Moorreesburg/Korrespondensie ter stigting van die Carnegie-biblioteek op Moorreesburg

Die afskrif van die oorspronklike korrespondensiemateriaal met betrekking tot die stigting van die Carnegie-biblioteek op Moorreesburg, en Andrew Carnegie se aandeel, kan hier afgelaai word. (teen 55 megagreep.) Vir die gerief van die leser is gepoog om die meeste tekste te transkribeer, aangesien die dokument geen kopiereg het nie. Die meeste ondertekenaars se name is vir eers uitgelaat, behalwe waar die naam onmiskenbaar en duidelik is.

## Volgorde 
Die volgorde in die Carnegie-dokument is nie chronologies van aard nie. Dit moet wees:

:16 Mei 1904 - bl. 8 tot 9  
:17 April 1907 - bl. 5
:19 April 1907 - bl. 2 tot 3
:20 April 1907 - bl. 4
:4 Julie 1911 - bl. 10 tot 11
:10 Julie 1911 - bl. 12
:11 Julie 1911 - bl. 7
:3 Augustus 1911 - bl. 6 
:21 Augustus 1911 - bl. 15
:19 September 1911 - bl. 17 tot 8
:21 September 1911 - die chronologiese volgorde: bls. 21, 22, 23, 20, 19.
:23 Oktober 1911 - bl. 16
:20 November 1911 - bl. 24
:20 Januarie 1912 - bl. 25 
:22 Januarie 1912 - bl. 26 tot 28 
:20 Februarie 1912 - bl. 28
:5 Maart 1912 - bl. 28
:5 Maart 1912  - bl. 1
:24 Julie 1913 - bl. 29 tot 30

## Opmerkings 
# Party dele van die briewe eindig met 'n woord waarmee die volgende begin. Dit is 'n gebruik uit die Middeleeue, pleks daarvan om die bladsye te nommer. 
# Deurgaans word die 'stoel' as "Dear Sir" aangespreek; dit maak dus nie saak of die sekretaresse die brief geskryf en onderteken het nie.

## Korrespondensie 
### 16 Mei 1904 (Afskrif van Wetgewing 508 van 1904) 
:Government Notice № 508
:Dated 16th May
:1904

:Colonial Secretary Office
:Cape Town. Cape of Good Hope
:16th May,  1904

:It is hereby notified that the
:subjoined amended regulation for the
:management of the Public Libraries
:in the smaller towns of the Colony,
:having been approved by the Hon.
:the House of Assembly and the 
:Hon. the Legislative Council, during
:the Session of 1903, takes effect
:throughout the Colony from the
:1st January, 1903, from which date
:it supersedes and cancels regulation
:No. 1. promulgated by the Government
:Notice № 878 of 1899, which has hitherto
:been observed by the Government in 
:subsidising the funds of the
:institutions in question. 

:(Sgd.) C.P. Crewe
:Colonial Secretary. [Public]

:Public Libraries amended Regulation

:That the Government annual
:Grant shall not exceed the annual 
:average amount raised by subscriptions
:and donations during the three
:preceding years or in the case of 
:new Libraries, shall not exceed the 
:amount of subscriptions and 
:donations received for the first
:year or average for two years, but 
:in no case to be more than £150
:per annum, provided that these
:grants shall be made out of the 
:money voted annually by 
:Parliament for the purpose.

### 17 April 1907 (Siviele kommissaris verklaar aansoek as eg en opreg) 
:Office of the Civil Commissioner

:Malmesbury 17 April 1907

:This is to certify that I
:am aware that the
:fact disclosed in the 
:accompanying letter
:are accurately stated.
:I believe the application
:to be a bona fide
:one.

### 19 April 1907 (Eerste aansoek aan Carnegie) 
:Moorreesburg
:Cape Colony
:South Africa
:19th April, 1907

:Andrew Carnegie Esqr
:Skibo Castle Dornoch
:Scotland.

:Sir,

:The undersigned represent and act for a number of young people
:from the village of Moorreesburg and neighbourhood who for the
:last two years have been trying to raise funds for establishing a
:public library. The method adopted so far has been to give
:entertainments the proceeds of which now amount to thirty pounds stg.
:The resources upon which we can draw locally are very limited
:as the majority of the population consists of the poorer classes,
:peasants, trademen and artisans. A further drawback is that the
:community is very conservative having until recently been isolated
:from important and enlightened centres. Naturally they have been
:debarred from acquiring anything beyond a very elementary
:education. For reasons state above our appeals to them have not been
:productive of much monetary value.

