USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > Centennial history of Cincinnati and representative citizens, Vol. I, Pt. 2 > Part 70
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93
In the minutes of a meeting of May 29, 1852, it is recorded that for the 10 years preceding the usefulness of the library had gradually dimin- ished until at last, in its then unsuitable location in the City Building on Eighth street, near West- ern row, its patronage was merely nominal and it was resolved that the library be removed to the Mechanics' Institute and placed under the care of that institution.
Such is the story of the two associations through which the people of Cincinnati were given the advantage of semi-public libraries dur- ing the early years of the last century. There were at least two other organizations doing the best they could in the same line of public en- deavor-the Lyceum, of which Salmon P. Chase was a prominent member, and the Ohio Me- chanies' Institute, which, in the course of time, absorbed the Lyceum collection as it did others.
The first home of the Institute was the Enon Baptist Church on Walnut street between Third and Fourth. On the ground floor were three rooms, two of which were used for a library and a reading room. A series of lectures was
planned by the Institute for the winter of 1833- 34. These lectures attracted but small audi- ences and only. two were given. One was by Hon. James Hall on "The Importance of Establishing a Library in Cincinnati." This lecture (in spite of the small audience) inspired a more active library propaganda. The library of Morgan Neville was purchased soon after for $300, which was considered a great bargain, and there were individual dona- tions of books. In May, 1835, Dr. John D. Craig was appointed librarian and general su- perintendent with. a salary of $500. By 1845 13 daily and eight weekly papers were regularly received, together with a considerable number of magazines, and there were 203 minors drawing books from the library. The present building, at the corner of Sixth and Vine streets, was com- pleted in 1850 and rooms on the second floor were occupied by the library. The library by 1852 had grown to more than 6,000 volumes, there were on file 70 periodicals, and, in addi- tion to the members, about 400 minors had the privilege of taking books and using the read- ing room.
The school law, passed in 1853, contained a provision for a State tax of one-tenth of a mill for the purchase of apparatus and books to be distributed among the schools. The consensus of opinion in Cincinnati was that the establishment of a library in every school district would be a wasteful multiplication of the same books and at a meeting of the School Board, held December 18, 1854, this took form in a resolution that there should be but one library for all the pub- lic schools and the families entitled to the use of the books. Fortunately, H. H. Barney, the State Commissioner of Common Schools, gave his prompt and cordial approval of this plan. By March, 1855, $5,000 of the tax levied dur- ing the preceding two years was available and an order for 1.500 volumes was placed. The car- liest recorded gift was that of Winthrop P. Smith of $700, received in the year previous. The Young Men's Mercantile Library made liberal donations of book's. The library was opened in a room on the first floor of the old Central High School on Longworth street: the session room of the School Board was upstairs in the same building. In May, 1856. John D). Caldwell was elected clerk of the board and librarian. Previously Dr. J. C. Christin had cared for the library at a salary of $3 per day.
The library had not been opened a year when it was proposed that it should be removed to
909
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
the building of the Ohio Mechanics' Institute and the library of the Institute placed in charge of the School Board-the combined libraries to be free to the public. Meanwhile, the Legis- lature had suspended the tax for the purchase of books. In spite of this, it seemed best to carry through the consolidation and an agreement was entered into on the 31st of July, 1856, and signed by Miles Greenwood, Marston Allen, Daniel F. Meader, Charles F. Wilstach, Caleb C. Whitson, George D. Winchell and Isaac Bruce for the Institute; and C. G. Comegys, A. S. Sullivan, John W. Dudley and Lyman Hard- ing for the School Board. During the first three years, 5,047 books had been purchased at an expense of $7,541.92, and at the time of the con- solidation the Institute library contained 6,583 volumes, making the union library one of nearly 12,000 volumes.
The rooms were open from eight in the morn- ing to eight in the evening and the number of persons recorded as entitled to the use of the library was more than 2,400. The number of books circulated during the year ending July 6, 1857, was 20,179. In November, 1857, N. P. Poor was elected librarian with a salary of $800 and there was an assistant with a salary of $300. From Mr. Poor's first report, it appears that the number of users had increased to 4,251 and that the circulation for the year had been 47,866.
