USA > Michigan > Wayne County > Detroit > The city of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922, Vol. I > Part 85
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In 1859 the act of incorporation was amended so that the society could hold property to the extent of $200,000, instead of $25,000 as originally stipulated by the governor and judges. A new hall was the first desire after this change and negotiations were opened to secure a lot on the corner of Larned and Bates streets, which was owned by the university. The city also claimed this ground, but after some litigation the university retained possession. However, the Young Mens' Society was unable to meet the terms contemplated and abandoned the plan. Thereupon a lot, eighty by one hundred and fifty feet, on Woodbridge Street, just baek of the old Biddle House, and with a corridor running through the hotel to Jefferson Avenue, was leased for a term of twenty-five years. On this lot a hall was erected and opened to the public November 21, 1861, with
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appropriate ceremony. The old hall and lot were turned over to the creditors, Messrs. Shearer and Chapoton, and the funds to pay for the erection of the new hall and the furnishings were raised by selling stock to the amount of $17,000.
Not being able to meet their expenses, the members sold this hall in 1875 to Luther Beecher for $16,000 and the library was then established in rooms on the second floor of the Merrill Block, on the northeast corner of Jefferson and Wood- ward avenues, where it was reopened to the public August 2, 1875. At that time the library contained about 16,000 volumes. However, it soon became evident that the society could not compete with the public library and during the months of August and September, 1882, the books were sold to whoever would purchase, many of them going into the new library. On September 30, 1882, the Young Men's Society was abandoned, after a half century of more or less turbulent existence.
DETROIT LYCEUM
The Lyceum of the City of Detroit was an organization which lived for just a brief space, but is worthy of mention by reason of the prominent men connected with it. It was organized January 14, 1818, with Augustus B. Woodward, president; William Woodbridge and Charles Larned, vice-presidents; George B. Larned, secretary, and Dr. John L. Whiting, treasurer. A constitution, written by Judge Woodward with all his characteristic verbosity, was adopted April 29th, but the organization came to naught and was given up after about three years.
MICHIGAN LYCEUM
The Lyceum of Michigan, an organization which lived hardly more than a year, was organized December 6, 1830, with Lewis Cass as president, Henry R. Schoolcraft and Henry Whiting, vice-presidents; William Ward, secretary; Augustus S. Porter, treasurer; John L. Whiting, Walter L. Newberry and Lucius Lyon, executive committee.
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MICHIGAN
This organization was incorporated June 23, 1828, and upon July 3d following officers were elected, namely: Lewis Cass, president; Henry S. Cole, secretary; John Biddle and Thomas Rowland, vice-presidents; Henry Whiting, corre- sponding secretary; Charles C. Trowbridge, treasurer; John L. Whiting, librarian. The first lecture before the society was given by Lewis Cass in September, 1828 and he was followed at intervals by other notable men of Detroit. These speeches were printed and collected into a volume entitled "Historical and Scientific Sketches of Michigan." Other books, manuscripts, letters, and various historical miscellany were collected by the society, but little enthusiasm or in- terest was maintained and after a quarter century the possessions of the society were absorbed into the public library or otherwise distributed.
DETROIT MECHANICS' LIBRARY
At a meeting held June 13, 1818, at Col. Richard Smyth's hotel, on the west side of Woodward Avenue between Jefferson Avenue and Woodbridge Street, Judge Woodward and Maj. Robert Irwin were appointed to draft a constitu- tion for the Detroit Mechanics' Society. The first election of officers took place on July 20, 1818, when Robert Irwin was chosen president; Benjamin Stead, vice- president; John P. Sheldon, secretary; John S. Roby, treasurer; Paul Clapp,
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Charles Howard, Jeremiah Moors, Chauncey S. Payne and Ebenezer Reed, stewards. The constitution was adopted June 29, 1818. The society was in- corporated on May 15, 1820 for a term of twenty years. In 1828 two lots on the southwest corner of Griswold Street and Lafayette Avenue were donated by the city to the society and a hall-a two-story frame structure-was erected thereon. The first meeting in the new hall was held on June 16, 1834.
