USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Holyoke > Holyoke daily transcript > Part 18
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Outside it is a red pressed brick and limestone with ciugns of white pressed brick, The whole is solid steel and concrete construction. The gambrel roof is finishedl with gray asbestos century shingles, The partitions be- tween rooms are made of gypsum blocks covered with ce- ment plaster. Upstairs in the living rooms this floor is overlaid with quartered oak. Even the electric light wires
are all run through metal conduits. The building stands 80x45 feet, the length on Cahot street, and still space is left to have a terraced lawn on every side. The high basement, lighted as well as any business office, is really larger than the ground plan of the honse because it extends ont umler the several porches. Here are the stock rooms, fling rooms amt mailing de- partment, for besides the Voutilns the Elizabeth Towne Company issues many publications, including abont a score of books.
On the ground floor oue enters from Cabot street by a wide concrete porch to an entrance hall which leads to the great main office room where the twenty-three Noutilns girls sit at the inany desks, dning the many tlungs that have to be attended to in a puù- lishing house, If Elizabeth Towne is proml of anything more than any other thing, it is of the office girls. She selects them with great care and they look like a sewing club or a lot of college girls, more than anything else.
"Our office supplies schooling as well as work," says Mrs. Towne. "We teach the best methods we know for doing all kinds of work believing that responsibilities honestly discharged aml all work efficiently and good-willingly done make for character, and character makes for success and happiness and chealth. llonest work for the worker's sake is the first principle of our busi- ness. We 'graduate' our workers just as a school does-when a help- er reaches the place where she no longer grows by doing our work, we are glad to present her our little 'Well done,' as a sort of diploma, and pass
ELIZABETH TOWNE
her on to new opportunities, In the ten years of our ex- prrience witht Holyoke girls we have had over seventy in maar employ, for perimls ranging from six weeks to more than seven years. Many of the finest positions in the city ail elsewhere are now filled by girls who are glad of what they learnedl with 115 Several are applying efficiency methods in their own happy hour's We are proml of our girls."
On one side of the entrance to the Vuntilns home is a pretty reception romm furusheil in panelled oak and with a enslhoned settee, blue an] brown color fwish. Opposite is the office of Chester Holt Struble, man- aging editor. Back of Mr. Struble's office, occupying the southwest corner of the building, is the many wimmwed office of William L. Towne, enlitur of American New Life, publisher of sev- eral looks and associate editor of the Vontilns. There are Gling enbinets ga- lore, dressing rooms, bubbling fonu- thins, auml even such a convenience as a wille hat rack for the pretty millinery of the Nautilus girls.
So much for a brief story of the fur lume of the Nuntilns, which was ready for business and living within ten months from the day the Amnes destroyed the old huililing. In accom- plish all this meant wise planning and mmel labor. W. B. Reid, as architect, pin Mrs Towne's hleas into formal plans. F. H. Dibble was the general contractor. Preston & Monre fill the electric wiring, putting all wires in metal condits, and including a house telephone system by which every room ss put in touch with all the other rooms. C. F. Sullivan did the plumbing, which as as perfectly planned from bubbling drinking fountains to Gne hath romins as could be done. The ilecorating was
by Johannis, and llall of Springheld put in the electric light fixtures.
When all is told about the building it only typifies what the building stands for. Curiously enough Holyoke knows less about the Nautilns than does Boston or New York or Chicago or Spokane or Denver. Hardly a week passes but some one from afar, traveling in these parts, stops off a train to biok up the Nautilus and Elizabeth Towne. Often the pilgrimages are more frequent, Mrs. Towne herself is of course a well known personality in Holynky, but it is not so generally understood that almost 50,000 copies of the Vautilns are mailrd out of Holyoke each month, besides the big subscription hook business ilmne by the brin. It is far and away the largest cus- fumer of the Holyoke pustoffice It takes four girls n whole week to wrap a single issue of the Nantilns. All this has groww from the most modest beginnings.
Three thousand five hundred copies of the first num- ber of the Nantilns were printed at a cost of $25. It was then a tiny four-page paper printed in Portland, Ore.