In 1859 Rufns King, president of the School Board, was able to report the renewal of the library tax and the recovery of a portion of the tax for former years, which was supposed to have been lost in consequence of some mistake on the part of the State authorities at Columbus. A fund amounting to $6,285 was thus available for the increase of the library. Concerts were given by the public schools in April, 1859, and sufficient funds raised to furnish the library with alcoves and shelving. A gallery of paintings and statuary was deposited by the Ladies' Acad- emy of Fine Arts, the precursor of the Art De- partment of the University. The following year ( 1860) the library tax was repealed and a famine began which lasted seven years. There were then 22,648 volumes besides the books of the Ohio Historical Society, which were on deposit, and the circulation had increased to over 90,000.
In 1861 Mr. King appealed to the citizens for contributions to the library then deprived of all resources from taxation. E. M. Shield was the first to respond, agreeing to give 100 volumes each year. In 1864 Sargent, Wilson & Hinkle gave $500 and Mr. Shield's gift of 500 volumes
was completed, though there was delay in the delivery of the last 200 volumes on account of the lack of cases to receive them.
Alr. Poor died suddenly early in 1866 and Lewis Freeman was elected his successor. Mr. Freeman's first report, dated June 30, 1866, shows that the library exhibited signs of decay. This is hardly a matter for surprise, considering the short commons of the preceding years and the location of Cincinnati so near the seat of war. There was, however, a spirit of revival in the air, for which the public is indebted to the library committee of that day. Of this commit- tee, Rev. J. M. Walden was chairman and the other members were J. F. Irwin, H. Eckel, Rob- ert Brown, . Jr., and T. L. Harper. Through the efforts- of the librarian, donations amount- ing to $4,760.15 were procured, to be used for the purchase of books, the donors being Sar- gent, Wilson & Hinkle, $1,000; Lane & Bodley, $500; Larz Anderson, $500; and Robert Clarke & Company. who remitted a debt of $483.80 and donated $100. Mrs. Sarah Lewis bequeathed $5,000 and Mr. Shield prepared a second valuable collection. The entire donations to the library amounted to about $10,000.
It was evident that the library could not de- pend for sufficient income upon the liberality of a few individuals. The chief hope lay in such legislation as would restore the tax or its equiva- lent This legislation was secured largely through the influence of Rev. John M. Walden. In an act passed March 18, 1867, the city was empowered to assess one-tenth of a mill for the maintenance of the Public Library. This gave the library an independent income of over $13,- 000. A month later, April 3rd. a second act was passed authorizing the Board of Education to constitute a board of seven managers for the Public Library. the president of the Board of Education to be one of these. In July the first board of managers was appointed and the library received the name of "The Public Li- brary of Cincinnati." Earlier it had been known as "The Ohio School Library" and "The Public and School Library of Cincinnati." That year more than 4,000 volumes were added to the col- lection by purchase, embracing the private library of W. T. Coggeshall and a good collection of German books.
On the 17th of August, 1868, a committee ap- pointed by the Board of Education, to consider the location and erection of a building for the Public Library, held its first meeting and pro- .ceeded to examine the half-finished Handy Opera
55
910
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CINCINNATI
House, which was about to be sold at public auction. This property was purchased by the city for the sum of $83,000, and plans for con- verting it into a library were prepared by James W. Mclaughlin. . Early in 1860 Mr. Freeman resigned and W. F. Poole, of the Boston Athe- naeun1, was elected librarian. Mr. Poole en- tered upon his duties November 5th. The front part of the new library building being ready for occupancy, the books were removed from the Mechanics' Institute rooms and the new apart- ments were opened to the public December 9, 1870. The total number of volumes was 30,799, exclusive of the books of the Theological and Religious Library 3,291, which had con- tinued ever since on deposit. The Mechanics' Institute Library was left with the flourishing institution, which had created it. In March, 1871, the Public Library was opened for Sunday use and in the following year the art rooms were opened. During the year 1872-73 the trustees of the Cincinnati Hospital deposited their med- ical library but this was afterwards withdrawn. Late in 1873 Mr. Poole resigned to take charge of the Chicago Public Library and Rev. Thomas Vickers was elected in his stead December 1, 1873. The main hall of the new building was opened February 25, 1874. On March 17, 1874, Dr. W. H. Mussey placed in charge of the Pub- lic Library his private medical collection of 3,513 volumes.