On February 17, 1857, Gov. Moses Wisner approved an act of the legislature authorizing the incorporation of mechanics' societies and the Detroit society was reincorporated under this act March 5, 1860. A library was then started and ten years later the society's income from rents amounted to about $1,000, a large part of which was used for the purchase of books. The library then numbered over four thousand volumes and was kept open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 2 to 4:30 P. M. and from 7 to 9 P. M.
At a meeting held on April 28, 1873, the society voted to erect a block to cover the entire property (75 by 130 feet) and the library was removed to rooms over Chauncey Hurlbut's store, on Woodward Avenue, until the new building was completed. Financial difficulties now arose which ultimately put an end to the society. A loan of $60,000 was negotiated to pay for the new block, but the contractors failed to finish it within the stipulated time, which caused pro- spective tenants to cancel their agreements with the society. On May 22, 1876, the property of the society was assigned to Horace M. Dean, John H. Van Schoick and James Burns for the benefit of the creditors. At that time the liabilities amounted to $117,000 and the assets were estimated at $173,000, but the depreciation in real estate values that followed the panic of 1873 was now felt in Detroit and on November 1, 1876 the property was sold to Thomas McGraw at auction for $112,500.
The creditors generously released the books and furniture of the library, which were subsequently removed to the Young Men's Christian Association, where the library was opened September 19, 1877. When the Young Men's Christian Association sold its property to the Detroit Medical College in 1881, the library was returned to the Mechanics' Society and in 1885 the books were turned over to the public library.
DETROIT PUBLIC LIBRARY
The state constitution adopted in 1835 contained a provision that all fines and penalties collected in criminal cases should be devoted to the establishment and maintenance of public libraries. On January 8, 1842, the board of school inspectors of the City of Detroit adopted a resolution to the effect: "That an order be drawn on the county treasurer for the proportion due the Township of Detroit of the moneys paid into the county treasury as equivalents for exemp- tions from military fines, and for the clear procceds of all fines for breaches of the penal laws; and in case the treasurer refuses to pay, that the city attorney, or some other proper person, be requested to apply to the present Supreme Court for a mandamus to compel the treasurer to pay the same."
As this was the last session of the old board of inspectors, the work of carry- ing the resolution into effect devolved upon the board of education, which was created by the act of February 18, 1842. On June 16, 1842, on motion of John S. Abbott, a committee of three was appointed to ascertain the amount of funds paid to the county treasurer and available for library purposes. On August 7th the treasurer paid over to the board the sum of $63.14 as the city's share of fines
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collected. This amount was too small to think of starting a library with it, and the board was not wholly satisfied that the city had received the full sum to which it was entitled. Committee after committee was appointed to investigate the subject and small payments were received regularly until in 1859.
On April 21, 1859, Henry E. Baker, Detroit newspaperman and a member of the board from the sixth ward, called attention to the increasing necessity of the public school for maps, books of reference, etc., and offered a resolution for the appointment of a committee of three to inquire into the facts relative to the payment into the county treasury of fines from the different justices' courts of the county, and "whether this board receives its proper share of such fines."
Mr. Baker, Edmund Hall and Henry M. Cheever were appointed as the committee and on July 9, 1859, submitted a report showing that a considerable sum of money properly belonging to the board had been collected, but had been used for other purposes, and recommended a committee to collect it. Mr. Baker and Mr. Hall were accordingly appointed, with instructions to bring suit if necessary. Suit was instituted and the matter was carried to the supreme court of the state, which decided that about three-fifths of $17,000 collected in fines during the preceding years belonged to the city. When the news of this decision reached the board of education in November, 1860, William D. Wilkins moved that "Recitation Room No. 3 (in the second story of the old capitol) be fitted up with a table, chairs, bookshelves and a lamp as a library and committee room for the use of the board and teachers." This was the beginning of the public library movement in Detroit.