In May, 1900, Mrs. Towne brought the Nuntilns to Holyoke. The orst issue of the Nantilns made in Hol- yoke, June, 1000, was 1.500 copies, and the printer's bill was just $36.93, including the wrapping.
At this writing 47,500 copies of the Vonhhus have hren printed aml distributeit for the current issue at a cost of 2.000. The huile four-page paper has grown to be : bamilsome illustrated magaznie
Mrs. Towne is the eilyor of the Vantins and inspires its general policy.
William E Towne is The associate ribtor and writes most of the Vontilns advertising, in pildition to publish- ing his own quarterly, American Nete Lyr, and carrying on his regular work of selling books hy mail.
Mrs. Town's son Chester, who carried the first is- site of the Noahlos down to the postoffice, on luis shoul- der, is now associated with the Vanfins as Chester Holt Strable, managing editor aml advertising manager.
These three form the trinity that is evolving the big- ger, hetter, brighter N'ontilus exponent of New Thonght. self-help, and human efficiency through self-knowledge.
Recently the Nuutilns husmess has been incorporated as the: Elizabeth Towne Company, a close corporation The Elizabeth Towne Company owns the magazine and rarTies on all the book and subscription business connected with the publishing of the Vuntilus.
WILLIAM E TOWNE.
THE STORY OF THE NAUTILUS
There is hardly a civilized or uncivil- ized country on the globe where the mails of the Postal Union penetrate that Nautilus doesn't visit regularly. Even to the Fiji Islands and to Macedonia, His Excellency Wu Ting Fang is a Nautilus subscriber. In English speaking countries the Nautilus goes to the homes of all sorts of people, proletariat, bourgeoisie, amd aristocrat. There are persons of title on the list. A great many of the subscribers grace the pages of "Who's Who in America," and the "International Who's Who." A Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of one state sends Nautilus to seven of his friends. One at least of the great multi-millionaires studies it regularly and recommends it to his friends. Down in New Orleans a poor little woman who owns a tiny vegetable stand in the big market finds Nautilus her solace and inspiration. And rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief, doctor, lawyer, merchant, chief, fill up the Nautilns sub- scription ranks between.
Yes, thief. There are several convicts in state prisons who are finding self-help through Noutifns.
The Nuntilus work has grown and spread and attracted the attention of many famous people, some of whom have become its contributors. Ella Wheeler Wilcox and Edwin Markham, Anne Warner, Edward B. Warman, A. M., Horatio W. Dresser and Orison Swett Marden are among the well-known helpers who contribute some of their best work to the Nautilus, William Walker Atkinson, one of the leading New Thought writers of the world, has joined the staff of writers.
MIOME 01 THE NAVTHIS
While the antilus has heen thus grow- ing and expanding its editors' hooks have heen selling by the hundreds of thousands. Mrs. Towne is the author of thirteen books of various sizes, and the publisher of many more. One of her own books has reached a sale of nearly a hundred thousand copies, which is most remarkable for a work of this kind. "Experiences in Self-Healing," which contains the life story of the anthor. covering a period of twenty years, has also had a tremendous sale.
Besides her editorial, book making and home making life, Mrs. Towne is a lee- turer of note, having crossed the continent on lecture tours. She has a generous para- graph in "Who's Who?" the standard American Ilall of Fame. She is a member of the International Lyceum Club. In Hol- yoke she is deeply interested in local phil- .inthropic work, with a special fondness for the Holyoke Boys' Club,
Her twelve years' residence here has minde her an ardent Holyoker, and a lover ní all New England. People who meet Mrs. Towne are at once impressed with the qualities that have created her success. She lins a message and the brains to present it well. She has high courage, rare judgment, a most attractive personality and with all these an immense capacity for hard work. These qualities mean success in any path in life. They have led to the practical appli- cation of the motto of the Nantifns and caused for it the building of "more stately mansions "
HOLYOKE'S LEADING MERCHANT
It seems scarcely possible that only four- teen years have clapsed since Albert Steiger opened his Holyoke store -- four years after his first venture at Port Chester, N. Y. Yet much water has passed under the bridge during those fourteen years of busy and successful life. From modest stores of no particular prominence the Steiger Sys- tem has grown until it embraces large and flourishing stores in five different localities -- two stores in two of the best trading cities in New England, Springfield and New Bedford.