:The absence of the customary sources of innocent diversion
:and the better local provision that has recently been made for the
:education of our youth are factors that are well calculated to
:assure the popularity and utility of the contemplated library.

:Andrew Carnegie Esqr

:Skibo Castle, Dornoch, Scotland.

:The promotors of the library have had to contend with much trouble
:and disheartening incidents but a spirit of indefatigable
:perseverance has kept them from swaying from their purpose.

:It is felt however that in spite of the strenuous efforts of those
:engaged in the work a very long time will elapse before a building
:of even modest dimensions can be secured and furnished and supplied
:with the nucleus of a library.

:In devising plans which will in the shortest time give us
:what we desire it has been decided to approach you on the matter
:and ask you as we hereby most respectfully do to give us a donation.

:We hope that neither the distance nor the obscurity of the place
:will influence you to withhold that philantrophic generosity for
:which your name is so justly held in esteem.

:We do not wish further to impose upon your valuable time
:but should you require any other information we shall at any time
:most willingly supply the same. 

:We are, dear sir
:Your obedient servants

:M. M. Walters
:[...]
:J. J. H. Vlok
:M. D. Koch

### 20 April 1907 (Dorpsraad ondersteun aansoek) 
:Andrew Carnegie Esq

:Skibo Castle 
:Dornoch
:Scotland.

:Sir, 

:We, the undersigned, members 
:of the Village Management Board of
:Moorreesburg, herewith certify that
:the application entwined in the
:accompanying letter is a bona fide
:one, and it will merit your
:Kind consideration

### 4 Julie 1911 (Munisipaliteit steun onderhoudskoste van biblioteek) 
:Extract of Minutes of Meet[ing]
:of Moorreesburg Municipality
:July, 4 " 1911

:Mr. E. Starke moved seconded by
:Dr. J.B. Garvie that the Municipality
:guarantees the annual sum of 
:Fifty pounds (£50) for the upkeep 
:of a Library here; whenever the
:same takes a practical form - 
:carried.

:Municipal office
:July 8 " 1911.

### 10 Julie 1911 (J.P. du Toit & Koch aan Carnegie: heraansoek) 
:Moorreesburg 
:Cape Colony
:South Africa
:July 10th, 1911

:Andrew Carnegie Esq. -

:Dear Sir.

:On behalf of the Public of 
:Moorreesburg and district - in Cape
:Colony - representing a population
:of over 3,000, we would respectfully
:enlist your sympathy to start a
:Public Library.

:During the last six years concerts have
:been held and subscriptions collected
:with this object in view, but the sums
:raised where quite inadequate, amoun-
:ting in all to only £73.

:We feel now that only by an appeal
:to your generosity, - that generosity
:which you have extended to other
:towns in South Africa placed under
:similar disabilities - can we expect to 
:have our hopes realized.

:The following conditions which we have 
:ascertained are essential before Philanthropic
:Bequests to Public Libraries are granted by

:you, can and will be fulfilled:

:I. £100 per annum to be guaranteed for the upkeep of the Library.
:II. A free site upon which to build.
:III. The Library to be free. 

:The enclosed
:papers show that the Municipality
:guarantee £50 per annum, and the 
:Government the remaining £50 on the 
:£ for £ principle, i.e. £100 per annum;
:and that a free site has been granted
:by the Dutch Reformed Church.

:We would further respectfully request
:that your donation provide not only
:for the building but also for the 
:furnishings of same with books.

:The absence of the customary sources
:of innocent diversion, and the better
:local provision that has of late years
:been made for the education of our
:youth - with regard to improved schools, - 
:are factors that are well calculated
:to assure the popularity and utility
:of the contemplated Library.

:We may also add that
:Moorreesburg is situate in the centre
:of the graingrowing district of this 
:Colony, and a large Oatmeal Factory [here]

:here has many employées both
:South African and British, who 
:are looking forward to the
:establishment of the anticipated
:Library. 

:Apologising for encroaching
:upon your valuable time and trusting
:that you will consider our appeal
:favourably. 

:We are, 
:dear Sir,
:Your's respectfully

:J.P. du Toit Chairman
:M. D. Koch Secretary

:Library Committee

:Andrew Carnegie Esq. 
:Skibo Castle Dornich
:Scotland.

### 11 Julie 1911 (J.D. Retief, eerste predikant op Moorreesburg, beskryf goedkeuring) 
:The undersigned, Minister of the Dutch
:Reformed Church Moorreesburg, hereby
:certifies that the Churchwardens of the
:said Church at the request of a Deputation,
:consented to grant, free of charge, a piece
:of ground for the erection of a library,
:the ground to be transferred to certain
:trustees; and the building to be used
:only for a library.