In March, 1861, the committee reported that a settlement had been effected with the county, by which the library fund would receive about $7,000. With this fund began the development of the Detroit Public Library. During the next two years more money was received from time to time and on May 18, 1863, the board decided to establish a district library. Two more years elapsed, however, before all the preparations were completed, but on March 25, 1865, the library was formally opened to the public in rooms on the first floor of the old capitol building. At first the library was used only for consultation and reference work, but on May 2, 1865, it was opened for circulation in addition. Two years later the use of an additional room, on the second floor, was granted to the library. About this time the library committee made a request for the fines assessed in the police court, but was refused, consequently suit was brought and upon October 20, 1868, the supreme court decided that these fines also belonged to the library fund. In 1870 an addition was made in the rear of the old capitol building for library purposes and on March 20, 1871, the library was opened in its new quarters here.
It soon became apparent that more room would be needed in the near future and on June 9, 1871, the board petitioned the city council to grant the old city hall for library purposes. The council granted the request on July 18, 1871, and the board commenced preparations for remodeling the building in such a way as to render it suitable for a public library. It was then discovered that it would cost almost as much to alter the old building as it would to erect a new one more suitable in design and capacity. A movement was therefore started for the erection of a building to be used exclusively as a public library, but the question of a site had to be settled. On March 3, 1872, the city gave the board a fifty-year lease of Center Park as a site for the library and the board then sur- rendered its claims to the old city hall. A short time after this transaction, the
DETROIT PUBLIC LIBRARY IN 1881
NEW DETROIT PUBLIC LIBRARY
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question was raised as to the power of the council to lease the park. To settle the matter a friendly suit was commenced, asking the courts to enjoin the council from making the lease. This caused some delay, but in April, 1873, the supreme court decided that the council possessed the power to make the lease.
Like many other movements tending toward the intellectual and educational development of the city, numerous difficulties were encountered and strong opposition was met during these early stages. By an act of the legislature, approved by Governor Bagley on March 27, 1873, provision was made for raising $150,000, with the approval of the board of estimates, for erecting the library building. In describing the situation at this time, no better authority can be quoted than George W. Balch, president of the board of education from 1873 to 1876, who wrote as follows:
"Receiving from the legislature of 1873 permission to raise the necessary funds for the erection of a public library building, the cost of which was limited to $150,000, the board of education (which then stood wholly sponsor for the public library) proceeded to make estimates therefor, and at the first session of the board of estimates, April, 1874, presented to that body its request for an appropriation of $125,000 for the purpose. This was promptly granted, and the amount was placed in the general list for the year, with a recommen- dation to the common council that the money to cover the entire amount be raised by the issue of library bonds, $50,000 in 1874, the same amount in 1875 and the balance, $25,000, in 1876.
"The common council, while apparently confirming the recommendation, in all except the method of providing the money, ordered, in lieu of the pro- posed bond issue, the installment for the year 1874 to be placed on the tax rolls, and the first $50,000 was raised in that way.
"Having thus changed the method of procedure on the recommendation of the board of estimates, the common council noted the same in a communi- cation to that board, which, meeting but once in each year and having been adjourned, did not reach that body until the regular annual meeting in the spring of 1875.
"In the meantime, from various causes, considerable enmity to the project of the board of education had developed. Whether influenced by this, or resulting from a misconception, which had been created by the change made by the council as mentioned, the fact remained that the board of estimates failed to place any sum whatever in the general list for the year for public library purposes.
"Having proceeded with due deliberation during the greater part of the year 1874 in the preparation of plans and specifications for the new building, bids for the construction thereof, duly advertised for, were opened at a meeting of the board of education in January, 1875. These proposals ranged in amount from about $159,000 to $190,000-the lowest being considerably in excess of the authority which had been conferred on the board to be expended for the purpose.
"Nevertheless, the board finally at a meeting in February, 1875, decided to enter into a contract with one David Knapp, the lowest bidder, at about $159,000, for the complete construction of the proposed building.
"This action gave the enemies of the project, both open and covert, the opportunity they most desired, and they made the most of it. Charges of extravagance and even of the lawlessness of the board were freely made.
