LEGISLATURE INCORPORATES LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

William P. Bonney, "Legislature incorporates library association," History of Pierce County. I, 241-42.

On February 3, 1858, the Washington Territorial Legislature passed a special law incorporating the Steilacoom Library Association, the act reading as follows:

Section 1. 

Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Washington: That A. P. Delin, A. F. Byrd, E. A. Light, W. H. Wallace, W. R. Downey, W. P. Dougherty, William Lane, S. M. McCaw, B. Pierce, Frank Clark, Sherwood Bonney, 0. H. White, E. M. Meeker, William N. Savage, Nathaniel Orr and their associates and successors be and they are hereby constituted and declared a body corporate and politic to be known by the name and style of Steilacoom Library Association of Washington Territory.

Section 2. 

Said associates may, by its corporate name, sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, defend and be defended against, in all the courts of law in this Territory, and may receive and hold all monies and other property coming into the hands of said association by voluntary subscriptions, contributions, or otherwise; also all legacies and devices of real or personal estate, and to have and to hold, possess and acquire Lands and Tenements, Chattles and Property of any description incident to such associations to any amount not exceeding Twenty Thousand Dollars and the estate aforesaid, to lease, grant, convey, and dispose of in such manner as they deem expedient.

Section 3. 

That said association may hold its meetings at such time and places, and elect such officers for the management of its affairs as may be deemed proper.

Section 4. 

The said association may at any of its regular meetings, or special meetings for business, enact and pass such rules, regulations and by-laws for the government of the same and the management of the property of said association as may be deemed necessary: Provided that the same be not inconsistent with laws of the United States or of this Territory."

ORGANIZATION PERFECTED AT THE KEACH STORE

The meeting announced in the first issue of the Herald for the purpose of perfecting the organization of the Steilacoom Library Association was duly held on the sixteenth of March at the store of P. Keach, and a committee consisting of A. P. Delin, E. A. Light, Stephen Judson, E. R. Rogers and N. H. Orr, was appointed to draft by-laws. 

A second meeting was then held at the Methodist Church to adopt the by-laws and elect officers. Among those who took part in these meetings were Philip Keach, E. M. Meeker, W. P. Byrd, Andrew F. Byrd, Samuel McCaw, G. W. Byrd, A. P. Delin, Frank S. Balch, Stephen Judson, 0. H. White, Charles H. Bitting, W. D. Van Buren, J. P. Byrd, J. R. Meeker, A. H. Woolery, William R. Downey, J. J. Ragan, N. H. Orr and E. A. Light.

P. Delin was elected president; E. A. Light, vice president; Frank S. Balch, recording secretary; 0. P. Meeker, recording secretary; A. F. Byrd, treasurer; and P. Keach, librarian. The committee on lectures and debates was named, consisting of W. D. Van Buren, W. P. Byrd and 0. H. White. 

The executive committee named consisted of Samuel McCaw and E. M. Meeker. Lafayette Balch, upon motion, was unanimously elected an honorary member of the association. It will be interesting to keep account of the names given in this organization as the history of the county is developed and recorded. Almost without exception those men whose names are found in the above list played important parts in the political and commercial development of the county in the years that followed.

William P. Bonney, "Legislature incorporates Library Association," History of Pierce County, I, 241-242.