law
which would necessitate a transfer OF
the property to the State if the State
should donate the $4,000 toward the
erection of a suitable building. He
also expressed a willingness on behalf
of himself and the other officers of the
company to cooperate with q citizens
committee to work out ways and
means for combined library and
armory if that should be the sense OF
the meeting. He suggested and moved
the appointment of a committee of five
to look into the library proposition
and report at a subsequent meeting.
Considerable opposition manifested
itself against the idea of combining
the library and armcry propositions
and DR.. G. F. Reineke, G.. A. Otto
meyer and Albert Steinhauser voiced
their sentiments agsinst it. Several
OF these speakers urged the advisa-
bility of securing donations from
other citizens.
Prof. Ackermann, when called upon,
strongly advocated the need of
public library but admonished those
present not to be too hasty, that the
matter of properly maintaining the
library after it was established was a
most vital point and should for that
reason receive careful consideration.
Rev. Holm when pressed for an ex-
preston OF opinion said that he pre-
ferred to drive one horse rather than
drive none at all, and advocated the
erection of q public library at this
time even If it should not prove to be
very pretentious affair and that If
the needs of the city required more
spacious library building later on,
that the old one could be torn down
and new one erected in its place.
Prof. Hess spoke st various times
and in the course of his remarks made
it very apparent that New Ulm needs
. public library, especially for the
pupils of our schools, who invariably
in their state examinations prove
themselves very deficient in the
English language.
Mr.. Ruemke as q member OF the
City Council did not favor donations
by the City, because OF lack OF
authority to make the same, but ex-
pressed himself heartily in accord
with the idea of having tax voted by
the citizens.
Up to this time none of the ladies
who were quite generously represented
in the audience, had given IN express
sion OF their views and the chairman