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Amongst the most willing listeners to these charges were members of the com- mon conneil, between which and the educational board jealousies had arisen, owing to the assertion by the latter of legislative powers independent of the former; and the lukewarmness exhibited by the board of estimates to the library building project was undoubtedly influenced by the same cause. In short, matters pertaining to the proposed library construction, succeeding the confirmation of the contract by the board, went rapidly from bad to worse.
"Confronted with threatened injunetions and long continued litigation, there was superadded thereto the prospect that owing to the enmity of the council, the concession of Center Park, as it was called, would not be extended beyond the stipulated time.
"And here it may incidentally be mentioned, that this stipulated time- limitation for the work to commence was successfully met. This time was within a few days only of expiration when the exeavation for the building was actually commenced, and the threatened danger of the failure of the entire project was averted.
"To proceed, however, with the foregoing narration of obstructive measures encountered-the deprivation of the expected appropriation for the current year, consequent upon the action, or rather non-action, of the board of estimates, fell hard. The situation, altogether, presented interminable difficulty to the library committee of the board, which finally, seeing no means of extrieation from the entanglement, asked to be relieved from further consideration of the library building projeet.
"At this stage, when all the time and money spent in the preparation of plans seemed likely to go for naught, and when the cherished objeet sought to be accomplished was apparently destined to indefinite postponement, on a chance afterthought while reflecting seriously on the situation, a plan looking to the possible solution of all the difficulties of the case suggested itself. This plan received the prompt assent of the board, and was speedily carried out.
"The plan required first the consent of the contractor for the ereetion of the building, which he finally gave, and involved the elimination of such parts of the proposed structure as could be dispensed with, without materially in- fringing on the space allotted to the library proper, or without changing in any material way its interior arrangement. In short, the library was to retain its sufficieney of space and arrangement, but the building itself must be shorn of every costly appendage of any sort not actually needful to the uses of the library proper. Under this plan arbitrators were chosen, one to aet for the board, and another for the contractor and a third to aet only in case of dis- agreement. Two of these, the late Nichol Mitchell and Alexander Chapoton, Sr., gave the best possible guarantee of entire integrity in the execution of the plan. The name of the third arbitrator, acting for the contractor, I fail to recall.
"The structure as originally planned was provided with a fairly ornamental and suitably dignified front elevation. Within walls, and forward of the li- brary auditorium, were sundry apartments suitable perhaps for the purposes of an art museum of moderate proportions, for the historical society, and possibly for the use of a then existing scientifie association, but none of these having been specifically provided for, they disappeared under the hand of the chosen arbitrators. The contractor being charged with the work of elimination proceeded, in each case, with the estimated cost thereof, as against the total
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of his original bid, until finally the last thing to go was the very much regretted and quite handsome stone entrance steps."
On August 24, 1874, the plans of Brush & Smith were adopted, the corner- stone was laid May 29, 1875, and on January 22, 1877, the building was formally dedicated. The cost of the original building was $124,000 and in 1885 an addition 50 by 60 feet was completed at a cost of $32,000. The reading room in this addition was opened on March 1, 1886. Another addition was made in 1896.
Pursuant to an act of the Legislature, the board of education, on December 27, 1880, appointed the following library commissioners: James V. Campbell, George V. N. Lothrop, Alfred Chesebrough, William D. Wilkins, Dr. Herman Kiefer and Alexander Lewis. The same act authorized a special tax for the benefit of the library. Since that time the public library has been controlled by a board of commissioners, appointed by the board of education. The term of each of these commissioners expires on the first of January each year and his successor is appointed for six years.
Professor Henry Chaney was the first librarian, acting in this capacity while principal of the high school. After March 20, 1871, he gave his whole time to the library and continued to serve until April 9, 1878. Rev. Manasseh Hickey was his successor and was succeeded April 12, 1880, by Henry Gillman, who retained the position until August 1, 1885, when Henry M. Utley was chosen. Mr. Utley gave over a quarter century of his devoted attention and faithful labor to the Detroit public library and during this time was a com- pelling factor in the educational development of the city. Advanced years caused his retirement in 1912, followed in 1917 by his death. Adam Strohm, the present librarian, assumed the position November 1, 1912.