:J.D. Retief V.D.M.
:Chairman

:Moorreesburg, 11 July 1911.

### 3 Augustus 1911 (Minister van Opvoeding doen goeie woordjie vir Koch) 
:Telegraphic Address: "Instructor"
:Union of South Africa

:Department of Education

:Pretoria, 3rd. AUGUST. 1911.

:ANDREW CARNEGIE, Esqre.,
:Skibo Castle. 
:Dornich.
:SCOTLAND. 

:Dear Sir,

:Miss. Maria D. Koch of Moorreesburg in the 
:Province of the Cape of Good Hope informs me that she has
:had correspondence with you in connection with a grant to
:a Public Library for the village of Moorreesburg, and she
:has asked me to write a word to you in support of her
:request.

:I may say that Miss. Koch is a most enthusiastic worker
:for the Proposed Public Library. She has had to contend
:with a number of difficulties which have, however, all been
:successfully overcome, and I feel confident that any assistance
:which you might be willing to give will have far-reaching
:and beneficent results.

:I trust that you will excuse this further demand made
:on your well known generosity. 

:Yours sincerely,
:F. S. Malan
:MINISTER OF EDUCATION.
:Union of South Africa. 

### 21 Augustus 1911 (Carnegie aan J.P. du Toit: Aansoek goedgekeur) 
:August 21st, 1911.

:Dear Sir, 

:Yours of July 10th receivd. Mr. Carnegie will
:be glad to supply £1500 to cover the cost of erecting a Free
:Public Library Bilding for Moorreesburg and district, representing
:a population of over 3,000, as you state, provided Moorreesburg
:guarantees a contribution of £100 annually for the support of this
:Library from taxation, of which, it is understood, £50 is to come
:from the Government. A site must also be given for the bilding,
:the cost ofwhich shall not be a charge against said revenue.

:It is to be noted that the £1500 is to cover the cost of
:the bilding complete and redy to occupy and the plan must be
:such as Mr. Carnagie can approve, to obtain such approval pleas
:send the plans as soon as you hav them ready.

:The Library must be entirely free, [bonhas → both as] to reading in 
:the bilding and borrowing books for home use.

:Respectfully yours, 

:P. Secretary

:J. P. du Toit, Esq.,
:Chairman, Library Committee, 
:Moorreesburg, Cape Colony.

### 19 September 1911 (Koch aan Carnegie: Dankbetuiging, twee planne word opgetrek) 
:Moorreesburg
:Cape Province
:South Africa
:Sept 19th, '11.

:Andrew Carnegie Esq.
:2 East 91st Street
:New York.

:Dear Sir,

:I am directed by the
:Chairman and members of the
:Library Committee to acknowledge
:the receipt of your letter of the
:21st ultimo and to thank you 
:most heartily for the very
:generous help you are willing
:to extend to us.
:We feel that words are 
:inadequate to convey to 
:you our deep gratitude for 
:such greathearted 

:magnanimity. 
:As mentioned in our
:letter dated July 10th, we 
:unfortunately have no
:Books, nor the means of 
:obtaining some beyond
:the amount stated therein
:with which to stock our
:Library. 

:We are therefore having
:two plans prepared, one for
:£1500 and the other for
:£1200 for submission to you.

:Should the latter meet
:with your approval and
:you allow us to appropriate
:the balance of £300
:for the purchase of Books

:your kind generosity will
:also enable us to over-
:come this very great
:difficulty viz: the furnishing
:of the Library with the 
:necessary books.

:If however you risk the
:whole amount of £1500
:put into the Building, we
:shall very gratefully
:carry out your decision.

:Assuring you again
:of our deepest gratitude
:for your great help in our
:need

:I am, 
:dear Sir,
:Yours very respectfully
:M.D. Koch

:Secretary Library Committee.

### 21 September 1911 (Koch aan Carnegie: Persoonlike brief) 
:Biesjesfontein,
:Moorreesburg, 
:Cape Province
:South Africa,
:Sept. 21st '11.

:Dear Sir, 

:I feel that individually
:apart from my duty as Secretary
:Library Committee - I must thank
:you for the munificent monetary
:help you are giving us for the
:establishment of a Library at
:Moorreesburg.

:For the last six or seven years
:with the help of a few of our
:young people, we have given
:concerts with a view of raising
:funds for a Library. 
:You will know [with]

:with what results when I 
:tell you that of the £73 now in
:hand £25 were contributed 
:towards that fund by a member
:of Parliament for this district.

