| Dates: | 1866-1917 |
| Size: | 18 linear feet, in 36 boxes and 1 oversize folder |
| Repository: | Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center, Special Collections, 400 S. State Street, Chicago, IL 60605 |
| Collection Number: | spe-l00027 |
| Immediate Source of Acquisition: | These materials were collected and archived by staff of Chicago Public Library. |
| Conditions Governing Access: | Materials are open without restrictions. |
| Physical Location Note: | Materials are stored offsite and advance notice is required for use. Please request materials at least 24-hours prior to your research visit to coordinate access. |
| Conditions Governing Use: | Please consult staff to determine ability to reuse materials from collection. |
| Preferred Citation: | When quoting material from this collection the preferred citation is: Chicago Public Library Archives: Early CPL, [Box #, Folder #], Special Collections, Chicago Public Library |
| Finding Aid Author: | Morag Walsh, 2001. Updated and ingested into ArchivesSpace by Michelle McCoy, 2023 |
Abstract
The Early CPL Papers series of the Chicago Public Library Archives document the foundation of Chicago Public Library immediately after the 1871 fire. The series includes detailed information regarding the legislative process which gave authority to the city to raise taxes to maintain a public library; extremely detailed information regarding the first collections; shipping information and costs of exporting donations from Great Britain to the United States; lists of who donated what; and general everyday library business. The series also has information about employment matters in the Library and the construction of the new Central Library.
Biographical/Historical
The Chicago Public Library (CPL) was founded in 1872 and opened to the public on January 1, 1873. The Library came into being as a result of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Before the fire there were some libraries operating within the city, although none were run by the City nor were they free. Additionally, many of the books in these libraries, most notably those belonging to the Chicago Library, run by the Young Men’s Association, burned in the blaze.
Responding to the disaster of the Great Chicago Fire, Thomas Hughes, British Member of Parliament and author of Tom Brown’s School Days, and A.H. Burgess led a drive in Great Britain to “present a Free Library to Chicago, to remain there as a mark of sympathy now, and a keepsake and a token of true brotherly kindness forever.” The result of this endeavor was around 7,000 volumes being donated to the new library from universities, publishers, learned societies, and individuals including Queen Victoria, Benjamin Disraeli, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Robert Browning, John Stuart Mill, John Ruskin and Matthew Arnold.
The impending book donation caused a problem for Chicago’s municipal leaders. There was no provision in either city or state law which allowed cities to raise funds to maintain free public libraries. A petition was quickly organized by leading Chicagoans that asked Mayor Medill to call a public meeting to establish a free public library for Chicago. The result was the Illinois Library Act of 1872 which was soon followed by a city ordinance proclaiming the establishment of the Chicago Public Library.
Donations flowed in, not just from Great Britain, but from most European countries, including a significant donation of books in German for German speaking residents of the city. Books and money came in from all over the United States and from individuals in Chicago itself. The Board of Directors was established, and the first president named was Thomas Hoyne, the first Secretary was William Bailey (W.B.) Wickersham. On January 1, 1873, the Library opened in one of the few structures which had survived the fire, an iron water tank that was no longer in use located on the corner of Adams and LaSalle Streets. By October 1873, William Frederick Poole, one of the foremost librarians in the country, was appointed Librarian, and by May 1874, the Library began to circulate most of its collection.
During its first 24 years, the Library moved from location to location. In 1897, the newly constructed Central Library on Michigan Avenue, between Randolph and Washington Streets opened. The Library remained at this location for almost 100 years until 1991 when a second new Central Library was built in the south Loop, the Harold Washington Library Center. The original Central Library became known as the Chicago Cultural Center.
Scope and Contents
The Early Papers series of the Chicago Public Library Archives document the foundation of the Library, from immediately after the 1871 fire and includes detailed information regarding the legislative process which gave authority to the city to raise taxes to maintain a public library; extremely detailed information regarding donated books; shipping information and costs of exporting the donations to the United States; lists of who donated what; and general everyday library business. The series also has information about employment matters in the Library and the construction of the new Central Library.
Provenance has been maintained as far as was possible. The papers of the President, Secretary and Librarian were already distinct from each other and the papers of Secretary Wickersham were already organized into the subject breakdowns listed below. To help researchers make maximum use of this series, this subject breakdown has been copied to the other papers. Documents within each subject have been put into chronological order by the archivist. A list of subjects can be found below. Researchers should be careful to consult papers of the President, the Secretary, and the Librarian for any one topic of research.
The collection contains a documentation on a variety of topics including the British (also known as the English Book Donation) and other early book donations, buildings, Central Library (now Chicago Cultural Center) construction, employment, legislation and library business. The materials include bills of lading, bonds, correspondence, financial statements, petitions and reports.
Arrangement
Arranged in three series:
- Series 1: Papers of the President of the Board of Directors, 1871-1897
- Series 2: Papers of the Secretary of the Board of Directors, 1872-1912
- Series 3: Papers of the Librarian, 1866-1917
Subject Headings
- Chicago Public Library -- History
- Chicago Public Library -- Archives
- Chicago Public Library. Board of Directors
- Great Fire, Chicago, Ill., 1871
- Hild, Frederick H., 1858-1914
- Hoyne, Thomas, 1817-1883
- Hughes, Thomas, 1822-1896
- Legler, Henry Eduard, 1861-1917
- Medill, Joseph, 1823-1899
- Poole, William Frederick, 1821-1894
- Public libraries -- Illinois -- Chicago -- History
Related Materials
- Chicago Public Library Archives. Board of Directors Proceedings
- Chicago Public Library Archives. Annual Reports
- Chicago Public Library Archives. Chicago Cultural Center Bids
- Chicago Public Library Archives. Branch Annual Reports
Container Inventory
Series 1: President of the Board of Directors, 1871-1897
Biographical/Historical
Thomas Hoyne (1817-1883) was born in New York City on February 11, 1817 to Irish parents. He came to Chicago in 1837 and was elected City Clerk in 1840. He briefly left Chicago between 1842 and 1844, when he practiced law. In 1853 he was appointed United States District Attorney for Illinois and in 1859 he became United States Marshal for the Northern District.
In 1876 Hoyne organized a Reform Club and was nominated for the office of Mayor and he received over 33,000 votes. The election was contested by Mayor Colvin and the circuit court held that the election was null and void because it had not been called for by the Common Council, as required by law. Hoyne surrendered his office and refused to run in the following election.
After the Chicago Fire of 1871, Hoyne was among the leading Chicagoans who led the drive to establish a free public library for the city and once legislation had been passed, was named the first President of the Board of Directors of the Chicago Public Library, an office he held until 1875.
Thomas Hoyne was killed in a railroad collision on the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg railroad in New York on July 27, 1883.
Chicago Public Library, Presidents of the Board of Directors (listed chronologically)
- 1872 April 25-1875 October 16 | Thomas Hoyne
- 1875 December 11-1880 June 12 | Daniel L. Shorey
- 1880 June 12-1880 October 23 | Berthold Loewenthal
- 1880 October 23-1881 July 9 | William James Onahan
- 1881 July 13-1882 July 8 | John B. Walker
- 1882 July 8-1885 August 10 | Harry Rubens
- 1885 August 14-1886 July 10 | Bernard Callaghan
- 1886 August 31-1887 May 28 | George J. Brine
- 1887 May 28-1888 July 14 | John W. Enright
- 1888 July 14-1889 November 2 | William H. Beebe
- 1889 November 2-1892 July 9 | John G. Shortall
- 1892 July 9-1894 September 22 | Emil Gustav Hirsch
- 1894 September 22-1896 July 10 | Edward S. Dreyer
- 1896 July 10-1898 July 22 | Azel F. Hatch
- 1898 July 22-1900 July 26 | Robert S. McCormick
- 1900 July 26-1901 July 11 | Jacob Franks
- 1901 July 11-1902 July 10 | Charles A. Plamondon
- 1902 July 10-1903 July 23 | Peabody, Francis S.
- 1903 July 23-1905 July 24 | John W. Eckhart
- 1905 July 24-1906 July 23 | Zenophile P. Brosseau
- 1906 July 23-1908 February 24 | James F. Bowers
- 1908 February 24-1909 July 12 | Bernard J. Cigrand
- 1909 July 12-1913 April 15 | Robert J. Roulston
- 1913 April 17-1916 February 28 | Antonio Lagorio
- 1916 February 28-1917 October | Max Henius
- 1917 October 22-1921 December 28 | Alfred E. Barr
- 1922 January 23-1923 December 27 | Charles E. Schick
- 1924 January 10-1924 July 14 | Frank F. Tollkuehn
- 1924 July 14-1927 August 8 | Colin C.H. Fyffe
- 1927 August 8-1929 July 22 | Andrew J. Kolar
- 1929 July 22-1929 September 25 | Robert J. Roulston
- 1929 October 7-1931 July 20 | U.J. Herrmann
- 1931 July 20-1933 September 25 | Andrew J. Kolar
- 1933 September 25-1935 July 8 | U.J. Herrmann
- 1935 July 8-1965 October 22 | Joseph Barclay Fleming
- 1965 October 25-1967 July | Anthony J. Mentone
- 1967 August 1-1979 January 16 | Ralph G. Newman
- 1969 January 16-1981 January 23 | Camille Hatzenbuehler
- 1981 January 23-1984 January 11 | Sally Berger
- 1984 January 11-1986 January 16 | James Hamilton Lowry
- 1986 January 16-1988 January 12 | Cannutte Russell
- 1988 January 12-1989 June 13 | James W. Compton
- 1989 September 28-1998 December 10 | Marian F. (Cindy) Pritzker
- 1999 September 9-2012 | Jayne Carr Thompson
- 2012 March- | Linda Johnson Rice
Scope and Contents
Series 1 contains correspondence to or from Thomas Hoyne to various individuals or organizations. There is some information regarding the legislation which provided for the City of Chicago to provide a free library, as well as substantial information regarding the early donations which formed Chicago Public Library’s collection. There is also some information regarding the location of the library and other general library business.
Arrangement
Series 1 is arranged into seven subseries based on the original arrangement found in Secretary Wickersham’s papers.