When the public library was opened in the old capitol building on March 25, 1865, it contained 8,864 volumes. At the time of the removal to the building in Center Park in 1877, the number of volumes was 33,604. The number of volumes in the main library and branches at the beginning of the year 1921 was over a half million, exclusive of pamphlets, newspaper clippings, etc.
BRANCH LIBRARIES
With the growth of the city and the consequent expansion of the area, there came the necessity for branch libraries, with adequate facilities and accessibility for school centers and for communities distant from the downtown building. These branches and the facts concerning their establishment follow:
The Henry M. Utley Branch Library was opened April 2, 1900, in the Central High School and in March, 1905, was removed to 1515 Woodward Avenue, near Grand Boulevard. In May, 1913, it was removed to a building erected for the purpose at 8726 Woodward Avenne.
The George S. Hosmer Branch was opened April 16, 1900, in the Harris High School on Pulford Avenue and was removed to 887 Gratiot Avenue in January, 1903. It was removed to the present building erected for the purpose at 3506 Gratiot, January 7, 1911.
The Herbert Bowen Branch was opened October 25, 1900, in the Western High School and removed to 464 Dix Avenue in February, 1907. In December, 1912, the books were transferred to the new building at Dix and West Grand Boulevard.
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The John S. Gray Branch was opened March 1, 1904, at 284 Field Avenue, but was removed to its new building at 1117 Field Avenue on June 1, 1906.
The James E. Scripps Branch, opened March 1, 1904, at 800 Grand River Avenue, was removed July 1, 1909, to the present building at 605 Trumbull Avenue, which building had been remodeled for the purpose.
The Edwin F. Conely Branch was opened October 1, 1908, at 1479-81 Michigan Avenue. This branch was removed to the present building, erected for the purpose at 4600 Martin Street, in September, 1913.
The Chauncey Hurlbut Branch occupies a building crected for the purpose. It was first opened as a delivery station in January, 1900, but in September, 1905, was established as a full branch. This library is located in Waterworks Park.
The West Fort Street Branch was first opened September 1, 1907, on West End Avenue near Jefferson Avenue. It was removed to 3327 West Jefferson Avenue on January 1, 1910, and again removed to the present location, 5825 West Fort Street, in September, 1913.
The George V. N. Lothrop Branch was opened December 21, 1912, in a building erected for the purpose at West Grand Boulevard and Warren Avenue.
The Magnus Butzel Branch was first opened in its own building in October, 1913. This branch library is located at 2025 East Grand Boulevard.
The George Osius Branch was opened in September, 1914, at 8530 Gratiot Avenue, in a building constructed for library purposes.
The Bernard Ginsberg Branch, at 91 Brewster, was opened to the public in 1916.
The Divie B. Duffield Branch, at 2507 West Grand Boulevard, was also opened in 1916.
The buildings in which are housed the various branch libraries of Detroit have all been designed and constructed from the standpoint of beauty as well as utility. Each differs from the other and each is distinctively attractive. The equipment and convenience of the buildings conform to the very latest thought in library architecture. In addition to these branch libraries, there are over four score library stations, located at manufacturing establishments, fire engine houses, school buildings, hospitals, and other accessible places.
THE BURTON HISTORICAL COLLECTION
There is one branch of the Detroit Public Library that has few parallels in the library history of the nation. This is the Burton Historical Collection. It is unique in that it had its inception in the mind of one man, Clarence M. Burton, and it has won national repute by the rarity of its contents, their scope and the completeness of historical information upon the chief topic-Detroit history. Of the beginning of this library, the following quotation is given from a biographical sketch of Mr. Burton in the "National Magazine of American History" (January, 1920, Vol. I, No. 1.):
"In the year 1874 at the University of Michigan an eminent lawyer and judge of Detroit, Charles I. Walker, a professor in the law department of the university, delivered a lecture to the students on the 'Northwest During the Revolution.' Holding in his hand a leaf from an old account book of 1780 as he spoke, he said, 'I think it is well for every professional man to have some hobby outside of his regular vocation. To this hobby he should give as much of his time as possible, together with his close thought and enthusiasm.' These
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