:Removed from the centres of 
:education, and deprived by
:adverse circumstances of the
:educational advantages for 
:which I yearned, I have
:experienced what it meant to
:thirst for mental development, 
:- for knowledge. 

:Reading has greatly supplied
:this need and reconciled me
:to the isolation of my life, and 
:through books I have been
:enabled to come into contact 
:with the souls of great men
:and women which breathe
:through them, and to see something

:of this great world in a small
:tower of which I live. The work
:I'm set myself to do, is the outcome
:of this experience.

:Sir, I have tried to keep my
:gaze fixed far ahead on my
:ideal, the goal I've set myself
:to reach; the intervening obsta-
:cles have often discouraged
:me when the contemplated Library
:seemed to vanish like a beautiful
:mirage, and now when for the
:third time we've appealed to you
:for help and you've come to our
:assistance so magnanimously,
:you stand out to me above every-
:thing, as the man to whom I owe
:the realization of that ideal. 

:What is to me greater even
:than your wealth, and before 
:which my soul bows with

:respectful esteem and admir-
:ation, is the great and beautiful
:soul of our Benefactor, who
:spends that wealth in the raising
:of humanity to a higher level,
:by holding up to mankind and 
:putting within their reach that
:which would instil into their
:minds what is good en pure
:and make them aspire, in 
:whatever walk of life their lots
:be cast, to lofty principles. 
:I have never before come
:into contact with such
:guaranteed generosity, the
:benefiting of one's fellow creatures
:on such a large scale, and
:I thank God that to your keeping
:He has entrusted the means
:to confer such far-reaching
:good on humankind [for]

:for present and future gene-
:rations. 
:Should the good fortune
:ever befal me to be able to
:travel in foreign lands and
:see the world otherwise than 
:trough books, it will be one
:of my greatest desires to see
:you and express to you person-
:ally the deep gratitude from
:a full heart, which I wish
:these lines to convey to you.

:From your own life's exper-
:iences you will know what it
:means to meet with such
:success as you have placed
:in our way, after having
:applied oneself perseveringly
:to a task, and therefore [also]

:also you will understand the
:joy and gratitude I feel today,
:and pardon me for the liberty
:I am taking in writing to 
:you so unreservedly.

:God bless you Sir, and
:may He never leave un-
:answered your heart's
:dearest wishes and earnest
:prayers.

:Yours very respectfully,
:Maria D. Koch

:Andrew Carnegie Esq.
:2 East 91st Street,
:New York.

### 23 Oktober 1911 (Koch aan Carnegie: Twee voorgestelde planne gestuur) 
:Moorreesburg,
:Cape Province
:South Africa
:Oct. 23rd '11

:Dear Sir,

:We are forwarding for your
:approval by today's mail two plans
:for proposed Library Building, of £1,500
:and £1,200 respectively, as mentioned 
:in our letter dated Sept. 19th, together
:with coloured perspective views
:of buildings.

:Sincerely hoping that you
:will give our request embodied in
:above letter your kind consideration,

:I am, 
:dear Sir,
:yours faithfully
:M. D. Koch.
:Sec. Library Committee.

:Andrew Carnegie Esq.
:2 East 91st Street,
:New York,
:N Y.

### 20 November 1911 (Probleme: plan moet oorgedoen word; dokumente kort) 
:November 20, 1911

:M. D. Koch, Esq.
:Biesjesfontein,
:Moorreesburg, Cape Province, South Africa.

:Dear Sir, - 

:Yours of September 21st receivd. You make trouble unnecessarily. Mr. 
:Carnegie was very explicit in his letter. He is to pay for a Library Bilding,
:not partly for Library Bilding and partly for books. The money must be spent
:on erecting a Library bilding complete, redy for occupancy, within the £1500.
:promist. Before you adopt a plan, we must hav your assurance that the plans
:presented wil fulfill the above requirements.

:As to the plans sent, it [came] to us that it would be best to hav the inte-
:rior just one large room with no partitions except such as may be formd of book
:cases as convenience dictates. The books themselvs can be arranged partly
:around the walls and partly in such book cases with will separate the interior
:into alcoves for reference books, magazines, etc. It is taking up space and 
:money unnecessarily in making all those permanent partitions shown in your
:plans. 

:There is nothing in your letter in the nature of a pledge by the municipal-
:ity that the conditions attacht to Mr. Carnegie's gift will be carried out, as
:anything about a site having been purchast and paid for and redy for the bilding.