There have been many attempts made to explain the success of Albert Steiger in Holyoke and elsewhere Some have been partly successful. Probably no two men have been able to agree upon the detailed reasons, One element that has contributed largely has been the gift of imagination. Another has been his almost incomparable system of organization that checks the slightest weakness in any part of any store before it becomes in the least degree linzardous.
In a word, Mr. Steiger has a farseeing head and genius for getting at the licart of matters that, combined, have been principal factors in his success, A story that was told by a friend of his will illustrate the print. Not long ago, when, in fact, his ability had been generally recognized, some business men interested in a large concern some distance from here, went to him for advice, He heard their story, demanding fullest details. They were shown to him and he looked them over carefully. "Gentle- men," he remarked, "unless certain changes are made in your organization and methods
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ALBERT STEIGER.
of doing business you will be bankrupt within two years.“
The men rather resented the remark and withdrew in some heat. True to his prophecy bankruptcy overtook the firm within the time specified.
Mr. Steiger's holdings in Springfield real estate alone are said to total over $2,- 500,000. It was a hard proposition to get mto Springfield, as the available holdings were in large measure tied up on leases or other ways. When the news came that Mr. Steiger had secured the location where his present store stands, there was much in- terest throughout the mercantile world. The beauty of the building and fittings. the excellence of the merchandise carried soon won for it a generous patronage. In the development of the Springfield store he has been able to depend in no small meas- ure upon Ralph Steiger, Ins son, who has shown a decided genius for selecting goods and their display, and general merchandis- nig ability.
Another son, Philip Steiger, has charge of his Holyoke store, and a third, Chann- cey Steiger, is already displaying abilities in the same line that assures him carly suc- cess, if he decides to follow that field of effort
A few months ago there was a "Steiger Day" in the stores of the Steiger system that is yet remembered. The Erst year's business in the little (comparatively ) 'Port Chester store was $33,000, which was eclipsed by the trading at the stores of the Steiger system on "Steiger Day"-showing at a glance the tremendons strides that have been made in the eighteen years of time from the opening of that store to the present day.
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HOLYOKE'S PUBLIC LIBRARY
HOLYOKE PUBLIC LIBRARY
In 1870, three years before Holyoke was incorporated, and when its population was hint 10,0010, the Public Library was established. The first meeting called to effect organi- zation was attended by over fifty citizens and the list of their names would rend as an almost complete roll-call of the families prominent in the early history of Holyoke, and still honored, many of them, not alone for their past serv- ices to the city but as well for their representatives living among us today. Those whose names were recorded as officers and committeemen of the preliminary organization were William Whiting, Rev. J. L. R. Trask, Moses New- ton, Henry A. Chase, George W Prentiss, J. S. Webber. Charles H. Lyman, Oscar Ely. W. B. C. Pearsons, Tim- othy Merrick. C. B. Prescott, Chalmers Chapin, W. S. Loomis. C. P. Chase, J. S. McElwain, J. P. Buckland, John E. Chase, R. B. Johnson.
Before permanent organization was effected a com- munieation was received "with great enthusiasm" from J. C. Parsons, as treasurer of the Parsons Paper Company. offering to furnish a lot and building worth $20,000, pro- vided an equivalent amount could be raised for books mal other equipment. The committee appointed to solicit sub- scriptions lahored stremmonsly only to discover that the mark set was much too high for the little town in the day of its beginning. This was a severe disappointment, but, nothing daunted, the founders bod new plans, and without delay. secured their charter from the state, perfected per- manent organization, raised over $a,fim, and petitioned the town goverment for the use of smtable quarters in a pub- Jie building and for sheh pecmiary support as it could give. A promising neleus for the new library was obtained through the gift of ahont twelve hundred volumes from the Lyman Mills, the Hadley Company. the Hampden Mills, and the Y M. C. A., and of $300 from the Parsons Paper Company.