- Subseries A: Legislation, 1871-1874
- Subseries B: British Book Donation, 1871-1874
- Subseries C: German Book Donation, 1872
- Subseries D: Other Donations, 1872-1874
- Subseries E: General Library Business, 1872-1897
- Subseries F: Employment, 1872-1874
- Subseries G: Library Buildings, 1872-1893
Subseries A: Legislation, 1871-1874
Arrangement
Subseries A is arranged chronologically.
| Box 28 | Folder 1 | Bill for an Act Authorizing Cities to Establish and Maintain Free Public Libraries and Reading Rooms, House #563, annotated (2 copies), 1871 April |
| Box 28 | Folder 2 | Correspondence - Willcox, E. (of Peoria) to G.C. Larned [?], progress update on bill introduced to the Illinois Legislature to establish free public libraries, 1872 January 10 |
| Box 28 | Folder 3 | Correspondence - Daniel Shorey (President, Board of Directors) to Senators and Representatives in the Illinois General Assembly urging passage of 1871 Bill for an Act Authorizing Cities to Establish and Maintain Free Public Libraries and Reading Rooms, House #563, 1872 January 22 |
| Box 28 | Folder 4 | Act to Authorize Cities, Incorporated Towns and Townships to Establish and Maintain Free Public Libraries and Reading Rooms, manuscript signed by W.H. Smith, Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, John Dougherty, President of the Illinois Senate, and John Palmer, includes true copy document certificate signed by Edward Rummell, Illinois Secretary of State, 1872 March 7, March 13 |
| Box 28 | Folder 5 | Act to Authorize Cities, Incorporated Towns and Townships to Establish and Maintain Free Public Libraries and Reading Rooms, [draft copy, differs from final version], circa 1872 March |
| Box 28 | Folder 6 | Bill for an Act Authorizing Cities to Establish and Maintain Free Public Libraries and Reading Rooms, House #563 (2 drafts, slightly different; one is Hoyne’s copy), 1872 April 2 |
| [See also Box 28, Folder 112: Bill for an Act to Authorize the United States to acquire certain property...[Old Post Office], Senate #372, 1873 March] | ||
| Box 28 | Folder 7 | Correspondence - Doolittle, R. to Thomas Hoyne, mentions passing a Bill through Senate, 1874 February 14 |
Series 1: President of the Board of Directors, 1871-1897
Subseries B: British Book Donation, 1871-1874
Arrangement
Subseries B is arranged chronologically.
| Box 28 | Folder 8 | Correspondence - Robson, John to William Yocke (lawyer), mentions aftermath of Chicago Fire of 1871 and learning of plan to “present a Library to Chicago by parties in London” upon arrival in Great Britain, asks for Mayor’s support as Librarian, 1871 November 27 |
| Box 28 | Folder 9 | Robson, John to Thomas Hoyne, delay in sending books, financial issues, bindings for the patent books, 1872 January 4 |
| Box 28 | Folder 10 | Hoyne, Thomas to Thomas Hughes, thanks for Hughes’ efforts and stresses the importance of securing the Library (secretary’s copy), 1872 January 29 |
| Box 28 | Folder 11 | Robson, John to Joseph Medill (Mayor), authorization by Medill and Governor Bross to make apply to the Commissioners of Patents for donation, 1872 January 30 |
| Box 28 | Folder 12 | Lowther, Thomas D. to Joseph Medill, monies ($500) raised by subscription to be sent to Robson to cover expenses, 1872 February 8 |
| Box 28 | Folder 13 | Robson, John to Joseph Medill, 1872 February 28 |
| Box 28 | Folder 14 | Robson, John to Joseph Medill, acknowledges authorization to act on Medill’s behalf to collect books, mentions Mr. Burgess (“one of the earliest originators of the idea of a great English donation”), also mentions Clarendon Press; Duke of Argyll’s gift of entire papers published by the British Colonial Office; Lord Romilly, Master of the Rolls’ gift of 174 volumes of British State Papers; Cobden Club; Religious Tract Society; Camden Society; Meteorological Society; Society of Friends; Mr. Macmillan, 1872 February 29 |
| Box 28 | Folder 15 | Lowther, Thomas D. to Joseph Medill, advises Medill he sent Robson $500 to cover 2-3 months’ expenses, 1872 March 8 |
| Box 28 | Folder 16 | Robson, John to Joseph Medill, mentions Clarendon Press; Royal Geographical Society; Universities of Oxford and Cambridge; Crystal Palace; Rev. W. Webb’s donation of Transactions of the Astronomical Society, 1872 March 16 |
| Box 28 | Folder 17 | Robson, John to Joseph Medill, 1872 March 16 |
| Box 28 | Folder 18 | Robson, John to Joseph Medill, offers to become acquainted with librarians in Great Britain. 1872 March 16 |
| Box 28 | Folder 19 | Lowther, Thomas D. to Joseph Medill, forwards letter from Robson regarding candidacy as Librarian, mentions draft ordinance, expenses and binding of the British Patents in Great Britain, 1872 March 18 |
| Box 28 | Folder 20 | Robson, John to Joseph Medill, 1872 March 23 |
| Box 28 | Folder 21 | Robson, John to Joseph Medill, sending books and making a list of donors and titles (copy of list to be placed in the British Museum), Library catalog of books listed alphabetically, gifts of Mr. Chalmers of Edinburgh [printer?]; Mr. Dixon of Sunderland; Society of Friends and Greenwich Observatory, 1872 March 23 |
| Box 28 | Folder 22 | Wallen, Thomas S. to Joseph Medill, criticizes Robson’s personality, 1872 April 9 |
| Box 28 | Folder 23 | Lowther, Thomas D. to Bryan Lathrop, details Robson’s involvement in the “Hughes movement and the Free Chicago Library,” 1872 April 10 |
| Box 28 | Folder 24 | Hoyne, Thomas (President, Board of Directors), to John Robson, expresses thanks and asks for a report of subscribers to be published in Chicago newspapers, also portraits of Hoyne and Hughes (secretary’s copy), 1872 April 18 |
| Box 28 | Folder 25 | Robson, John to Joseph Medill, Duke of Wellington’s donation, and others (original plus secretary’s copy), 1872 April 21 |
| Box 28 | Folder 26 | Lowther, Thomas D. to Thomas Hoyne, reminds Hoyne that Robson requires money to cover his expenses, 1872 June 11 |
| Box 28 | Folder 27 | Allen Brothers & Company, 3 advertisements with rates for passage of freight between Europe and North America, 1872 Summer |
| Box 28 | Folder 28 | Hoyne, Thomas to Thomas Hughes, thanks Hughes, Robson and others and tells of Library Bill’s passage and organization of the Board of Directors (secretary’s copy), 1872 July 5 |
| Box 28 | Folder 29 | Robson, John to Thomas Hoyne, requests more funds to cover costs of packing and shipping (secretary’s copy), 1872 August 7 |
| Box 28 | Folder 30 | Hoyne, Thomas to Bennet Woodcroft (Clerk, Commissioners on Patents, U.K.), thanks for the British Patents (secretary’s copy), 1872 August 31 |
| Box 28 | Folder 31 | Robson, John to Thomas Hoyne, dispatching 5 boxes of books, sample bindings for the British Patents, and photograph of Ghiberti’s doors on Florence’s Baptistry (includes secretary’s copy), 1872 September 10 |
| Box 28 | Folder 32 | Robson, John to Thomas Hoyne, choices of bindings and costs for British Patents (includes partial secretary’s copy), 1872 September 16 |
| Box 28 | Folder 33 | Robson, John to Thomas Hoyne, list of proposed titles to be purchased by Mr. Hughes, list of Parliamentary Papers and Reports sought, number of boxes of books dispatched, explains why no longer using the Crystal Palace (includes secretary’s copy), 1872 September 17 |
| Box 28 | Folder 34 | Robson, John to Thomas Hoyne, Mr. Hughes’ “private gift,” bindings, asks for more money (includes secretary’s copy), 1872 September 17 |
| Box 28 | Folder 35 | Robson, John to Thomas Hoyne, asks for expenses to be paid and mentions specifications for Patent bindings, 1872 October 3 |
| Box 28 | Folder 36 | Stevens, B.F. to J.B. Jones, asks to become the European agent of the new library, 1872 October 22 |
| Box 28 | Folder 37 | Resolution of thanks to Thomas Hughes and John Robson, draft, circa 1872 |
| Box 28 | Folder 38 | Wilson, J.G. to Thomas Hoyne, donation, includes list of titles, 1873 January 9 |
| Box 28 | Folder 39 | Robson, John to Thomas Hoyne, mentions bindings and dispatch of box of books (includes secretary’s copy), 1873 February 25 |
| Box 28 | Folder 40 | Robson, John to Thomas Hoyne, mentions publication of proceedings at Library opening in January and bindings (includes secretary’s copy), 1873 March 1 |
| Box 28 | Folder 41 | Robson, John to Thomas Hoyne, mentions bindings, specific periodicals, Mr. Tom Taylor, Mr. Cracroft, British Museum books, Chaucer, Ballad Society (includes secretary’s copy), 1873 March 5 |
| Box 28 | Folder 42 | Robson, John to Thomas Hoyne, shipping arrangements and problems with North Atlantic Express, “Hughes Collections,” “Hughes Donation Fund,” bindings for Patent and Parliamentary Papers (includes secretary’s copy), 1873 March 11 |
| Box 28 | Folder 43 | Hoyne, Thomas to John Robson, quality of bindings sample, funds sent (secretary’s copy), 1873 March 28 |
| Box 28 | Folder 44 | Brand H. (Speaker, House of Commons (U.K.) to Thomas Hughes, refusal to help the Chicago Committee, 1873 March 31 |
| Box 28 | Folder 45 | Robson, John to Thomas Hoyne, account of Robson’s past as Librarian of the old Library (duties, circulation figures, salary), expresses disillusionment his treatment by the Board of Directors (except Hoyne), 1873 May 3 |
| Box 28 | Folder 46 | Robson, John to Thomas Hoyne, number of patents to be bound in each volume (includes secretary’s copy), 1973 May 9 |
| Box 28 | Folder 47 | Robson, John to Thomas Hoyne, bindings and the “proffered gift of Mr. Hughes and friends” (includes secretary’s copy), 1873 May 9 |
| Box 28 | Folder 48 | Hughes, Thomas to Thomas Hoyne, list of subscribers to the Chicago Free Library Fund, 1873 May 19 |
| Box 28 | Folder 49 | Shenton, F.K. (Literary Department, Crystal Palace Company) to F.W. Chessons[?], acknowledges payment for costs of sending books to the Library, 1873 May 29 |
| Box 28 | Folder 50 | Warrack, J. (British Vice Consul) to Thomas Hoyne, asks for an institution in Chicago that will accept publications by the Cobden Club, 1873 August 13 |
| Box 28 | Folder 51 | Robson, John to Thomas Hoyne, asks for more money, idea to secure all books of Clarendon Press and British Museum, 1873 September 19 |
| Box 28 | Folder 52 | Robson, John to Thomas Hoyne, asks for clarification regarding his position and for payment 1874 January 29 |
| Box 28 | Folder 53 | H. Sotheran & Company to Thomas Hoyne, complains about a contract for bindings of Patents and mistreatment by the Library; Hoyne’s draft response is on the reverse, 1874 June 13 |
| Box 28 | Folder 54 | Hughes, Thomas to [?], asks how to close the Chicago Free Library Fund account, mentions Hughes’ brother, Isaac; Mr. Arnold; and Mr. Lincoln (secretary’s copy), 1874 October 19 |
Series 1: President of the Board of Directors, 1871-1897
Subseries C: German Book Donation, 1872
Arrangement
Subseries C is arranged chronologically.
| Box 28 | Folder 55 | German Library Association (GLA), statement of objectives and organization of GLA, signed by Max Eberhardt, 1872 March 13 |
| Box 28 | Folder 56 | Kihlholz, Bernard [and J. Dyrenfurth] to Thomas Hoyne, proposes deposit of around 1,000 volumes in German towards founding a German American Library of Chicago, and copy of a petition for these books printed and dispersed across Europe (in German) with an English translation, 1872 June 18 |
| Box 28 | Folder 57 | Kihlholz, Bernard to Thomas Hoyne, asks for a reply to their letter of June 28th, 1872 July 31 |
Series 1: President of the Board of Directors, 1871-1897
Subseries D: Other Donations, 1872-1874
Arrangement
Subseries D is arranged chronologically.
| Box 28 | Folder 58 | Spaulding, M.C. to Thomas Hoyne, arranging for free delivery of donated books in USA, 1872 January 10 |
| Box 28 | Folder 59 | Goldborough, Robert to Board of Directors [?], sending a box of books, 1872 March 14 |
| Box 28 | Folder 60 | Wilson, J. Grant to Governor Bross, asks how to make book donation, 1872 April 1 |
| Box 28 | Folder 61 | Bradley, William H. To Thomas Hoyne, British Patent volumes, 1872 December 23 |
| Box 28 | Folder 62 | Mosher’s Art Gallery to Thomas Hoyne, wants to donate photograph album of early Chicagoans, proposal to create album of current prominent Chicagoans, 1873 December 27 |
| Box 28 | Folder 63 | Chicago College of Pharmacy (signed Thomas Whitfield) to Thomas Hoyne, depositing books in the Library, 1874 March 3 |
Series 1: President of the Board of Directors, 1871-1897
Subseries E: General Library Business, 1872-1897
Arrangement
Subseries E is arranged chronologically.