:Respectfully yours,

### 20 Januarie 1912 (Stadsklerk aan Koch; skryf weer munisipale goedkeuringsbrief) 
:The Municipality 
:Moorreesburg
:January 20 1912

:The Secretary of the 
:Library Committee
:Moorreesburg.

:Dear Madam,

:I have the honour
:to state that a Meeting of 
:our Council held July 4, 1911, it
:was resolved to guarantee a
:yearly sum of £50 for the
:upkeep of the Moorreesburg Public
:Library. I may also state that
:Government will donate an
:equal sum as per Act 508 of 1904.
:The Church has given free
:of charge to your Comittee
:portion of Erf № 89 measuring
:100 by 100 ft. as a site for 
:the Library.

:I have the honour to be
:dear Madam 
:Your obedient servant

:N. J. Basson
:Town clerk

:Moorreesburg
:January 22, 1912

### 22 Januarie 1912 (Koch aan Carnegie: brief met nuwe plan, en, nogmaals, die munisipale goedkeuringsbrief) 
:Biesjesfontein
:Moorreesburg
:Cape Province
:South Africa
:January 22nd, 1912

:Andrew Carnegie Esq.
:2 East 91st Street
:New York, U.S.A.

:Dear Sir.

:Your favour of the 20th
:November 1911 received for which I thank you.
:We extremely regret causing trouble and we
:note that the money so kindly donated by you 
:is to be spent entirely on building and furniture
:in portion to be spent on books.

:Your suggestions as to the building
:interior have been placed before my
:Committee who have had a modified plan
:prepared which we trust will meet with your
:approval.

:I sent you on July 10th last the
:guarantee of our Municipality but enclose
:herewith a letter from them ensuring that
:the conditions attached to your gift will
:be strictly carried out.

:A free site in the centre of our town has
:already been given by the Church Authorities
:and is now ready for the Building.

:With renewed assurances of our gratitude
:I am 
:Dear Sir
:Yours respectfully

:M. D. Koch

### 20 Februarie 1912 (Carnegie aan Koch: Neem kontak op met Home Trust Co. vir uitkering) 
:February 20, 1912

:M. D. Koch, Esq. 
:Biesjesfontein
:, Moorreesburg, Cape Colony, S. Africa.

:Dear Sir, 
:Yours of January 22d receivd with plans, which are approved on the understand-
:ing that the bilding is to be erected complete and redy to occupy within the £500
:promist. Pleas communicate with Mr. R.A. Franks, Home Trust Co., Hoboken,
:New Jersey, U.S.A. 

### 5 Maart 1912 (Home Trust Co. belas om geld uit te keer) 
:March 5th, 1912.

:Dear Mr. Franks,

:Please honor the calls of the proper authorities
:of Moorreesburg, Cape Colony, South Africa, for sums as needed to
:pay for the erection of Library Bilding, as work progresses, to [the]
:extent of Fifteen Hundred Pounds Stg. 

### 5 Maart 1912 (Bekragtiging van gelduitkering) 
:LIBRARY

:Town................... Moorreesburg   C. Colony
:Population............. [circ?] 3000
:Correspondent.......... J.P. Du Toit
:Date of Application.... 19 April 1907
:Amount................. £1500  £100
:Promised............... Aug/ 19/11
:Drafts Authorised...... MAR-5 1912

### 24 Julie 1913  (Koch aan Carnegie: dankbetuiging, biblioteekopening 20 Junie 1913, vra om foto) 
:Moorreesburg
:Cape Province
:July 24th, '13

:Andrew Carnegie Esq. 
:New York

:Dear Sir 

:I am directed
:by my Commitee to
:inform you that the Carnegie
:Public Library of this
:town was officially
:opened on June 20th by
:the Hon. F.S. Malan, 
:Minister of Education for
:the Union of South Africa.
:A public Luncheon was
:organised by the Library

:Committee for the occasion,
:at which our distinguished
:visitors and leading local
:and district ladies and
:gentlemen were present.

:The whole function passed
:off brilliantly and marked
:a redletter day in the
:history of Moorreesburg.

:I have also been
:directed by my Committee
:to request you to grant 
:us your further indulgence
:by presenting us with
:your photograph, which
:we are very eager to hang
:up in the Library.

:We respectfully claim

:beg to claim the privilege
:of associating you in 
:our minds with the greatest
:friend and benefactor of
:this town and district,
:and therefore sincerely
:hope you will not think
:it presumptuous on our
:part to make this request
:of you, which we trust
:you will consider favourably.

:I am
:dear Sir,
:Your obedient servant,

:Maria D. Koch
:Secr. Library Committee.