The first home of the library was in a room in the Appleton street school building. In 1876 it was removed to the large central room on the main floor of the City ball. now divided and occupied by the Gas and Electric and Water departments. This was described by the secretary in bis annual report for that year as "x beautiful and com- modious room," and such, no donht, it was for the library at that stage of its history. The library, however, remained in that room full twenty-five years, and long before that time had elapsed its quarters were so congested that normal development m line with the modern puhlie library move- ment was greatly retarded.
For fifteen years the institution was not strictly a free library, all users of it heing assessed one dollar a year. In 1886, in consideration of an increase in the appropriation from the eity, the fee was dropped, and the library became actually free to every responsible resident of the city. As a result its patronage increased in one year from 441 nsers to 2,075, and the number of books loaned from 18,835 to 44,655,
In the memory of all who were patrons of the library Inring the first thirty years of its history, a very essential and integral part of the institution was the personality of its librarian Miss Sarah Ely, a member of an old and honored Holyoke family, and a graduate of Mount Holyoke Seminary, was peculiarly adapted to the work to which the library trustees invited her. She was endowed with rich gifts of mind and graces of character which enabled her to grasp with ready understanding and sympathy the wants of the library's patrons and supply them to the fullest pos- sible extent under trying limitations. For many years she had the able assistance and the public the valned services of Miss Lizzie Perry and Mrs. E. A. Whiting.
In 1897 cante a change in the library's prospeets. The Holyoke Water Power Company offered the gift of the city block, bounded by Maple, Essex, Chestnut and Cabot streets, on condition that a smin of money sufficient for a suitable building he raised within three years. A com- mittee with W. S. Loomis as chairman was appointed to secure subscriptions, The bulk of this heavy task fell upon the chairman, and Mr. Henry A. Chase, mp to that time the only secretary and treasurer the hhrary had had. Their prolonged and earnest lahors resulted in a subscription fund of over $95,000. The first subscriptions received were two of $10,000 cach, from Mr. William Winting and Mr. William Skinner. This generosity on the part of these leading citizens evoked the sante spirit throughout the city, so that contributions were received from several hundred persons, even the school children re- spending with enthusiasm to the gen- eral appeal. Architect James A. Clongh offered his services in the preparation of plans withont charge, desiring to do this in honor of his daughters. His offer was accepted, and Alr. Clongh gave mtstintingly of his time and skill for the study of modern practice in library construction, and of the specific problem before him in Holyoke. The result was a building at once well adapted to its practical ends and n chaste and enduring ornament to the city. Mr. Frank Dilhle was the builder selected, and the workmanship through- out the structure has proved to be ahove criticism to this time.
Miss Ely, on account of her health. desired to he relieved of her work be- fore the reorganization incident to
moving the library inte. 11- new and larger quarters should be undertaken. Her successor, the present hbraman, was elected and began his service m the summer of 1:10. The hbrary whs moved to the new building in Febrnery, 1902 New systems of classification and cataloging of the hhraty, registration of borrowers, and circulation of books, all of which were impracticable in the old quarters because of lack of room and proper facilities, were adopted A sep- arate children's department was inaugurated, and ample provision made in large separate rooms for periodical read- ing and for reference study. Ilere for the first time the library was open to the public in the mornings, and certain restrictive regulations, which seemed no longer requisite. were dropped, including the twelve-year age limit. the re- striction of the borrower to but one book at a time, and the two-week time-limit on hooks other than fiction.
One of the marked advantages of the library's new home was that it made practicable free access of the public to the main floor of the hook room and so to the books themselves. This greatly increases the satisfaction of many nsers of the library, since they are ahle often to help them- selves at once to the desired book without dependence npon catalog or attendant, or to examine and selvet such works as hest meet their needs or tastes.
The work of the library rapidly expanded under the improved conditions. There were more active cardholders using the library in the first four years after its removal than in the previous thirty years, and in five years the eir- culation had increased 100 per cent. Since that time the growth of the work has been for the most part normal and continuons, One hundred and fifteen thousand voluines were loaned during the past year. The book collection has increased from 20,000 to nearly 30,000 volumes, and the present shelving in the building is now practically fall. The city meanwhile has met the requirements of the larger work by increased appropriations. For recent years the annual appropriation has been $15,000, amt this, with the exception of a small fund from fines, constitutes the entire income of the library.
