and two hundred and forty at the following one. The first year, however, did not prove very successful financially. The committee as appointed did efficient service, however, and with three exceptions existed at the time of its dissolution as at first constituted. Vacancies on the committee that did occur were filled by the appointment of J. G. Van Lent, Irving B. Richman and P. M. Musser. Of course those who had the establishment of a library at heart experienced many discouragements, but the movement grew as time passed and books were added which formed the nucleus of the present splendid library.

The first books were kept in a room in the high school building under the care of Mrs. E. L. Mahin, the present librarian, and were transferred to the present home of the library. On Friday evening, December 20, 1901, the P. M. Musser library building, erected at a cost of nearly $50,000, the gift of P. M. Musser, one of the oldest citizens of Muscatine, was formally dedicated and by the donor transferred to the city. In spite of the severe cold weather at the time, the crowd was so large that the exercises were held in the large Methodist church on the opposite side of the avenue. Afterward the building was thrown. open for inspection and until a late hour crowds of interested and happy people passed its doors and admired its beauty.

At the dedicatory exercises the best part of the program was when Senator George M. Titus introduced Muscatine's great benefactor, P. M. Musser. He referred to the Old Ladies' Home, which was purchased and donated by this same Mr. Musser, and finally enlarged on the donation of the beautiful library, on the nature of the gift, and then presented Mr. Musser to the audience. As the latter arose, the audience burst into applause, which attested the feeling of appreciation that the people of Muscatine felt toward him. In response to this expression of gratitude, Mr. Musser spoke as follows:

"Fellow Citizens: One and a half years ago I proposed to the citizens of Muscatine a library building to cost $25,000 or $30,000. I am glad tonight to surrender to the city council through the Honorable Mayor the title to the library building and grounds. I will let my fellow citizens judge whether I have kept my promise or not."

Mr. Musser was followed on the program by Mayor Barney Schmidt, who formally received the deed from Mr. Musser. Senator Titus, presiding at the exercises, then introduced various speakers and made many appropriate references. In speaking of Rev. T. A. Fowler, he brought out particularly the work of that gentleman in this community, both in the capacity of a pastor, the rebuilding of the church, and his great work for the library. Among the many prominent men of the state who graced this occasion were Johnson Brigham, who is the Iowa state librarian, and Judge Horace E. Deemer, a former Muscatine boy and at this writing (1911) a prominent candidate for United States

senator.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BUILDING.

The library building is practically 70 feet square and two stories in height, with a basement. The substructure is of portage red sandstone and the roof of tile. The windows in the peristyle are all of cathedral glass face of an ornate oval form and the large one in the west, a perfect square, giving an

effect within of perpetual sunshine. The general reading, delivery, childrens, stack and trustees' rooms are furnished with oak tables and chairs and are finished in oak. The upper story contains a lecture room, art gallery and trustees' room. The lecture room is seated with opera chairs. In the basement is a large apartment for the storage of books, magazines and papers, among the lot being a complete file of the Muscatine Journal's first issue as the Bloomington Herald in 1840. It is a credit to the Journal, and Muscatine citizens are proud of it.

The city contributes a two mill tax annually toward the support of this most worthy institution, which amounts yearly to about $4,500, and the special funds from all other sources amount to about $400 a year. The annual report of Mrs. Mahin, the librarian, for 1910 shows an unexpended balance of $1,004, and an expenditure of $1,500 for an addition to the building on the south side, of two rooms for office purposes. In the year 1910 there were 731 new books purchased, 37 donated and 114 condemned. The total number of books in the library at the beginning of the year was 12,450, and the total circulation 35,898. The total receipts were $7,444.18 and the expenditures, including the $1,500 for the new addition, were $6,440.

The members of the present board of trustees are as follows: C. R. Musser, Mrs. Ella Jayne, J. F. Devitt, E. F. Underwood, S. G. Stein, Mrs. E. L. Mahin, I. B. Richman, J. G. Van Lent. The officers are: G. M. Titus, president; Mrs. Ella Jayne, vice president; J. G. Van Lent, secretary; Mrs. E. L. Mahin, librarian.

THE MUSCATINE CHAUTAUQUA.

In the fall of 1905 a movement was started for the organization of a chautauqua at Muscatine, and the services of Frank J. Sessions, founder of the Waterloo Chautauqua Assembly, were secured to address the first meeting held for the purpose, which took place on the evening of October 6. The speaker, with the assistance of others who addressed the assemblage, created the necessary enthusiasm and a committee of fifteen was appointed to wait upon the mayor to perfect the organization. Later, articles of incorporation, by-laws and other preliminaries were the result of the committee's labors. A short time thereafter a chautauqua was assured, by the securing of a guarantee fund, oversubscribed, of $3,000. It was then that a meeting of the stockholders was held and the following directors chosen: W. F. Chevalier, Z. W. Hutchinson, John F. Devitt, S. G. Stein, G. M. Titus, E. S. Batterson, Henry F. Giesler, J. G. Van Lent and Frank D. Throop. The chosen officials of the directorate were: W. F. Chevalier, president; Z. W. Hutchinson, secretary; Henry F. Giesler, treasurer. The first Chautauqua was held at the Citizens Railway Park, upon invitation of the officials of that corporation the following July. The program was an excellent one and the Chautauqua of Muscatine county became at once an assured success and a permanent institution.