As one of the components of the Public Library reference may here be made to the Theological and Religious Library, which took shape at a preliminary meeting held October 13, 1862. The organization was completed Februi- ary 24, 1863. in the lecture room of the Second Presbyterian Church, then on Fourth street be- tween Vine and Race, Hon. Bellamy Storer pre- siding, and Rev. ( Bishop) John M. Walden act- ing as recording secretary. On March roth the first board of directors was elected and on the 12th of November the reading room was for- mally opened in what was known as Mitchell's Building on Fourth street between Walnut and Vine. By 1870, after an expensive experience in keeping the library open for circulation, an offer made by the Public Library . Board was accepted and the books were deposited in the then newly opened building of the Public Library on Vine street. The funds of the association have accumulated somewhat in the forty odd years . of its existence. The annual meeting of the association takes place in March and its af- fairs are administered by a board of directors
at present consisting of George K. Bartholomew, William J. Breed, D. L. Bishop, N. D. C. Hodges ( recording secretary), William B. Mel- ish (treasurer). Davis S. Schaff, Charles H. Snedeker, George A. Thayer ( president ) and Bishop John M. Walden. George E. Day, D. D., at one time president of Lane Seminary and later connected with Yale College, was a prime mover in forming this library.
The newspaper room of the Public Library was opened January 1, 1875, and the same year the library of the Cincinnati Hospital was with- drawn. On June 10, 1879, a branch was started in Cumminsville with some 5,000 volumes on the shelves. The expenses for rent, fuel and light were covered by subscription. Timothy Kirby, an old resident of Cumminsville, left a bequest of $15,000 to the library, but, owing to a contest, this was reduced to $12,000 when paid to the board. In September, 1878, Mr. Vickers had been appointed rector of the University of Cincinnati and for a time he attempted to per- form supervisory duties as librarian also at a reduced salary. This plan did not commend itself to the board and Mr. Vickers resigned and was succeeded, January 1, 1880, as librarian by Chester W. Merrill. Mr. Merrill's first re- port is dated July 1,, 1880, and refers to the opening of a second branch in Columbia, De- cember, 30, 1879. In 1882 the branch library at Cumminsville was closed by order of the Board of Education and the books were returned to the main library. Dr. W. H. Mussey died August 2, 1882, bequeathing the Mussey Med- ical and Scientific Library to the Public Library -a collection of 9,422 volumes and pamphlets. The Columbia branch was closed May 1, 1884. On September 27, 1886, A. W. Whelpley was elected Mr. Merrill's successor.
The suggestion of Librarian Merrill in his last report and the suggestions of Presidents King and Ferry of carlier date finally bore fruit in the passage on April 30, 1801, of a revised act providing for the management of the library. Under the provisions of this act the directors of the University of Cincinnati elected two meill- bers of the board, the Union Board of High Schools two and the Board of Education two. the president of the Board of Education con- tinning ex-officio a member. Unfortunately this act did not go far enough in the changes of man- agement in that it did not give the board any power over the funds: it simply prevented the Board of Education from electing its own men- bers as members of the Library Board; the
911
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
Board of Education still controlled the disburse- ments.
The first board under the new act consisted of J. R. Sayler, W. T. Porter, R. H. West, W. A. Hopkins, A. Pluemmer, J. H. Charles Smith and William Rendigs, president of the Board of Education. In May, 1897, renewed efforts were made to secure legislation which would give to the Library Board full control. Hon. William J. O'Neil was a member of the Hamilton County delegation at that time and had been a member of the board of managers of the library. He was thoroughly familiar with the subject and consented to introduce a bill. There was at first opposition on the part of the Board of Edu- cation, but on its being shown that the Board of Education would be relieved of the expenses of the library, amounting to more than $40,000, this opposition was withdrawn and the act un- der which the library is now administered was passed. . The privileges of the library were at once extended to all residents of Hamilton County, the tax levy being extended over the whole county. There was no change in the method of appointing the library trustees, ex- cept that the seventh member instead of being a member of the School Board was to be named by the judges of the Court of Common Pleas. James A. Green was the nominee of the judges and took the place on the board formerly held by the president of the Board of Education. In June, 1898, the board reorganized under the new law, electing W. T. Porter, president ; Thomas P. White, vice-president ; L. L. Sadler, treasurer, and James A. Green, secretary.
At once the board began to consider questions looking to the improvement and extension of the library which had long been subjects of dis- cussion but which now, for the first time, they were in a position to carry into effect, having not only the responsibility of the library man- agement but also the power to act in accordance with their best judgment. The trustees were not content with the circumscribed view they had heretofore been compelled to take. If any- thing was to be found which was better than the method in vogne in the Cincinnati Public Li- brary they were ready to adopt it. The presi- dent of the board and the librarian were direct- ed to attend the annual conference of the Ameri- can Library Association held at Lakewood, New Jersey, July 5-10. To that conference and the insight into library work and library methods which it gave, the Cincinnati Public Library of
to-day owes much of the progress it has made in recent years.