| Box 28 | Folder 64 | Winsor, Justin, (Superintendent, Boston Public Library) to Thomas Hoyne, response to Hoyne’s inquiry for information on Boston Public Library including monthly report (December, 1871) and an article, 1872 January 15 |
| Box 28 | Folder 65 | Hotchknife (City Clerk) to Thomas Hoyne, notification of Hoyne’s appointment to Board of Directors, 1872 April 9 |
| Box 28 | Folder 66 | Everhard, H.S. & B.H. Campbell, proposes financial venture for the Library using a lottery, flyer for “Memorial Charm Bells” made from the Chicago Court House Bell following the Chicago Fire of 1871, 1872 April 30 |
| Box 28 | Folder 67 | Hughes, Thomas to Thomas Hoyne, acknowledges Hoyne’s letter of July 5, 1872 August 19 |
| Box 28 | Folder 68 | Reading Room of the Chicago Public Library, opening January 1, 1873, invitation, 1872 December 27 |
| Box 28 | Folder 69 | Hoyne, Thomas, speech notes, defines a “public library’ as opposed to a “society library,” circa 1872 |
| Box 28 | Folder 70 | Winsor, Justin (Boston Public Library), Specifications of Apartments, Offices and Apartenances of a First Class Public Library, 1873 August 20 |
| Box 28 | Folder 71 | Hayes, F.F. and Farwell, J.A. (Comptroller’s Office, Chicago) to Thomas Hoyne, “Public Library [Financial] Statement” with envelope, 1874 May 22 |
| Box 28 | Folder 72 | Walbut, Annie to Thomas Hoyne, talks about Library purchasing a sculpture, 1874 October 30 |
| Box 28 | Folder 73 | Patton, W.W. to Hoyne, invites Hoyne to attend meeting about the wants of Library, 1875 January 26 |
| Box 28 | Folder 74 | American Bridge Company (signed H.A. Rust, Vice-President) to Thomas Hoyne, asks to borrow Engineering and Engineer magazines, 1875 April 28 |
| Box 28 | Folder 75 | Raster, Hermann to Thomas Hoyne, Letter of resignation from the Board of Directors, 1875 May 5 |
| Box 28 | Folder 76 | Hoyne, Thomas to Board of Directors, letter of resignation, criticizes current Mayor (Colvin) and City Council, 1875 October 16 |
| Box 28 | Folder 77 | Medill, Joseph to Thomas Hoyne, thanks for copy of Historical Sketch of the Origin and Foundation of the Chicago Public Library, 1877 October 22 |
| Box 28 | Folder 78 | Haslow, George H. (Illinois Secretary of State, ex-officio Librarian) to Thomas Hoyne, acknowledges receipt of Historical Sketch of the Origin and Foundation of the Chicago Public Library, 1877 October 29 |
| Box 28 | Folder 79 | Foley, Thomas to Thomas Hoyne, thanks for copy of Historical Sketch of the Origin and Foundation of the Chicago Public Library, 1877 November 3 |
| Box 28 | Folder 80 | Storrs, Emery A. to Thomas Hoyne, congratulates Hoyne on his book, Historical Sketch of the Origin and Foundation of the Chicago Public Library, 1877 November 6 |
| Box 28 | Folder 81 | Shorey, Daniel to Board of Directors, letter of resignation upon his election to City Council, talks about his involvement in the free library movement both before and after the Chicago Fire of 1871, mentions the new library building, 1880 May 22 |
| Box 28 | Folder 82 | Hoyne, Mrs. Thomas to John W. Enright (President Board of Directors), thanks Board for presenting a volume following her husband’s (Thomas Hoyne) death, 1888 July 21 |
| Box 28 | Folder 83 | Shortall, John G. (President, Board of Directors) to Robert McCormick, brief history of the Chicago Public Library and cites a brief list of holdings and statistics, 1891 December 24 |
| Box 28 | Folder 84 | Shortall, John G. to Board of Directors, declines nomination for Presidential (Board of Directors) re-election due to poor health, 1892 July 8 |
| Box 28 | Folder 85 | Lowther, Thomas D. to Azel Hatch (President, Board of Directors), attempts to arrange an appointment for Hatch to visit and interview Lowther, 1897 February 18 |
| Box 28 | Folder 86 | Lowther, Thomas D. to Azel Hatch (President, Board of Directors), offers to donate letters from Robson to the Library and to be interviewed on “true history of the beginnings of our Library,” 1897 February 20 |
| Box 28 | Folder 87 | Lowther, Thomas D. to Azel Hatch (President, Board of Directors), Hatch’s dedication speech for the new Central Library building, points out historical inaccuracies and stresses the connection between old and new Chicago Public Library, 1897 October 11 |
| Box 28 | Folder 88 | Lowther, Thomas D. to Azel Hatch (President, Board of Directors), addresses historical inaccuracies leveled against Thomas Hoyne’s Historical Sketch of the Origin and Foundation of the Chicago Public Library, “that monumental piece of lying,” and accuses Hoyne and Medill of falsifying documents, “Probably no two men in Chicago who have had any connection with its affairs have really done so great injury to it as the two above named,” 1897 October 15 |
Series 1: President of the Board of Directors, 1871-1897
Subseries F: Employment, 1872-1874
Arrangement
Subseries F is arranged chronologically.
| Box 28 | Folder 89 | Yocke, William (lawyer) to Joseph Medill (Mayor of Chicago), letter of recommendation for Robson to position of Librarian, 1872 January 15 |
| Box 28 | Folder 90 | Mackintosh, J. to Board of Directors, letter of application for position of Librarian, 1872 March 9 |
| Box 28 | Folder 91 | Saunders, Robert P. to Joseph Medill, letter of application for position of Librarian, 1872 March 20 |
| Box 28 | Folder 92 | Wickersham, W.B. to Thomas Hoyne, letter of application for position of Librarian or Assistant Librarian, 1872 April 19 |
| Box 28 | Folder 93 | Peterson, C.I.P. to Thomas Hoyne, invites Hoyne to a Norwegian Mellenarian Festival, includes news clipping and asks for position of Assistant Librarian, 1872 June 14 |
| Box 28 | Folder 94 | Wickersham, W.B. to Thomas Hoyne, 1873 July 21 |
| Box 28 | Folder 95 | Dowland, J.H. to Board of Directors, letter of application for position of Librarian, 1873 November 15 |
| Box 28 | Folder 96 | Drummond, Thomas to Thomas Hoyne, regarding the appointment of Mr. Stevens, 1873 December 6 |
| Box 28 | Folder 97 | Gray, A.T. to Thomas Hoyne, asks about employment at the Library, 1874 February 9 |
| Box 28 | Folder 98 | Rowland, W.G. to Thomas Hoyne, application for position of Assistant Librarian, 1874 February 9 |
| Box 28 | Folder 99 | Schneider, G. (President, National Bank of Illinois) to Thomas Hoyne, letter of reference for potential employee, 1874 February 10 |
| Box 28 | Folder 100 | Zaremba, Charles W. to Thomas Hoyne, letter of application for position of Assistant Librarian, 1874 February 10 |
| Box 28 | Folder 101 | Turner, John to Thomas Hoyne, letter of application for position with references, 1874 February 11 |
| Box 28 | Folder 102 | Hadden, John to Library Board, asks about position of Assistant Librarian, 1874 February 11 |
| Box 28 | Folder 103 | Meyers, Philip to Thomas Hoyne, recommends C.D. Armstrong [?], former Librarian of the YMCA Library, to position of Assistant Librarian, 1874 February 11 |
| Box 28 | Folder 104 | Schaffner, H. (Cashier at German National Bank) to Thomas Hoyne, letter of reference for potential employee, 1874 February 11 |
| Box 28 | Folder 105 | Webster, J.J. to Thomas Hoyne, letter of application for position at the Library [See also Box 1, Folder 45, Robson to Hoyne, 1873 May 3], 1874 June 8 |
Series 1: President of the Board of Directors, 1871-1897
Subseries G: Library Buildings, 1872-1893
Arrangement
Subseries G is arranged chronologically.
| Box 28 | Folder 106 | Walker, J.M. (President, Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Company) to Thomas Hoyne, possibility of securing the Old Post Office building for the Library, 1872 March 19 |
| Box 28 | Folder 107 | Mullett, A. (Supervising Architect, Treasury Department) to Thomas Hoyne, conversion of Old Customs House, 1872 March 26 |
| Box 28 | Folder 108 | Richardson, William A. (Assistant Secretary, Treasury Department) to Thomas Hoyne, Treasury Department has no authority to allow the Library to purchase, lease, or exchange the Post Office, 1872 April 20 |
| Box 28 | Folder 109 | Mullett, A. (Supervising Architect, Treasury Department) to Thomas Hoyne, offers his assistance, 1872 April 23 |
| Box 28 | Folder 110 | Mullett, A. (Supervising Architect, Treasury Department) to Thomas Hoyne, admonishes Hoyne for a letter he had written that was critical of Judge Richardson regarding the use of the Old Post Office, 1872 April 25 |
| Box 28 | Folder 111 | Hoyne, Thomas [?] to W.A. Richardson, regarding the Post Office building, circa 1873 March |
| Box 28 | Folder 112 | Bill for an Act to Authorize the United States to acquire certain property...[Old Post Office], Senate #372 (2 copies), 1873 March |
| Box 28 | Folder 113 | Wickersham, W.B. (Secretary, Board of Directors) to Thomas Hoyne, resolves that Hoyne procure documents from the State regarding the Customs House site, 1873 April 8 |
| Box 28 | Folder 114 | King, William H. (President, Board of Education) to Editor of Chicago Tribune (news clipping), discusses Library paying rent for Board of Education for use of space, 1874 January 12 |
| Box 28 | Folder 115 | Shortall, John G. to Henry Ives Cobb (Architect), refuses to allow Cobb to present Bill to Board of Directors regarding the competition to design the new library building, 1892 September 3 |
| Box 28 | Folder 116 | Rutan, Charles H. (Architect) to John Shortall, regarding the slow pace of a contractor’s work, 1893 April 20 |
| Box 28 | Folder 117 | McCagg, E.B. to John Shortall, praises new library building, 1893 November 13 |
Series 2: Papers of the Secretary of the Board of Directors, 1872-1912
Biographical/Historical
William Bailey Wickersham (1844-1908) was born on a farm near Lewisville, Indiana on March 4, 1844. He was appointed the first Secretary of the Board of Directors in 1872 and served as such for 36 years until his death in 1908. Before being appointed Secretary, Wickersham applied for the position of Librarian of the Chicago Public Library (see: Early CPL, Papers of the President, Box 28, Folder 92.) His profession was schoolteacher, and he served one year as Superintendent of Schools at Blue Island, Illinois, and four terms as the President of the High School Board of Lyons Township. He was a prohibitionist and was a member of the Society of Friends and President of the Village Board of Western Springs, Illinois. William B. Wickersham died in Los Angeles on October 15, 1908 after a 7-month leave of absence.
Secretaries of the Board of Directors, Chicago Public Library
- 1872-1908 | William B. Wickersham
- 1908-1940 | Harry G. Wilson
- [1940]-1957 | Nathan R. Levin
Position known as Business Manager from 1957
- 1957-[1961] | Robert J. Lill
- 1961-1967 | Jack C. Webb
- 1967-[1973] | Joseph J. Urban
- 1973-[1975] | Benjamin Roseman
- 1975-? | Joseph, L. Furman
Scope and Contents
The Papers of the Secretary of the Board of Directors consist mainly of correspondence to and from W.B. Wickersham. There is a significant amount of information regarding domestic and international donations when Chicago Public Library was being established. Documents which detail the shipping of the books, including customs declarations and notices of arrival into US ports are in this sub series. In addition to this, there is information regarding legislation, which authorized the City of Chicago to raise taxes to maintain a free public library. Other topics covered in Series 2 include general library business such as correspondence about periodical subscriptions and publications with a small amount of material related to employment, the construction of the Central Library (now Chicago Cultural Center) and the special book fund.