The long periods of disinterested service of the library by many of Holyoke's most honored citizens, make in a part of its history which should not he forgotten Mr. Wil- liam Whiting, having been one of the original founders of the library and, even before the founding, an ardent pro- moter of the project, was made its first president, and heki that office through a period of forty years, to the cluse of his life. Besides giving liberally for the new building, he served as chairman of the building committee.
Mr. Henry A. Chase was also one of the active Or- ganizers of the library, and held the offices of secretary and treasurer and membership on the executive committee
Miss SARAH ELY
HOLYOKE'S PUBLIC LIBRARY
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HENRY A. CHASE
from the beginning unti his death in 1905. His interest in and service of the library was at all times un- stinted. His work with Mr. W. S. Loomis in soliciting subscriptions for the building find has already been men- tioned. Mr. Loomis, another of the founders, has been on the executive committee from the start and most of the time as its chairman, in which capacity he still serves the institution which has been one of the ahiding interests in his active and varied life.
Mr. James H. Newton, a member of the board of di- Tertors from the date of organization, has been the presi- dem of the library since the death of Mr. Whiting. Mr. C. W. Rider is the successor of Mr. Chase in the office of treasurer and on the executive committee. For many years previons to his recent death Mr. William H. Heywood rendered the library most faithful service on the executive committee. His successor is Mr. Reuben Winchester.
On the book committee the library in past days profited greatly by the broad culture and sound judgment of Judge F. W. Chapin, Judge H. L. Sherman, Principal H. B. Law- rence, and Mr. William A. Prentiss. With Mr. Chapin and Alr. Prentiss are now associated Mrs. James H. Newton aud Mr. F. S. Webber.
In 1903 the library was the recipient of a large and rare collection of Indian stone implements, which had been purchased from its collector, Mr. Sherman of Springfield, with a fund raised by the Holyoke Scientific Association, as " result of persistent efforts by Prof. J. T. Draper of the High school, Architect W. J. Howes, Dr. G. A. Maxfield, :md others,
Two years later a valuable collection of butterflies. moths and heerles came into possession of the library. through the sole agency of Mr. Joseph Chase, who solicited money for the purchase and himself laboriously remounted, classified and labelled the specimens.
Thus one of the library's two exhibition rooms has been well filled. The other is reserved to he used as an art ninscum, of which Holyoke has as yet scarcely a beginning. Material needs have indeed been more pressing and de- serve the larger support, lat it is a marked deficiency for a city of the size and prosperous condition of Holyoke to he withont art collections of any description. Such attrac- tions are not mere Juxuries but react very definitely union the standard of culture of the people, refining their tastes
For the Intnre, the time will cumlle, as the city continues to grow, and especially as it ex- tends from time to time its boundaries, when more exten- sive ageneies than are now used will be necessary to serve all the districts adequately. For hundreds of American libraries such devel- opment has been rendered possible through bentefactions, for endow- mients or for buildings, by public spirited citizens, and we may con- fidently expect that our library will not be less fortunate, and that the citizens of the future will he as responsive to the new needs as those of a decade ago were to the need of an adequate and licantiful building.
The children's department de- serves separate consideration. Un- der the conditions that prevailed in the old City hall quarters the best that could be done was to al'ot a corner for the juveniles. In the new building ligln roomy quarters were provided, and the thousands of volumes of the juvenile class arranged in low-tiered bookshelves around it. Here on the stormny and colder evenings of the year from fifty to one hundred or more children congregate, reading hy the excellent light afforded, and the greater part of them taking home books to read when they leave.
Methods to stimulate good reading in preference to the trashy kind sold in cheap paper prints are employed, One successful method in use for a time was to furnish a list of books for vacation reading, giving a certificate to those who had read a certain number on the list.
and elevating their amusements. The life of our city is suffering today for the want of such cul- tural influences. The art room in the library now contains ihrer- oil paintings, It crm accomnit- date a hundred. Adjacent to and owned by the library is a large vacant plot of ground offering ample room for a separate museum and art building. But these finer things will hardly he found in our City Beautiful un- til a vital and growing interest in them is in ev :- fence. Those who may contribute by gifts or by personal influence to this cause in its early days will build for the future better than they can know in the present.
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