Inspired by the reports brought to them by their president and librarian, the trustees deter- mined upon an inspection trip to the principal libraries of the East and on August 23rd Presi- dent Porter and Messrs. Sadler, West, Hopkins, Mithoefer and Librarian Whelpley started on a journey of investigation to the libraries of Cleve- land, Buffalo, Boston, Lowell, Newark, New York, Washington and Pittsburg. The thanks of the board were later extended to Mel- ville E. Ingalls, of the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railway Company, and WV. W. Peabody, of the Baltimore & Ohio Rail- road Company, for favors granted in the matter of transportation. As a result, changes were introduced in the charging system which facili- tated the obtaining of books by readers. There was a reform in the methods of cataloguing and it was resolved to open a children's room.
The law of 1898 required the trustees to es- tablish in the city and throughout the county delivery stations and they wished to learn of the practical workings of such stations wherever in use. In January, 1899, the board instructed the committee on branch libraries and delivery sta- tions, consisting of Messrs. White and Hopkins and President Porter (who went in place of Mr. West of the committee) to visit St. Louis and Chicago. Later in the year Mr. Hopkins spent a week in Chicago thoroughly posting him- self in the details of the delivery system and on his return he was appointed superintendent of the Delivery Stations Department. Mr. Hop- kins was succeeded October 5, 1899, as trustec. by Henry Danziger. On June 10, 1899, the sta- tions were put in operation. The same year the trustees determined to begin a dictionary card catalogue and Miss' Laura Smith, of the New York State Library School, was placed in charge of the work with trained assistants from the library school.
On February 19, 1900, Mr. Whelpley, the librarian, died at his home in Clifton. On April 20th the board chose as Mr. Whelpley's succes- sor N. D. C. Hodges, who at that time was in the library of Harvard University. Mr. Hodges entered on his duties on May 11, 1900. The children's room, to which Mr. Whelpley had given much thought, was opened a few days later.
The policy of removing the barriers bet weeu the readers and the books was promptly entered upon. On the rith of May, 1900, there were
912
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CINCINNATI
no books on open shelves. By the end of June an open reference collection of 1,500 volumes had been placed in the main reference room. In the summer about 1,800 volumes for circulation were placed on open shelves in the delivery room. At this time ( March, 1903) there are on open shelves in the different departments more than 50,000 volumes.
In 1900 Cincinnati was doing nothing for the intellectual needs of the blind. Those who were indigent were given a home at the Infirmary and a pension was allowed those requiring it. During the summer of 1900 Miss Georgia Trader called upon the librarian to urge that the claims of the blind might be recognized. As work of this kind would appeal to the philan- thropic citizens, it seemed best to delay the pur- chase of books in embossed characters until money for the purpose could be raised by sub- scription ; but there was one thing that could be done at once, which was to start courses of readings by volunteers. No difficulty was en- countered, the first course of readings beginning on October 12th. There are now six regular readings given each week; Miss Trader and her sister, Miss Florence Trader, give instructions to the blind in reading and writing ; special en- tertainments are given once a month by volun- teers and there are others who give their serv- ices as guides or visitors. Miss Trader has been so successful that William A. Procter has just purchased ( March, 1903) the Cary homestead, College Hill, as a home for the poor blind. There are on the shelves of the library 650 books in raised characters.
There are in Hamilton County many women's clubs and for three years special reading lists have been prepared on the programs of these clubs to aid the members in the preparation of their papers. Last year these reading lists cov- ered the programs of 44 clubs and the "Club Corner" was visited during the year by more than 2,000 club members.
There are now 41 delivery stations in different parts of the county, six of which are branch libraries, having previously been village libraries but absorbed by the Public Library of Cincin- nati under the act of 1898. These branches are located at Harrison, Hartwell, Lockland, Madi- sonville, Pleasant Ridge and Wyoming. There are 20 traveling libraries of 60 to 70 volumies each in the more remote portions of the county, which could not be served properly by the de- livery station method. There are 36 traveling libraries in the fire engine houses of the city and
15 home libraries in the poorer districts of the city.
An April 9, 1902, a letter was received from Andrew Carnegie stating that he would give $180,000 on his usual terms for the erection of six branch libraries in the city of Cincinnati. An act was promptly passed by the Legislature enabling the board of trustees to accept this gift and comply with its conditions bat this act was later declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of the State.