Boxes 1-8 maintain Wickersham’s organization as far as possible. Boxes 9-27 were cataloged two years later.
The files in Boxes 9-27 are more general in nature than the first eight boxes and tend to deal more with the everyday running of a growing urban library. The major subjects covered here include: the construction of the new Central Library; the operation of delivery stations; the Library’s financial relationship with the City of Chicago; correspondence with Corporation Counsel in various legal matters; and employee request for salary increases, vacation time and leaves of absences.
Records of Claim, or “T” Documents seem to be decisions of issues that required legal advice. The original filing numbers used by the library have been maintained, although this numbering system was likely imposed after these documents were created. Thus, T-57 dates from 1902 while T-16 is dated 1904. Petitions to the Board are primarily petitions from staff members asking for time off or for a change in work circumstances. Those petitions marked with an “L” appear to have been denied, while those marked with a “K” seem to have been granted. As with the Records of Claim, these seem to have had numbers assigned to them some time after their creation as they are not chronological. From the numbering system it appears that the numbers were assigned sometime around 1899. K-1 through K-373, which date from before 1899 are arranged roughly alphabetically, regardless of year and those numbered K-374 and higher are arranged chronologically, beginning in 1899 when the new filing system was adopted.
Arrangement
Secretary W.B. Wickersham’s original organization has been maintained as far as was possible and follows the organization by document type. Series 2 is arranged into 19 subseries:
- Subseries A: Library Legislation, 1872-1881
- Subseries B: British and German Book Donations, 1872-1874
- Subseries C: Bills of Lading, Notices of Arrivals, Statements of Charges, 1872-1874
- Subseries D: Forwarding of Books, 1872-1874
- Subseries E: Letters Accompanying or Relative to Donations, 1872-1874
- Subseries F: General Library Business, 1872-1908
- Subseries G: Employment, 1873-1904
- Subseries H: New Library Building, 1885-1897
- Subseries I: Special Book Fund, 1886-1887
- Subseries J: Reports to Board of Directors, 1872-1874
- Subseries K: Reports, Annual, 1873-1907
- Subseries L: Reports, General, 1884-1896
- Subseries M: Correspondence, Incoming, 1872-1908
- Subseries N: Correspondence, Outgoing, 1876-1895
- Subseries O: Records of Claim, “T” Documents, 1895-1908
- Subseries P: Petitions to Board: “L” Documents [denied mostly], 1874-1912
- Subseries Q: Petitions to Board: “K” Documents [granted mostly], 1874-1912
- Subseries R: Canceled Checks, 1872-1882
- Subseries S: Official Bonds, 1882-1897
Series 2: Papers of the Secretary of the Board of Directors, 1872-1912
Subseries A: Library Legislation, 1872-1881
Scope and Contents
Subseries A contains legislative acts and bills along with related the correspondence, rules and by-laws needed to establish a public library in Illinois and Chicago.
Arrangement
Subseries A is arranged chronologically.
| Box 1 | Folder 1 | Farwell, C.B. (U.S. House of Representatives) to Thomas Hoyne, legislation is required to secure the old Post Office [for Library use] and General [John A.] Logan is to introduce a bill to the Senate, 1872 May 9 |
| Box 1 | Folder 2 | Lawrence, E.D. (Library Board, Rock Island, Ill.) to Chicago City Clerk, asks for a copy of CPL’s rules and regulations to help establish a library in Rock Island, 1872 October 19 |
| Box 1 | Folder 3 | Waite, H.F. (Illinois General Assembly) to Thomas Hoyne, bill ending jurisdiction has passed the House and will become law, 1873 April 3 |
| Box 1 | Folder 4 | Harlow, G.H. (Illinois Secretary of State) to Thomas Hoyne, sent a certified copy of the law to CPL, 1873 April 9 |
| Box 1 | Folder 5 | Warner, G.B. to W.B. Wickersham, asks for an exact copy of the City Ordinance establishing the Chicago Public Library in a hope to pass similar legislation for Independence, Iowa, 1873 June 7 |
| Box 1 | Folder 6 | Watson, R.A. to CPL, asks for a copy of CPL’s rules and regulations for Toledo Public Library, 1873 June 16 |
| Box 1 | Folder 7 | Littlefield, J.C. (Librarian, Los Angeles Library Association) to W.B. Wickersham, asks for a copy of legislation authorizing Illinois to maintain libraries with a view to introduce similar legislation in California, 1873 December 9 |
| Box 1 | Folder 8 | Hayes (City Comptroller) to W.B. Wickersham, forwarded laws and ordinances to CPL, 1873 December 26 |
| Box 1 | Folder 9 | Caulk, L.D. (Librarian, East St. Louis) to CPL, asks for a copy of CPL’s bylaws for East St. Louis use in library founding, 1874 January 3 |
| Box 1 | Folder 10 | Cook to Onaham and Adams to Onaham, Senate bill is on second reading (2 telegrams), 1881 March 15 |
| Box 1 | Folder 11 | An Act to amend section one (1) of “An Act to authorize cities, incorporated towns and townships to establish and maintain free Public Libraries and Reading Rooms and certificate from Illinois Secretary of State, Henry D. Dement, 1881 March 24 |
| Box 1 | Folder 12 | Dement, H.D. (Illinois Secretary of State) to William J, Onaham, sends a copy of Senate Bill No. 223, 1881 March 24 |
Series 2: Papers of the Secretary of the Board of Directors, 1872-1912
Subseries B: British and German Book Donations, 1872-1874
Arrangement
Subseries B is arranged alphabetically by donation and chronologically within.
| Box 1 | Folder 13 | British Book Donation - Goodenow, receipt for passage [?], 1873 March 20 |
| Box 1 | Folder 14 | British Book Donation - Customs House, New York to W.B. Wickersham, cannot find lost books, 1873 May 24 |
| Box 1 | Folder 15 | British Book Donation - Cram, Charles to W.B. Wickersham, asks to forward his package of pamphlets sent by Mr. Robson, 1873 July 22 |
| Box 1 | Folder 16 | British Book Donation - Adams Express Company to CPL, notice of arrival, 1873 December 29 |
| Box 1 | Folder 17 | British Book Donation - Matthew Bell, Publishers to CPL, Bills (2) for work on British patent books, 1874 April 28 |
| Box 1 | Folder 18 | German Book Donation - Kihlholz, Bernhard to Elliot Anthony, offers book donation, free of conditions, 1872 October 6 |
| Box 1 | Folder 19 | German Book Donation - Anthony, Elliot to Bernhard Kihlholz, binding donated books, 1872 October 28 |
| Box 1 | Folder 20 | German Book Donation - Kihlholz, Bernhard to W.B. Wickersham, binding donated books (2 letters) 1872 October, December |
| Box 1 | Folder 21 | German Book Donation - asks for payment (4 letters), [1873] |
| Box 1 | Folder 22 | German Book Donation - Kihlholz, Bernhard to CPL, asks for payment (2 letters), 1873 May-July |
| Box 1 | Folder 23 | German Book Donation - Westermann, B. (German Booksellers and Importers) to W.B. Wickersham, asks CPL to sign affidavit to release imported books from duty (3 letters), 1873 August-October |
| Box 1 | Folder 24 | German Book Donation - Kihlholz, Bernard to Thomas Hoyne, list of donors, 1873 September 27 |
| Box 1 | Folder 25 | German Book Donation - Kihlholz, Bernhard to W.B. Wickersham, asks for list of German donors and accuses Board of Directors of distorting the truth in the first annual report (2 letters), 1874 January 7-19 |
| Box 1 | Folder 26 | German Book Donation - Kihlholz, Bernhard to CPL, discrepancy over bill for shipping box of German books from New York, 1874 May 16 |
| Box 1 | Folder 27 | German Book Donation - Kihlholz, Bernhard, 5-page ‘letter’ that criticizes the quality of books sent for the German-American Library, “the only suitable use...would be to throw them piece by piece into the faces of the generous donors,” 1874 June 1 |
| Box 1 | Folder 28 | German Book Donation - Kihlholz, Bernhard to CPL, case of donated books 1874 June 20 |
| Box 1 | Folder 29 | German Book Donation - Kihlholz, Bernhard to CPL, shipment of books (3 letters) 1874 June-August |
| Box 1 | Folder 30 | German Book Donation - CPL to Honorable Mayor in Chief and Magistrate of Royal Residence and Capital City Dresden, Saxony, Germany, thanks for donation of volume, undated |
Series 2: Papers of the Secretary of the Board of Directors, 1872-1912
Subseries C: Bills of Lading, Notices of Arrivals, Statements of Charges, 1872-1874
Arrangement
Subseries C is arranged chronologically.
| Box 1 | Folder 31 | Bill of lading, Allan Brothers & Company, 1872 September 11 |
| Box 1 | Folder 32 | Statement of charges, Allan Line of Royal Mail Steamers, 1872 September 12 |
| Box 1 | Folder 33 | Bill of lading, Allan Brothers & Company, 1872 September 19 |
| Box 1 | Folder 34 | Statement of charges, Allan Line of Royal Mail Steamers, 1872 September 19 |
| Box 1 | Folder 35 | Notice of arrival, Irelands & Company, 1872 September 27 |
| Box 1 | Folder 36 | Bill of lading, Allan Brothers & Company, 1872 October 3 |
| Box 1 | Folder 37 | Statement of charges, Allan Line of Royal Mail Steamers, 1872 October 3 |
| Box 1 | Folder 38 | Notice of arrival, Prelands & Company, 1872 October 4 |
| Box 1 | Folder 39 | Receipt, North Atlantic Express Company, 1872 October 19 |
| Box 1 | Folder 40 | Notice of arrival, Wadsworth, Dickinson & Company, 1872 October 23 |
| Box 1 | Folder 41 | Notice of arrival, Prelands & Company, 1872 October 24 |
| Box 1 | Folder 42 | Receipt, North Atlantic Express Company, 1872 October 25 |
| Box 1 | Folder 43 | Notice of arrival, Wadsworth, Dickinson & Company, 1872 November 12 |
| Box 1 | Folder 44 | Bill of lading, Adams Express Company, 1872 November 25 |
| Box 1 | Folder 45 | Bill of lading, Union Line, 1872 November 29 |
| Box 1 | Folder 46 | Broker’s bill, Dingelstedt & Company, 1872 November 29 |
| Box 1 | Folder 47 | Notice of arrival, Union Line, 1872 December 7 |
| Box 1 | Folder 48 | Bill of lading, Allan Line Canada and United States Royal Mail Steamers, 1873 January 8 |
| Box 1 | Folder 49 | Statement of charges, Allan Line of Royal Mail Steamers, 1873 January 9 |
| Box 1 | Folder 50 | Statement of charges, Chaplin & Horne (agents for London and North Western Railway Company) to Joseph Medill, 1873 January 25 |
| Box 1 | Folder 51 | Letter, Chaplin & Horner to Joseph Medill, 1873 January 25 |
| Box 1 | Folder 52 | “Collection of British Authors” from Bernard Tauchnitz [list of 1292 titles in English with manuscript notes by Tauchnitz in German], 1873 February 17 |
| Box 1 | Folder 53 | Bill of lading for “Collection of British Authors” from Bremen to CPL, also valuation from U.S. Consulate in Leipzig, 1873 February 17 |
| Box 1 | Folder 54 | Bill of lading, George W. Wheatley & Company, 1873 March 11 |
| Box 1 | Folder 55 | Bill of lading, Allan Line Canada and United States Royal Mail Steamers, 1873 March 12 |
| Box 1 | Folder 56 | Statement of charges, Allan line of Royal Mail Steamers, 1873 March 13 |
| Box 1 | Folder 57 | Bill of lading, Allan Line Canada and United States Royal Mail Steamers, 1873 March 19 |
| Box 1 | Folder 58 | Bill of lading, Allan Line of Royal Mail Steamers, 1873 March 20 |
| Box 1 | Folder 59 | Bill of lading, Union Line, 1873 April 23 |
| Box 1 | Folder 60 | Bill of lading, Allan Brothers & Company, 1873 June 12 |
| Box 1 | Folder 61 | Statement of charges, Allan Line of Royal Mail Steamers, 1873 June 12 |
| Box 1 | Folder 62 | Bill of lading, Merchants Despatch Transportation Company, 1873 June 25 |
| Box 1 | Folder 63 | Notice of arrivals, Wadsworth, Dickinson & Company, 1873 July 10 |
| Box 1 | Folder 64 | Bill of lading, Allan Brothers & Company, 1873 October 9 |
| Box 1 | Folder 65 | “Collection of British Authors” from Bernard Tauchnitz, [list of 1374 titles in English], 1874 January 17 |
| Box 1 | Folder 66 | Bill of lading for “Collection of British Authors” from Bremen to CPL, valuation from U.S. Consulate in Leipzig, 1874 January 19 |
| Box 1 | Folder 67 | Bill of lading, Union Line, 1874 March 25 |
Series 2: Papers of the Secretary of the Board of Directors, 1872-1912
Subseries D: Forwarding of Books, 1872-1874
Arrangement
Subseries D is arranged chronologically.