The citizens of Muscatine are imbued with the spirit of Christianity and its resultant good works, which is evidenced by the number of handsome public buildings in the city, made possible by the generosity and highmindedness of men and women, and children also, who have given with a free hand the funds

for their erection. The mere matter of the giving of money, although a necessary prerequisite, is but an incident, however, when compared to the exertions of weeks and months, by these kindly disposed people, in organizing the various societies, often under difficulties and trying circumstances, and then struggling to even maintain an existence. Some of these endeavors have failed in the first attempt and apparently died for want of sustenance. But time for renewed energies has often encouraged the irrepressible one to revivify the project of his or her ambition and with conditions changed and new methods adopted success has attended the effort.

YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.

The Young Men's Christian Association of Muscatine has a history that gives point to the paragraph above. It had its beginning many years ago and then for a while dropped out of the running. But today this association is strong in numbers and in the pride and affection of the community. It is prospering as it should and has a home that is the pride of all.

On the evening of November 10, 1855, a meeting was held in the reception room of the Congregational church, preliminary to the organization of a Young Men's Christian Association. At that meeting a constitution and by-laws were adopted and then the meeting adjourned for one week, when it was purposed to complete the organization. This intelligence is gathered from the Journal of the date herein mentioned, but unfortunately no further mention of the association can be found until 1868, although it is taken for granted that the society made all necessary arrangements, carried on its work and meetings for some time and then dropped from sight.

From a book now in possession of the association, it is recorded that on the evening of February 28, 1868, a meeting was held in the office of Allen Broomhall, a Young Men's Christian Association was organized and a constitution adopted. Rev. John Armstrong was chosen president, and D. W. Lewis secretary pro tem. At a later meeting Henry Jayne was elected as the permanent secretary. How long this attempt to maintain an association continued. cannot be gathered from the minutes. The next we know is first steps were taken in the organization of an association in 1877. On March 5th of that year a meeting was held at the Methodist Episcopal church and an organization was perfected, with D. C. Richman as president; P. M. Musser, vice president; William H. Woodward, corresponding secretary; William C. Betts, recording secretary; A. K. Raff, treasurer. Leroy McColm, O. G. Jack, W. H. Keating, Thomas Prosser, Fred Giesler and C. Heppe constituted the board of directors. Rooms were then secured at a place used by the Reading Room Society, where meetings were held. The association then continued its work for some years, when for some reason it was discontinued.

THE PRESENT ORGANIZATION.

The present organization of the Y. M. C. A. was effected in November, 1888, by W. M. Danner, who at the time was secretary of the state Y. M. C. A. The

meeting for the first proceedings was held at the Kemble House. The first president was P. W. Francis and G. W. Bawden, secretary. This reorganized association had the first paid general secretary.

The next step forward of the association was a movement for securing a permanent home. In the year 1890 a few of the boys, in a spirit of amusement more than anything else, took up a collection toward a building fund, which amounted to $2.50. The money was deposited in the Muscatine Savings Bank. In 1892 $1.25 was added to it. This money remained in the bank until the interest had amounted to fifty per cent of the principal. The offer of P. M. Musser, early in the summer of 1901, to increase by twenty per cent any fund which the association might secure toward a building, was remembered and steps were taken to carry out certain conditions he had made and start subscriptions toward a building fund. Some time in July of that year Aubrey Dean, who had returned from the Philippines, subscribed $50 of his soldier pay to the fund. Others heard of this generous action and offers of various amounts began to come in. Preparations were then made for a canvass to secure $30,000, that being at that time considered a sufficient amount for a building. On New Year's day of 1902, a letter was received from Thomas Irvine, a former citizen of this city, offering $10,000, and at the first annual dinner held January 3, 1902, Governor Cummins, with other prominent men, was present and assisted very materially in promoting the Y. M. C. A. spirit among his auditors. The building movement was then and there formally launched. Later S. G. Stein, one of Muscatine's most generous-hearted citizens, came forward with a subscription of $5,000, which gave the canvassers renewed hope and induced greater energy in raising the necessary amount. The work of canvassing went on without cessation and before the subscription books had been closed, over five hundred people had subscribed to the fund and the building was assured.

In November, 1902, a lot on Iowa avenue, just north of and on the same side of the street as the library building, was purchased and ground broken for the structure, which is 100 feet in length by 60 feet wide and three stories in height. Up to the water table the building is of gray pressed brick. The balance is of home-made brick laid in red mortar, with trimmings of terra cotta and Bedford stone. The structure stands back from the street a distance of ten feet and a porch juts out from the building proper to the property line. The style of architecture is colonial. This first and only home of the Y. M. C. A. is a most creditable structure in appearance and its interior is so arranged as to meet the needs of an association of this kind. It cost in round numbers about $40,000 and was dedicated December 28, 1903. The officers of the present association from 1888 to 1910 are here given:

1888-89, P. W. Francis, president; G. W. Bawden, secretary; 1890, T. B. Prosser, president; William Egge, general secretary; 1891, Z. W. Hutchinson, president; William Egge, general secretary; 1892, S. T. Sinnett, president; I. E. Munger, general secretary; 1893, Z. W. Hutchinson, president; I. E. Munger, general secretary; 1894, S. M. Batterson, president; W. B. Engle, general secretary; 1895, W. E. Bliven, president; G. D. Baker, general secretary. Mr. Baker resigned and was succeeded by S. E. Taylor, October 1st; 1896, P. W. Francis, president; S. E. Taylor, general secretary; 1897-8, Fred Beach, presi