Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-27

eral literature and reference works
till the result is one of which the citi-
zens have a right to be proud. The
present library building, located ut
Fourth avenue and Nineteenth street,
cost in round figures 100000 and is
monument to the generosity and pub
lie spirit of we'll known Rock Island
ers, some of whom furnished the
means to build and others of whom d.
rected the expenditure of the funds
with such satisfactory results.
The first move toward the acquiring
OF a library here was made in June,
1855, when a we'll known citizen an
nounced that he would give 800 to-
ward such project, provided there
could be found nine others who would
do the same. Sept. Is of the same
year a meeting was held in the base
ment of the First Presbyterian church
at which plans were considered. Hon.
B. NJ Osborn was chairman of the
meeting and o. p Wharton and II. c..
Connolly secretaries. II was decided
to solicit subscriptions and a commit
tee was named for that purpose, $500
being raised before adjournment. 1t
was the plan to limit use of the Ii
brary to the membership, the dura-
ton of the privileges being determined
by the amount donated. The name
Rock Island Library and Reading
Room association was adopted and a
permanent organization effected short
" afterward with the following Off
GERS:
President-Joseph Knox
Vice Presidential c. Connolly
| Secretary-R NJ Marshall.
Treasurer-W. NJ. Bailey.
FIRST LIBRARY CLOSED.
c. B. Waite of Chicago presented
the library association with lot 3,
block SO, Chicago, or Lower addition,
as a site for a building, and quarters
we're arranged for temporarily in a
| hall on the third floor of the old
| Bailey & Boyle block. Richard Crop
per was engaged as the first librarian.
A thousand volumes were secured for
the new library and for time it pros
pered. Then the civil war came on
and interest in literature suffered a
temporary baCkset, the library being
closed.
Late in the sos. however, the
Young Mems Library association was
formed and took over the property
of the old organization and conduct
ed it successfully, supported by an
nual dues, till a public library was
organized under the general laws OF
/ the state.
| ORGANIZED UNDER LAW.
1t was in 1872 that the law was
passed and the Rock Island associa
ton lost no time in taking advantage
of it. Aug. II, 1872, the city council
passed an ordinance, creating a pub
lie library and the property of the
Young Mems Library association
some 1000 volumes at that time, wal
as once turned over for pubic use.
Oct. II, 1872, Bailey Davenport,
then mayor, appointed the first library
board, composed of Edward Burial
Cornelius Lynde, Jr., E. D. Sweeney
w. H. Gest, L. NJ Haverstick, Mil
ton Jones, Conrad Speidel, r. LloyC
and P. T. McElherne. Mr.. Burial
was elected president and Mr.. Sween
ey secretary of the board.
Quarters for the library were Sc
cured in the Mitchell & Lynde build
ing and here the institution remain
ed till it removed to its present quar-
tiers in 1903.
WORK FOR NEW BUILDING.
Agitation for a bui ding for library
purposes was started in 1895. An
drew Carnegie was appealed TO fol
aid. but without success. Fredericl
! Weyerhaeuser OF ST. Paul, q formeI