| Box 2 | Folder 1 | Grand Trunk Railroad, Portland, Maine to W.B. Wickersham, arrival of one case of books, asks for U.S. Consul’s certified invoice of value and oath to be forwarded, 1872 April 2 |
| Box 2 | Folder 2 | Macmillan & Company to CPL, case of books from Macmillan & Company, lists some of the donors (2 letters), 1872 July 27, August 5 |
| Box 2 | Folder 3 | Allan Line of Mail Steamers to Thomas Hoyne, delivery delay of cases, 1872 October 17 |
| Box 2 | Folder 4 | Dingelstedt & Company to E. Anthony, forwarding of 2 cases of books for the German American Library per Bernard Kihlholz’ instructions, 1872 November 29 |
| Box 2 | Folder 5 | Irelands, H.W. & Company to W.B. Wickersham (2 letters), 1872 December 14-December 24 |
| Box 2 | Folder 6 | North Atlantic Express Company to W.B. Wickersham, criticizes Canadian book transportation route, recommends Robson send books via New York, 1873 February 3 |
| Box 2 | Folder 7 | North Atlantic Express Company to Thomas Hoyne, asks if charges will be paid at time of delivery, 1873 February 12 |
| Box 2 | Folder 8 | Allan, Hugh & Andrew to W.B. Wickersham, forwarding a letter [not attached], 1873 March 18 |
| Box 2 | Folder 9 | Porteous, John (Grand Trunk Railway Company) to CPL, letter sent to Hoyne was returned by Post Office, 1873 March 25 |
| Box 2 | Folder 10 | Hensel & Kirchner to Hermann Raster [illegible], 1873 March 27 |
| Box 2 | Folder 11 | Hensel & Kirchner to W.B. Wickersham, arrival of 3 cases and statement of charges, 1873 March 27, April 16 |
| Box 2 | Folder 12 | Porteous, John (Grand Trunk Railway Company of Canada) to W.B. Wickersham, notice of arrival, asks for U.S. Consul’s invoice and oath to forward cases, 1873 March 28 |
| Box 2 | Folder 13 | Hensel & Kirchner to W.B. Wickersham, 2 cases have been forwarded to Chicago, 1873 March 31 |
| Box 2 | Folder 14 | Clinch, C.P. (Customs House, New York) to W.B. Wickersham, 3 cases to be picked up at Jersey City Stores, advises Library to employ company to forward them to Chicago, 1873 April 4 |
| Box 2 | Folder 15 | Morris European Express to Thomas Hoyne, 3 cases of books cannot be released from Customs without U.S. Consul’s certified invoice, suggests application to the Secretary of the Treasury to waive bond, 1873 April 4 |
| Box 2 | Folder 16 | Hensel & Kirchner to W.B. Wickersham, 3 missing cases of books, 1873 April 12 |
| Box 2 | Folder 17 | Westermann & Company to W.B. Wickersham, set of encyclopedias to be purchased from Leipzig, 1873 April 13 |
| Box 2 | Folder 18 | Morris European Express to W.B. Wickersham, asks for Secretary’s order so cases can be forwarded, 1873 April 14 |
| Box 2 | Folder 19 | Hensel & Kirchner to W.B. Wickersham, books forwarded on the Union Line, 1873 April 22 |
| Box 2 | Folder 20 | Hensel & Kirchner to W.B. Wickersham, dispatch of 3 cases and statement of charges, 1873 April 23 and 25 |
| Box 2 | Folder 21 | Statement of Charges, Morris European Express, 1873 April 28 |
| Box 2 | Folder 22 | Morris European Express to CPL, cases have been forwarded to Chicago, 1873 May 2 |
| Box 2 | Folder 23 | Statement of Charges, Morris European Express, 1873 May 23 |
| Box 2 | Folder 24 | Morris European Express to CPL, receipt of 3 cases, asks for U.S. Consul’s certified invoice and oath before forwarding cases, 1873 November 24 |
| Box 2 | Folder 25 | Hartley, J.F. (Assistant Secretary, U.S. Treasury Department) to Thomas Hoyne, request to waive bond for the importation of books at the New York Custom House was granted, 1873 December 6 |
| Box 2 | Folder 26 | Ascher, S. to W.B. Wickersham (written in German), 1874 January 11 |
| Box 2 | Folder 27 | Tauchnitz, Bernard (Leipzig) to W.B. Wickersham, forwarding of one case of books through Bremen and U.S. Consul’s invoice enclosed, 1874 January 24 |
| Box 2 | Folder 28 | Schulte, H.W. (Bremen) to W.B. Wickersham, dispatch of case of books and Statement of Charges, 1874 January 23 |
| Box 2 | Folder 29 | Ascher, S. to W.B. Wickersham (written in German), 1874 February 24 |
| Box 2 | Folder 30 | Smithsonian, Washington, DC to CPL, dispatch of a package, request copy of a CPL catalog in return, undated |
Series 2: Papers of the Secretary of the Board of Directors, 1872-1912
Subseries E: Letters Accompanying or Relative to Donations, 1872-1874
Arrangement
Subseries E is arranged chronologically.
| Box 3 | Folder 1 | Calhoun, John B. to W.B. Wickersham, donation of Dr. White’s Geology of Iowa, 1872 January 25 |
| Box 3 | Folder 2 | Medill, Joseph [signed H.F. White] to CPL, donation, items not listed, 1872 October 22 |
| Box 3 | Folder 3 | Jordan, Francis (Secretary, Pennsylvania) to W.B. Wickersham, donation, items not listed, 1872 November 25 |
| Box 3 | Folder 4 | Nicholls, G.A. to CPL, donation, Kilkenny Cathedral [Ireland], 1872 November 25 |
| Box 3 | Folder 5 | Conover, O.M. (Wisconsin State Library) to W.B. Wickersham, unable to donate, 1872 November 26 |
| Box 3 | Folder 6 | Dickinson, D. (State Librarian, Kansas) to W.B. Wickersham, donation, 7th Volunteer Kansas Reports, 1872 December 5 |
| Box 3 | Folder 7 | Scott, Charles C. to W.B. Wickersham, donation, Daily Evening Commercial, 1872 December 11 |
| Box 3 | Folder 8 | Moses, Adolph, to CPL, donation, includes list of titles, 1872 December 31 |
| Box 3 | Folder 9 | White, Horace to W.B. Wickersham, donation, includes list of titles, 1872 December 31, 1873 January 9, 20 |
| Box 3 | Folder 10 | Cleveland, H.W.S. to CPL, donation, includes list of titles, 1873 January 1 |
| Box 3 | Folder 11 | Goodrich, E.M. to W.B. Wickersham, donation, Harper’s Magazine, 1873 January 1 |
| Box 3 | Folder 12 | High, J. L. (Secretary, Chicago Law Institute) to W.B. Wickersham, donation, includes list of titles, 1873 January 1 |
| Box 3 | Folder 13 | Goodman, Charles to CPL, donation, Life and Works of John Adams, 1873 January 3 |
| Box 3 | Folder 14 | McLelland, T.S. to W.B. Wickersham, donation, Chicago Evening Mail, 1873 [1874?] January 3 |
| Box 3 | Folder 15 | Browne, F.F. to CPL, donation, Lakeside Monthly, 1873 January 9 |
| Box 3 | Folder 16 | Durham, Dr. B. to CPL, donation, includes list of titles, 1873 January 10 |
| Box 3 | Folder 17 | Perry, Sanford B. to CPL, donation, includes list of titles, 1873 January 10 |
| Box 3 | Folder 18 | Drury, Lu H. To Thomas Hoyne, donation, American Quarterly Review, 1873 January 14 |
| Box 3 | Folder 19 | Kennedy, M. to CPL, donation, [Robert] Burns’ Work Complete [sic], 1873 January 17 |
| Box 3 | Folder 20 | Fish, Seth to CPL, donation, includes list of titles, 1873 January 22 |
| Box 3 | Folder 21 | Barnet, James to CPL, donation, items not listed, 1873 January 25 |
| Box 3 | Folder 22 | Bates, William W. to CPL, donation, Nautical Gazette, 1873 January 25 |
| Box 3 | Folder 23 | Habel, L. to W.B. Wickersham, donation, items not listed, 1873 February 8 |
| Box 3 | Folder 24 | White, Julius to CPL, donation, includes list of titles, 1873 February 19 |
| Box 3 | Folder 25 | Caen, D.W. to CPL, donation, items not listed, 1873 February 21 |
| Box 3 | Folder 26 | Union Publishing Company to Joseph Medill, donation, Popular Subscription Works, 1873 March 10 |
| Box 3 | Folder 27 | Ranney, Henry C. to CPL, donation, includes list of titles, 1873 March 19 |
| Box 3 | Folder 28 | Brookfield, Benjamin F.; Merrit, Laura Brookfield and Cramer, Mary A.M. to CPL, donation, includes list of titles, 1873 May 4 |
| Box 3 | Folder 29 | Judd, W. (Literary and Historical Society of Quebec) to W.B. Wickersham, donation, includes list of titles, 1873 May 6 |
| Box 3 | Folder 30 | Ebert, Albert E. to W.B. Wickersham, donation, The Pharmacist, 1873 June 10 |
| Box 3 | Folder 31 | Holenshade, J.C.C. (Ohio Female College) to CPL, donation, Educational Compendium, 1873 June 16 |
| Box 3 | Folder 32 | Chandler, Frank R. to W.B. Wickersham, donation, Daily Japan Gazette, 1873 June 25 |
| Box 3 | Folder 33 | Charlton, F.A. to W.B. Wickersham, donation, Scientific Journal, 1873 July 3 |
| Box 3 | Folder 34 | Morgan, J.A. to CPL, donation, items not listed, 1873 July 9 |
| Box 3 | Folder 35 | Sheldon, S.F. to W.B. Wickersham, donation, Reports of the New Jersey State Reform School for Boys, 1873 July 15 |
| Box 3 | Folder 36 | Bundy, J.C. (Religio-Philosophical Publishing House) to CPL, donation, items not listed, 1873 July 29 |
| Box 3 | Folder 37 | Fuller, W. to W.B. Wickersham, donation, Galaxy, 1873 September 23 |
| Box 3 | Folder 38 | Prussing, E. (on behalf of William Kaestner) to W.B. Wickersham, donation, Boston Pioneer, 1873 September 23 |
| Box 3 | Folder 39 | Towar, H.J. to CPL, donation, Patent Office Reports, 1873 October 10 |
| Box 3 | Folder 40 | Menamin, R.S. to W.B. Wickersham, donation, Circular, 1873 November 24 |
| Box 3 | Folder 41 | Hillyer, John to W.B. Wickersham, subscription, Wall Street Journal, 1873 November 28, 1874 July 10 |
| Box 3 | Folder 42 | Birath, Henry to W.B. Wickersham, donation, Galdgrube, 1873 December 11 |
| Box 3 | Folder 43 | Langelosh, M. to W.B. Wickersham, donation, The Eulenspiegel, 1873 December 11 |
| Box 3 | Folder 44 | Haviland, C. August to W.B. Wickersham, donation, Gem of the West, 1873 December 11 |
| Box 3 | Folder 45 | Tappan, McKillop & Company to W.B. Wickersham, donation, Chicago Journal of Commerce, 1873 December 11 |
| Box 3 | Folder 46 | Anderson, C. to CPL, donation, Nya Verlden, 1873 December 12 |
| Box 3 | Folder 47 | Bohman, E. to W.B. Wickersham, donation, Gamla orh Nya Hamlamlet, 1873 December 12 |
| Box 3 | Folder 48 | Hanson, J.W. to W.B. Wickersham, donation, New Covenant, [1873?] December 12 |
| Box 3 | Folder 49 | The Insurance Age to W.B. Wickersham, donation, The Insurance Age, [1873?] December 12 |
| Box 3 | Folder 50 | Johnson Andersons Lawson to W.B. Wickersham, donation, Standinaires of Amerika, 1873 December 12 |
| Box 3 | Folder 51 | Adams, G.H. to W.B. Wickersham, donation, Commercial Review, 1873 December 13 |
| Box 3 | Folder 52 | Allen, W.C.B. to W.B. Wickersham, donation, St. Louis Railway Register, 1873 December 13 |
| Box 3 | Folder 53 | Goldrick to W.B. Wickersham, donation, Rocky Mountain Herald, 1873 December 15 |
