The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1939-08-17
PUBLIC LIBRARY
Is MEMORIAL TO
UNITED EFFORTS
35 YEARS OLD; is
RATED HIGH IN
CITY'S CLASS


ned for the establishment of a
Carnegie institution here 35
years ago.
Even In the early years of the
village, the need for library
was keenly felt-and paid di-
vldends. Issues of the Gazette
in 1875 carried standing ad-
vertisement for Watson's circu-
Iatlng library. Borrowers tick
cts cost So year; So for six
months; So for three months or
10 cents week.
Later, women's groups of the
little town gathered volumes,
put on library benefits and fit
ted up public reading room
at the rear of Hitchcock's drug
store. When the big fire in 1895
threatened the store, the first
thought of volunteers was to
save the village library and
they got it out in time.
Charles Duncan Gilfillan had
proposed endowing a library for
Redwood Falls at the turn Of
the century, but his death De-
cember ID, 1902, occurred be-
fore plans could be formulated.
Schmahl Got Grant
Just week previously, De
cember IL, the city council had
appointed a board empowered
to establish a library, select the
site and erect the building. The
committee included J. H. Bow
ers, Julius A. Schmahl, S. j.
Race, H. NJ. Hitchcock, H. A.
Baldwin, John P. Cooper, A. e.
King, l. N. Tompkins and w. H.
Wallace.
MIR. Schmahl was credited
with securing the Carnegie grant
of $4,000 for the library. He
wrote Carnegie's secretary des-
cribing the situation. The grant
followed.
f. L. Warner, who owned the
site, turned it over to the city
for practically what it cost.
Then w. H. Gold, always able
to secure .city-wide cooperation
for any project which he felt
was for the betterment of the
community, played his part in
library promotion. He induced
the council to purchase the site.
May 4, 1904, Kreitzinger and
Isaakson were awarded the con-
tract to build the library, with
bid of $8,575.80 which included
some furnishings. Frank Car
man received the sub contract
for excavation and E. A. PeaSe
the heating contract.
Cyrus N0rthrup Talked
No less a parsonage than
President Cyrus Northrup of the
University of Minnesota was the
speaker at dedication of the Ii
brary November IL, 1904.
A charge was made for his
lecture, 500 being obtained
for the book fund. He talked
humorously for 80 minutes on
Amusement In Literature.
Mr.. Gold addressed the 800
attendants on a business mans
view of the library" and H. M.
Hitchcock talked on his expert
ence as librarian of the first Ii
brary association here. He re-
marked that the situation be-
came such that either his drug
store or the library in it would
have to go, and in the interests
of revenue he was forced to re-
linquish the library.
AS president of the library
board, Mr.. Schmahl gave
speech.
McIlreavie's orchestra played
at intervals throughout the cere-
mony.
The first library board, COM
memorated ON metal plaque in
the library entrance hall, includ-
ed Mr.. Schmahl, Mrs. Mary
Finn, Mrs. j. H. Bowers, Mrs.
H. N. Bell, Mr.. Race, Fred L.
Warner, Herbert A. Baldwin,
William H. Wallace and Isaac
N. Tompkins.
Mrs. FINN, MRS. Bowers ana
Mrs. Bell canvaSsed the town
for book funds, turning in a
neat sum-" and assisted by Mr..
Race, selected the original Ii
brary. Mr.. Hitchcock helped by
getting books at publishers
prices.
The city of Redwood Falls
and the school district support
the project jointly, as the school
Continued on page six)