The library now numbers more than 230,000 bound volimes and more than 44,000 pamphlets. There are 44,095 registered borrowers and the circulation for the year 1902 was 757,504. What is even more important, from 500 to 1,000 per- sons a day enter the main building to use the books in the various reference departments and to receive assistance from the many reference librarians. In addition to the art department, there is a general reference room and a special reference room devoted to science, especially ap- plied sciences bearing on the various manufactur- ing industries. This last room is visited each day by several hundred people-manufacturers, ar- tisans, chemists and other experts, and the pat- ent attorneys and inventors. ( April, 1903.)
THE CINCINNATI LAW LIBRARY.
In 1834 a special charter was obtained from the General Assembly for the incorporation of a Cincinnati Law Library. The incorporators were among the most prominent lawyers. They were John C. Wright, John M. Goodenow, Henry Starr, Edward King, Crafts J. Wright, Edward Woodruff, Jacob W. Piatt, E. D. Mans- field, O. M. Mitchel, John Frazer, Talbot Jones, S. Yorke At Lee, W. H. Harrison, Ir., M. Mc- Lean, W. H. Stickney, Charles D. Drake, James 11. Perkins, M. T. Howe, John G. Worthington, James F. Conover and Daniel J. Casswell. Noth- ing was done at the time to bring about the pur- pose of this organization and the scheme shim- bered until 1846.
W. S. Scarborongh in an address delivered before the Cincinnati law Library Association in 1875 gives a history of this institution. In 18446 when the city had a population of almost 100,000 the bar numbered not less than 125 mem- bers. The location of the Court House was then more inconvenient than at present. Some few law offices were in this neighborhood but most were on Third between Sycamore and Walnut, while several were south of Pearl on Main, Co- lumbia and Front. The offices of Storer and
913
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
Gwynne for instance were on the west side of Main between Pearl and Second and those of Charles Fox on the northeast corner of Main and Columbia. T. D. Lincoln's office remained a little to the east on Columbia street until 1865. The lawyers of that tinie were not all great book- men and there was no large library in the city. The bar was, however, conspicuous for its abil- ity. Judges Burnet and Wright as well as Nathaniel Wright and Henry Starr had retired from active practice. Judge Este had left the bench of the Superior Court, where at that time presided Judge Coffin. Salmon P. Chase, Tim- othy Walker, O. M. Spencer, Ghiolson and Stor- er as well as T. J. Strait are mentioned by Mr. Scarborough as being at that time in active practice. Others mentioned were Benjamin B. Fessenden, Jordan A. Pugh, C. L. Telford, A. E. Gwynne, T. M. Key, William R. Morris and Daniel Van Matre. The bar meeting held in the old Superior Court room in 1846 resulted in the appointment of a committee consisting of William R. Morris, Daniel Van Matre, W. M. Corry, Alphonso Taft and George E. Pugh to raise money for a law library. A paper was drawn up by Mr. Morris which was circulated for signatures. It is said that Judge Caldwell at that time was considering an important case for which he was not able to obtain the author- ities he desired. This stimulated him to asso- ciate himself with Mr. Pugh and the two made a tour of the bar and obtained a great many signatures. The list of signatures is as follows and constitutes a pretty fair directory of the bar at that time : W. R. Morris, N. B. Rair- den, Andrew McMicken, Daniel Van Matre, G. E. Pugh, W. M. Corry, R. W. Russell, John A. Collins, Pat. McGroarty, William Birney, R. B. Warden, R. H. Stone, Chas. S. Bryant (on condition that the library be at the Court House ), E. C. Roll, L. M. Gwynne, W. B. Cald- well, M. N. McLean, E. Kenna, Henry H. Good- man, Wm. Rankin, Jr., Edward Woodruff, W. E. Bradbury W. Greene, J. H. Jones, Benj. B. Fessenden, Dani. Parkhurst, T. D. Lincoln, Peter Zinn, Sam. M. Hart, Adam Hodge, John L. Miner, Stanley Matthews, Chas. Fox, S. Fales, F. P. Norton, A. N. Riddle, A. E. Gwynne, F. Ball, Th. J. Strait. John Kebler, J. L. Scott, Jas. P. Holcombe, C. 1'. James, William Johnston, T. Walker, E. Har- rington, E. L. Rice, Jacob Burnet, $50 (by Daniel Van Matre, as a donation, and not subscribed as a member ), Edward P. Cranch, T. C. H. Smith, 11. P. Gaines, Oliver Brown, John M. Leavitt,
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.