| Box 3 | Folder 54 | Jocknick, Francis E. to W.B. Wickersham, donation, Nye Svuske Amerikancian [?], 1873 December 15 |
| Box 3 | Folder 55 | Kansas City Journal to CPL, donation, Kansas City Journal, 1873 December 15 |
| Box 3 | Folder 56 | Swinn, E.H. to W.B. Wickersham, donation, New Jerusalem Messenger, 1873 December 15 |
| Box 3 | Folder 57 | Bailey, J.C.W. to W.B. Wickersham, donation, Voice of Masonary, [1873?] December 16 |
| Box 3 | Folder 58 | Fox, George W. to W.B. Wickersham, donation, Religious Magazine, 1873 December 16 |
| Box 3 | Folder 59 | Kidder, C.E. to W.B. Wickersham, donation, Daily and Weekly Republican, 1873 December 16 |
| Box 3 | Folder 60 | Lockwood, J.E. to CPL, donation, items not listed, 1873 December 16 |
| Box 3 | Folder 61 | Unidentified to W.B. Wickersham, donation, [1873?] December 17 |
| Box 3 | Folder 62 | Camery, A.C. to W.B. Wickersham, donation, The Advocate, 1873 December 18 |
| Box 3 | Folder 63 | Smithe, W. to CPL, donation, The Falio [?], [1873?] December 18 |
| Box 3 | Folder 64 | Hall and Whipple to CPL, donation, Central City Register, Colorado, [1873?] December 23 |
| Box 3 | Folder 65 | M.F. to W.B. Wickersham, donation, The Balance, 1873 December 23 |
| Box 3 | Folder 66 | Review & Herald to W.B. Wickersham, donation, Battle Creek Michigan Review & Herald, 1873 December 25 |
| Box 3 | Folder 67 | Anderson, C. to W.B. Wickersham, donation, Vait Nya Ham, 1873 December 26 |
| Box 3 | Folder 68 | Evening Journal, Jersey City to CPL, donation, Evening Journal, 1874 January 17 |
| Box 3 | Folder 69 | Commercial Advertiser, Chicago to CPL, donation, Commercial Advertiser, 1874 January 19 |
| Box 3 | Folder 70 | Publisher, West Chicago to CPL, donation, West Chicago, 1874 December 15 |
| Box 3 | Folder 71 | Bradwell, Myra to W.B. Wickersham, donation, Chicago Legal News, undated |
| Box 3 | Folder 72 | Carr, Mrs. Dr. W. to CPL, donation, includes list of titles, undated |
| Box 3 | Folder 73 | Eberhart, Max (at the bequest of John [Gindale?]) to CPL, donation, includes list of titles, undated |
| Box 3 | Folder 74 | Lowther, Thomas D. to Daniel Shorey, donation, Catalog of Old Chicago (defunct) Library, undated |
| Box 3 | Folder 75 | Rummel, Edward (Illinois Secretary of State) to CPL, donation, various State Papers, undated |
| Oversize Folder 1 | Printed list of books for sale from a private library, undated |
Series 2: Papers of the Secretary of the Board of Directors, 1872-1912
Subseries F: General Library Business, 1872-1908
Arrangement
Subseries F is arranged chronologically. W.B. Wickersham’s original organization has been maintained as far as was possible. The archivist, however, combined the following three groups of documents labeled “Reading Room”, “Letters from Washington” and “Culver, Page & Hoyne & Co.” into the larger subject heading of “General Library Business” to facilitate research.
| Box 4 | Folder 1 | Ryan, E.R. (American Register) to CPL, subscription application, 1872 January 1 |
| Box 4 | Folder 2 | Culver, Page, Hoyne, & Company (manufacturing stationers) to CPL, 11 bills, 1872 April-December |
| Box 4 | Folder 3 | Hale, Charles (Assistant Secretary, Department of State) to W.B. Wickersham, documents sent, 1872 September 3 |
| Box 4 | Folder 4 | Rummell, Edward (Illinois Secretary of State) to W.B. Wickersham, will send books (2 letters), 1872 September 5, 14 |
| Box 4 | Folder 5 | Paul, Fulton (New York State Department) to W.B. Wickersham, request for documents referred to NY State Library, 1872 September 8 |
| Box 4 | Folder 6 | Jordan, F. (Secretary of State, Pennsylvania) to W.B. Wickersham, will send reports, 1872 September 16 |
| Box 4 | Folder 7 | Dickinson, D. (State Librarian, Kansas) to W.B. Wickersham, agrees to exchange, 1872 September 19 |
| Box 4 | Folder 8 | Notice of “personal relics” of Washington [George] to be donated to an individual or association, undated |
| Box 4 | Folder 9 | Ball, George W. to CPL, offers relics of Washington [George] to Library in return for a loan, 1872 [or 1876?] October 1 |
| Box 4 | Folder 10 | Ball, George W. to Joseph Medill, requests offer of Washington [George] relics be forwarded to Library, 1872 [or 1876?] October 1 |
| Box 4 | Folder 11 | Venables, J.E. to CPL, asks for library volumes, 1872 October 4 |
| Box 4 | Folder 12 | Worther, A.A. (Illinois State Geologist’s Office) to W.B. Wickersham, unable to send reports, 1872 October 23 |
| Box 4 | Folder 13 | White, A.S. (Acting Chief Clerk, Department of Justice) to W.B. Wickersham, need repository designation by a member of Congress for Chicago to receive Congressional documents and some documents sent, 1872 November 19 |
| Box 4 | Folder 14 | Scribner, Armstrong & Co. (publishers and booksellers) to W.B. Wickersham, sends terms, 1872 November 20 |
| Box 4 | Folder 15 | Rives, F. & J. and Bailey, G.A. (Congressional Globe and Appendix) to W.B. Wickersham, unable to send complete set and catalog for the Congressional Globe and Appendix, 1872 November 20 |
| Box 4 | Folder 16 | Frank Brothers to CPL, asks for donation acknowledgment, 1872 November 21 |
| Box 4 | Folder 17 | Harper & Brothers (publishers) to W.B. Wickersham, sends terms, 1872 November 25 |
| Box 4 | Folder 18 | Hurd & Haughton (publishers) to W.B. Wickersham, sends terms, 1872 November 26 |
| Box 4 | Folder 19 | Little, Brown & Company to W. B. Wickersham, sends terms, 1872 November 26 |
| Box 4 | Folder 20 | Knox, J.G. (Comptroller, Treasury Department) to W.B. Wickersham, agrees to send Reports of the Comptroller of the Currency (1867-1871), 1872 November 27 |
| Box 4 | Folder 21 | Hartley, J.F. (Assistant Secretary, Treasury Department) to W.B. Wickersham, sent finance reports, 1872 December 6 |
| Box 4 | Folder 22 | Garland, A.M. (Secretary, Illinois State Board of Agriculture) to W.B. Wickersham, will send reports, 1872 December 6 |
| Box 4 | Folder 23 | Harbough, S.G. (Librarian, Ohio State Library) to W.B. Wickersham, agrees to send documents (2 letters), 1872 December 13, 28 |
| Box 4 | Folder 24 | Farwell C.B. (U.S. House of Representatives) to CPL, sent one lot of public documents, 1872 December 16 |
| Box 4 | Folder 25 | Mason, J.T. (Secretary of State, Michigan) to W.B. Wickersham, sent box of books to Chicago Law Library, 1872 December 18 |
| Box 4 | Folder 26 | City Clerk, Beaver, Pennsylvania to CPL, securing copy of Proceedings of the Constitutional Convention, 1872 December |
| Box 4 | Folder 27 | Barrett, John R. (bookbinder, Emerson’s Binders) to CPL, bill, 1872 December 31 |
| Box 4 | Folder 28 | Returned registered letter receipts (4), 1872-1873 |
| Box 4 | Folder 29 | Culver, Page, Hoyne, & Company (manufacturing stationers) to CPL, 11 bills, 1873 January |
| Box 4 | Folder 30 | Barrett, John R. (bookbinders, Emerson’s Binders) to CPL, 12 bills, 1873 January-May |
| Box 4 | Folder 31 | Richardson, C.J. (Assistant Librarian, Chicago Law Institute) to W.B. Wickersham, receipt for books transferred from CPL, 1873 January 8 |
| Box 4 | Folder 32 | Cox & Henderson (printers and bookbinders) to CPL, bid for printing and binding, 1873 January 13 |
| Box 4 | Folder 33 | Calhoun, J.B. to Thomas Hoyne, offers to donate Dr. White’s Geological Survey and Reports, 1873 January 14 |
| Box 4 | Folder 34 | Calkins, Hiram (New York Constitutional Commission) to W.B. Wickersham, will send journals and documents, 1873 January 17 |
| Box 4 | Folder 35 | Howland, W.A. to CPL, suggests Library establish its own bindery, 1873 January 18 |
| Box 4 | Folder 36 | Sturges, Charles M. (Chicago Law Institute, CLI) to W.B Wickersham, acknowledges transfer of volumes to CLI, 1873 January 18 |
| Box 4 | Folder 37 | Imbrie, D.L. (Chief Clerk, Constitutional Convention, Pennsylvania) to W.B. Wickersham, will send debates and proceedings (2 letters), 1873 January 22-1874 March 3 |
| Box 4 | Folder 38 | U.S. Consulate, Honolulu to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 January 25 |
| Box 4 | Folder 39 | Sands, B.F. (Rear Admiral, Superintendent, U.S. Naval Observatory) to CPL, will send Astronomical and Meteorological Observations for 1870, 1873 January 31 |
| Box 4 | Folder 40 | Culver, Page, Hoyne, & Company (manufacturing stationers) to CPL, 11 bills, 1873 February |
| Box 4 | Folder 41 | Steiger, E. to CPL, 12 letters and subscription information, 1873 February 4-1874 July 10 |
| Box 4 | Folder 42 | U.S. Consul, Constantinople to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 February 4 |
| Box 4 | Folder 43 | Western News Company to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 February 7 |
| Box 4 | Folder 44 | Farwell, C.B. (U.S. House of Representatives) to CPL, sent set of the Globe for the 2nd Session of the 42nd Congress, 1873 February 19 |
| Box 4 | Folder 45 | Farwell, C.B. (U.S. House of Representatives) to CPL, sent one copy of Credit [?] Investigation, 1873 February 22 |
| Box 4 | Folder 46 | Brooks, D.C. (Chicago Railway Review) to W.B Wickersham, will send Chicago Railway Review, 1873 February 25 |
| Box 4 | Folder 47 | Larrabee, W.R. (Secretary, Chicago Library Association) to CPL, authorizes W.B. Wickersham to receive all books belonging to the Association, 1873 February 27 |
| Box 4 | Folder 48 | Parker, A.F. (Constitutional Convention, Philadelphia) to W.B. Wickersham, mailed missing pages of Convention’s debates (6 letters), 1873 January-July |
| Box 4 | Folder 49 | Bailey, D.H. (U.S. Consul, Hong Kong) to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 March 7 |
| Box 4 | Folder 50 | Burley, A.A. (Comptroller, Chicago) to W.B Wickersham, requests salary vouchers to be sent prior to end of fiscal year (3 letters) 1873 March 10-28 |
| Box 4 | Folder 51 | Historical Magazine Office, Morrisania, New York to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 March 13 |
| Box 4 | Folder 52 | Leggett, M.D. (Commissioner of Patents, U.S. Patent Office) to W.B. Wickersham, details and costs of patent book binding, 1873 March 13 |
| Box 4 | Folder 53 | Drone, E.S. (N.A. Cyclopaedia) to CPL, requests information about Chicago for an article (2 letters), 1873 March 15-April 14 |
| Box 4 | Folder 54 | Henry, Joseph (Secretary, Smithsonian Institution) to W.B. Wickersham, confirms number of volumes sent and inquiries about missing volumes, includes flyer about Smithsonian Report for 1871 distribution delay, 1873 March 17 |
| Box 4 | Folder 55 | Wickersham, W.B. to New Orleans Picaynne, subscription information, 1873 March 17 |
| Box 4 | Folder 56 | Lam [Lane?] H.B. to Mr. E.G. Asay, informs of pending book auction, 1873 March 18 |
| Box 4 | Folder 57 | Willmer & Rogers News Company to CPL, subscription information, (2 letters) 1873 March 19-April 25 |
| Box 4 | Folder 58 | Stechert & Wolff (importers of books and periodicals) to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, (21 letters) 1873 March 21-1874 November 28 |
| Box 4 | Folder 59 | Asay, E.G. to Joseph Medill, sent pending book auction catalog, 1873 March 24 |
| Box 4 | Folder 60 | Litchfield, A.C. to CPL, subscription information, 1873 March 27 |
| Box 4 | Folder 61 | American News Company to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information (2 letters) 1873 March 30-1874 January 12 |
| Box 4 | Folder 62 | Furrier, H. to W.B. Wickersham, cannot send Homeopathic Review for gratis, 1873 March 31 |
| Box 4 | Folder 63 | Culver, Page, Hoyne, & Company (manufacturing stationers) to CPL, 6 bills, 1873 April |
| Box 4 | Folder 64 | Chicago Journal of Commerce to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 April 4 |
| Box 4 | Folder 65 | Industrial Monthly to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information (2 letters), 1873 April 4-1874 June 16 |
| Box 4 | Folder 66 | Mooney & Smart (booksellers and bookbinders) to W.B Wickersham, will supply Library with Art Journal Monthly, 1873 April 4 |
| Box 4 | Folder 67 | The American Builder to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information (2 letters), 1873 April 5-1874 November 2 |
| Box 4 | Folder 68 | Journal of Speculative Philosophy to CPL, subscription information, 1873 April 10 |
| Box 4 | Folder 69 | Durrie, D.S. (Librarian, Wisconsin State Historical Society) to W.B. Wickersham, sent list of societies, 1873 April 10 |
| Box 4 | Folder 70 | Müller, Gallus (Chief Clerk, Illinois State Penitentiary) to W.B. Wickersham, will send reports, 1873 April 11 |
| Box 4 | Folder 71 | Johnson, C. (Reform School, Lansing, Michigan) to W.B. Wickersham, will send reports, 1873 April 12 |
| Box 4 | Folder 72 | Leggett, M.D. (Commissioner of Patents, U.S. Patent Office) to W.B. Wickersham, sent 58 volumes of Specification and Drawings of Patents, 1873 April 12 |
| Box 4 | Folder 73 | Leggett, M.D. (Commissioner of Patents, U.S. Patent Office) to W.B. Wickersham, sent patent books with a bill and advises Wickersham that earlier volumes are available for purchase, 1873 April 12 |
| Box 4 | Folder 74 | Baker, Frank to CPL, offers donation, 1873 April 14 |
| Box 4 | Folder 75 | Forsyth, R.J. (Indiana State Prison) to W.B. Wickersham, will send reports, 1873 April 14 |
| Box 4 | Folder 76 | Loomis, C.W. (Mississippi State Penitentiary) to W.B. Wickersham, agrees to send Board of Inspectors annual report but no documents from Civil War, 1873 April 14 |
| Box 4 | Folder 77 | Mayton, William H. (Clerk, Clinton Prison, N.Y.) to W.B. Wickersham, unable to send reports, 1873 April 14 |
| Box 4 | Folder 78 | Talcott, James M. (Providence Reform School) to W.B. Wickersham, sent reports, 1873 April 14 |
| Box 4 | Folder 79 | Thacher, J.M. (Acting Commissioner of Patents, U.S. Patent Office) to W.B. Wickersham, clarification of an earlier letter, 1883 April 17 |
| Box 4 | Folder 80 | Eldridge, Z.S. (Nevada State Prison) to W.B. Wickersham, unable to send reports, 1873 April 18 |
| Box 4 | Folder 81 | Leggett, M.D. (Commissioner of Patents, U.S. Patent Office) to CPL, receipt [bill?] for 58 bound volumes of patent books, 1873 April 19 |
| Box 4 | Folder 82 | Leggett, M.D. (Commissioner of Patents, U.S. Patent Office) to W.B. Wickersham, found error in bill, submits a corrected bill, 1873 April 19 |
| Box 4 | Folder 83 | Hatch, E.W. (State Reform School of Connecticut) to CPL, will send reports, 1873 April 22 |
| Box 4 | Folder 84 | Armstrong, George S. (Buffalo Historical Society) to W.B. Wickersham, agrees to exchange with Library, 1873 April 28 |
| Box 4 | Folder 85 | Harlow, G. (Illinois Secretary of State) to CPL, receipt for certified copy of laws, 1873 April 28 |
| Box 4 | Folder 86 | Culver, Page, Hoyne, & Company (manufacturing stationers) to CPL, 7 bills, 1873 May |
| Box 4 | Folder 87 | Joseph, R. (Acting Chief Clerk, Department of Interior) to W.B. Wickersham, acknowledges dispatch of census records but cannot send any other documents, 1873 May 1 |
| Box 4 | Folder 88 | Macmillan & Company to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information (2 letters), 1873 May 2-1873 June 30 |
| Box 4 | Folder 89 | Levant Herald, Constantinople to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information (5 letters), 1873 May 9-1874 March 20 |
| Box 4 | Folder 90 | Tenney, Harriet (State Librarian, Michigan) to W.B. Wickersham, agrees to send books, includes list of titles (2 letters), 1873 May 9 |
| Box 4 | Folder 91 | Farwell, C.B. (U.S. House of Representatives) to CPL, sent Compendium of Census, 1873 May 21 |
| Box 4 | Folder 92 | Findlay, F.D. & Son to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 May 26 |
| Box 4 | Folder 93 | Culver, Page, Hoyne, & Company (manufacturing stationers) to CPL, 5 bills, 1873 June |
| Box 5 | Folder 1 | Transatlantic to CPL, subscription information, 1873 June 2 |
| Box 5 | Folder 2 | Farwell, C.B. (U.S. House of Representatives) to CPL, sent 3rd volume, 9th Census (Industry), 1873 June 4 |
| Box 5 | Folder 3 | Star and Herald, Panama to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 June 6 |
| Box 5 | Folder 4 | Calkine, Hiram to W.B. Wickersham, sent a copy of Journal of Constitutional Commission, New York, 1873 June 10 |
| Box 5 | Folder 5 | Wilson, J.G. to CPL, asks for copy of Library’s first annual report, 1873 June 14 |
| Box 5 | Folder 6 | Rhodes, D.W. (Secretary, Constitutional Convention, Ohio) to W.B. Wickersham, unable to send proceedings, 1873 June 16 |
| Box 5 | Folder 7 | Historical Magazine to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information (5 letters), 1873 June 16-1874 October 13 |
| Box 5 | Folder 8 | American Register to CPL, subscription information, 1873 June 21 |
| Box 5 | Folder 9 | Culver, Page, Hoyne, & Company (manufacturing stationers) to CPL, 9 bills, 1873 July-August |
| Box 5 | Folder 10 | Charlton, F.A. to W.B Wickersham, sent donation of Nature, 1873 July 3 |
| Box 5 | Folder 11 | Keener, W.T. to W.B Wickersham, sent books and bill, 1873 July 3 |
| Box 5 | Folder 12 | Record, Philadelphia to CPL, subscription information, 1873 July 4 |
| Box 5 | Folder 13 | Dawson, Henry B. to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information (3 letters), 1873 July 10 |
| Box 5 | Folder 14 | Harper & Brothers to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 July 21 |
| Box 5 | Folder 15 | Eastman and Bartlett (importers of books) to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 July 23 |
| Box 5 | Folder 16 | Walsh (Western News Company) to H. Raster, requests payment and draft reply, 1873 July 27 |
| Box 5 | Folder 17 | Nature to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 July 30 |
| Box 5 | Folder 18 | Sabin, J. & Sons to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 August 1 |
| Box 5 | Folder 19 | Leggett, M.D. (Commissioner of Patents, U.S. Patent Office) to CPL, sent index to volume 2 [Gazette] and relates possibility of volume 1 reprint, 1873 August 6 |
| Box 5 | Folder 20 | Governor of Massachusetts to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 August 9 |
| Box 5 | Folder 21 | Trübner & Company to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information (3 letters), 1873 August 13-1874March 14 |
| Box 5 | Folder 22 | Watts, Frederick (Commissioner, Department of Agriculture) to W.B. Wickersham, unable to send the Department of Agriculture’s 1872 annual report, 1873 August 13 |
| Box 5 | Folder 23 | Stone, Leander to W.B. Wickersham, complains his donation is omitted from Library’s published “full list of donors,” 1873 August 15 |
| Box 5 | Folder 24 | Unidentified (from Danbury, Connecticut) to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 August 18 |
| Box 5 | Folder 25 | Leggett, M.D. (Commissioner of Patents, U.S. Patent Office) to CPL, informs that since abolition of the franking privilege, postage of volumes must be paid, 1873 August 22 |
| Box 5 | Folder 26 | Hoyne, Thomas to W.B. Wickersham, visit to Boston Public Library, 1873 August 23 |
| Box 5 | Folder 27 | Eaton, John (Commissioner, Bureau of Education) to CPL, dispatch of Bureau of Education’s 1872 Annual Report, [1873?] September 2 |
| Box 5 | Folder 28 | Archibald, E.M. (British Consul General, New York) to W.B. Wickersham, 1873 September 20 |
| Box 5 | Folder 29 | Appleton & Co. (booksellers, publishers and stationers) to W.B Wickersham, cost to bind Appleton’s Journal, 1873 September 29 |
| Box 5 | Folder 30 | Bibliotheca Sacra (Massachusetts) to W.B Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 September 29 |
| Box 5 | Folder 31 | The Nation to W.B Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 September 29 |
| Box 5 | Folder 32 | W.B. Wickersham to publishers of New Orleans’ Business Directory, subscription information, 1873 September 30 |
| Box 5 | Folder 33 | Culver, Page, Hoyne, & Company (manufacturing stationers) to CPL, 13 bills, 1873 October-December |
| Box 5 | Folder 34 | Gould, David B. (publisher) to W.B Wickersham, will send St. Louis directory (3 letters), 1873 October 1-17 |
| Box 5 | Folder 35 | Roberts, Alex (Scientific American) to CPL, subscription information (4 letters) 1873 October 1-1874 March 4 |
| Box 5 | Folder 36 | Sampson, Davenport & Co. (printers) to W.B. Wickersham, will send Boston directories, 1873 October 2 |
| Box 5 | Folder 37 | Williams & Co. to W.B. Wickersham, details of Cincinnati directory, 1873 October 2 |
| Box 5 | Folder 38 | American Artisan to W.B Wickersham, subscription information (2 letters), 1873 October 3-December 12 |
| Box 5 | Folder 39 | Philadelphia Business Directory to W.B. Wickersham, details of the directory, 1873 October 6 |
| Box 5 | Folder 40 | Studer, Jacob H. to W.B Wickersham, information about cost of History of Columbus (2 letters), 1873 October 7, 11 |
| Box 5 | Folder 41 | Bureau of Education, printed letter of thanks for replying to their survey, 1873 October |
| Box 5 | Folder 42 | Barrett, John R. (Bookbinders, Emerson’s Binder) to CPL, 10 bills, 1873 October-December |
| Box 5 | Folder 43 | Coope, George (Mercantile Library, New York) to W.B. Wickersham, offers files for sale (2 letters), 1873 October 11-December 2 |
| Box 5 | Folder 44 | New Jersey Freie Zeitung to CPL, asks to borrow an issue, 1873 October 18 |
| Box 5 | Folder 45 | Robert Clark & Co. (publishers, booksellers, stationers and importers) to W.B. Wickersham, sent pamphlets, 1873 October 18 |
| Box 5 | Folder 46 | Eaton, John (Commissioner, Bureau of Education) to W.B. Wickersham, acknowledges receipt of CPL’s first annual report, 1873 October 24 |
| Box 5 | Folder 47 | Langley, Henry (Publisher) to W.B. Wickersham, details of the San Francisco directory (2 letters), 1873 October 24-1874 March 7 |
| Box 5 | Folder 48 | White, S.H. (Chicago Magazine) to W.B Wickersham, will send volumes, 3 postcards, 1873 October 26-November 11 |
| Box 5 | Folder 49 | Jenney, H.A. (Librarian, Newburyport Public Library) to CPL, acknowledges receipt of CPL’s first annual report, 1873 November 3 |
| Box 5 | Folder 50 | Packard, A.S. (Librarian, Maine Historical Society) to W.B Wickersham, donated volumes, 1873 November 4 |
| Box 5 | Folder 51 | Poole, W.F. (Cincinnati Public Library) to W.B. Wickersham, letters discuss Library’s physical location and arrangement and information about Poole selecting titles (written before Poole took his position as CPL Librarian) (6 letters), 1873 November 12-December 17 |
| Box 5 | Folder 52 | Huso, H.A. (Vermont State Librarian) to CPL, sent volume, 1873 November 18 |
| Box 5 | Folder 53 | Bureau of Education, blank survey entitled “Inquiries Respecting Libraries” with a cover letter and envelope, 1873 November 20 |
| Box 5 | Folder 54 | The Literary World to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 November 24 |
| Box 5 | Folder 55 | Kennebee Journal to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 November 25 |
| Box 5 | Folder 56 | Irish World to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 November 29 |
| Box 5 | Folder 57 | Wason, R.A. (Toledo Public Library) to W.B Wickersham, asks about quality of Emerson’s bindings, 1873 December 2 |
| Box 5 | Folder 58 | Rives & Bailey to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 December 5 |
| Box 5 | Folder 59 | Eaton, John (Commissioner, Bureau of Education) to W.B. Wickersham, thanks for sending The Chicago Public Library, 1873 December 8 |
| Box 5 | Folder 60 | Congressional Printer to CPL, subscription information (2 letters), 1873 December 10-1874 January 5 |
| Box 5 | Folder 61 | Detroit Free Press to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 December 12 |
| Box 5 | Folder 62 | Western Rural to CPL, subscription information, 1873 December 13 |
| Box 5 | Folder 63 | Christian Union to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 December 15 |
| Box 5 | Folder 64 | Youth’s Companion to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 December 15 |
| Box 5 | Folder 65 | The World, New York to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 December 16 |
| Box 5 | Folder 66 | Deutsche Schachzeitung to C.PL, subscription information, 1873 December 17 |
| Box 5 | Folder 67 | Scientific American to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 December 19 |
| Box 5 | Folder 68 | Miller, W.F. (Carpenter) to W.B Wickersham, offers to manufacture furniture for Reading Room, 1873 December 22 |
| Box 5 | Folder 69 | Galignani’s Messenger to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 December 29 |
| Box 5 | Folder 70 | The Interior to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1873 December |
| Box 5 | Folder 71 | Culver, Page, Hoyne, & Company (Manufacturing Stationers) to CPL, 11 bills, 1874 January |
| Box 5 | Folder 72 | Barton, E.M. (Assistant Librarian, Worcester, Mass.) to CPL, sent directory, 1874 January 7 |
| Box 5 | Folder 73 | Evening Star, Washington, D.C. to CPL, subscription information, 1874 January 7 |
| Box 5 | Folder 74 | Omaha Daily and Weekly Herald to CPL, subscription information, 1874 January 15 |
| Box 5 | Folder 75 | Lowther, Thomas D. to W.B. Wickersham, criticizes CPL’s first annual report as insulting and inaccurate in lack of acknowledgment of Lowther’s contribution towards founding, with envelope, 1874 January 17 |
| Box 5 | Folder 76 | McClelland, Thomas to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1874 January 21 |
| Box 5 | Folder 77 | The Aldine to CPL, subscription information, 1874 January |
| Box 5 | Folder 78 | Culver, Page, Hoyne, & Company (manufacturing stationers) to CPL, 5 bills, 1874 February |
| Box 5 | Folder 79 | Nautical Gazette to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1874 February 2 |
| Box 5 | Folder 80 | Frink, George M. to CPL, asks to purchase copies of the Chicago Librarian, 1874 February 10 |
| Box 5 | Folder 81 | Porteous, G.W. to CPL, will deliver lectures, 1874 February 13 |
| Box 5 | Folder 82 | Wickersham, W.B. to John Tighe, postal order, 1874 February 25 |
| Box 5 | Folder 83 | Culver, Page, Hoyne, & Company (manufacturing stationers) to CPL, 9 bills, 1874 March |
| Box 5 | Folder 84 | Osgood, J.R. to CPL, subscription information, 1874 March 2 |
| Box 5 | Folder 85 | Penang Gazette to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1874 March 28 |
| Box 6 | Folder 1 | Culver, Page, Hoyne, & Company (manufacturing stationers) to CPL, 8 bills, 1874 April |
| Box 6 | Folder 2 | Gibbs, O.C. (Superintendent, Chicago Christian Union) to CPL, asks to rent Library space, 1874 April 3 |
| Box 6 | Folder 3 | Culver, Page, Hoyne, & Company (manufacturing stationers) to CPL, 5 bills, 1874 May |
| Box 6 | Folder 4 | Culver, Page, Hoyne, & Company (manufacturing stationers) to CPL, 9 bills, 1874 June-August |
| Box 6 | Folder 5 | Trübner & Company, check and receipt, 1874 June |
| Box 6 | Folder 6 | Gas Inspector’s Office to H. Raster, explains cost of gas bill, 1874 June 11 |
| Box 6 | Folder 7 | Harport News to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1874 July 3 |
| Box 6 | Folder 8 | Lowther, Thomas, D. to W.B. Wickersham, claims omissions and errors in CPL’s first annual report, 1874 July 9 |
| Box 6 | Folder 9 | Johnson, R.M. to W.B. Wickersham, asks about fire extinguishers, 1874 July 18 |
| Box 6 | Folder 10 | Duncan, Dr. to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1874 August 18 |
| Box 6 | Folder 11 | Barrett, John R. (bookbinders, Emerson’s Binder) to CPL, 21 bills, 1874 |
| Box 6 | Folder 12 | Culver, Page, Hoyne, & Company (Manufacturing Stationers) to CPL, 9 bills, 1874 September-October |
| Box 6 | Folder 15 | Littell & Guy to CPL, subscription information, 1874 October 22 |
| Box 6 | Folder 14 | Summaries of bills (20 letters), 1874 1874-1877 January |
| Box 6 | Folder 13 | Poole, W.F. (Librarian) to Thomas Hoyne, gives the number of volumes and statistics, [circa 1875] |
| Box 6 | Folder 16 | Culver, Page, Hoyne, & Company (Manufacturing Stationers) to CPL, 12 bills, 1875 January-April |
| Box 6 | Folder 17 | Courieur de L’Illinois to CPL, subscription information, 1875 January 12 |
| Box 6 | Folder 18 | Bohemian Young Men’s Reading Association to CPL, petition asks to extend Bohemian literature collection and for Library to hire a Bohemian clerk, 1875 February 26 |
| Box 6 | Folder 19 | Wickersham, W.B. to E.B. Myers, Library will not renew the lease of rooms, 1875 March 23 |
| Box 6 | Folder 20 | Garden City Dramatic Association to CPL, offers to put on benefit show, includes news clipping review, 1875 April 14 |
| Box 6 | Folder 21 | Leonard Scott Publishing Company to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1875 May 8 |
| Box 6 | Folder 22 | Rider, Thomas to Mr. Dyer (Board of Directors), 1875 June 18 |
| Box 6 | Folder 23 | Machinists and Blacksmiths’ Union No. 3 to CPL, asks Library to extend hours to 9pm, 1875 July 16 |
| Box 6 | Folder 24 | Rosenthal, Julius to W.B. Wickersham, resignation from Board, 1875 August 11 |
| Box 6 | Folder 25 | First National Bank to W.F. Poole, payment for books received, 1875 September 11 |
| Box 6 | Folder 26 | Barrett, John R. (Bookbinders, Emerson’s Binder) to CPL, 3 bills, 1875 |
| Box 6 | Folder 27 | Lowenthal, B. to W.B. Wickersham, encloses 3 policies [?], 1876 July 6 |
| Box 6 | Folder 28 | City Comptroller, Public Library Fund receipt (6 documents), 1876 September-1877 October |
| Box 6 | Folder 29 | Check and receipt to B.F. Stevens, 1876 November-December |
| Box 6 | Folder 30 | Check and receipt to B.F. Stevens (3 documents), 1876 December-1877 September |
| Box 6 | Folder 31 | Manufacturer and Builder to W.B. Wickersham, subscription information, 1877 April 13 |
| Box 6 | Folder 32 | Norwegian Citizens of Chicago to CPL, petition asks Library to subscribe to Morgenbladet, 1877 April 28 |
| Box 6 | Folder 33 | Tauchnitz, Bernhard to W.B. Wickersham, shipping books (2 letters and 2 international bank drafts), 1877 September-October |
| Box 6 | Folder 34 | Check and receipt to B.F. Stevens, 1877 December |
| Box 6 | Folder 35 | Check and receipt to John Wheldon (bookseller), 1877 December |
| Box 6 | Folder 36 | Check and receipt to Henry Southeran & Company (booksellers), 1878 January 2 |
| Box 6 | Folder 37 | Brodner Smith and Company (papermakers) to CPL, bill for supplies, 1878 June 15 |
| Box 6 | Folder 38 | Callaghan & Company (law publishers and importers) to W.B. Wickersham, unable to provide address requested, 1878 October 11 |
| Box 6 | Folder 39 | Western Die and Cutter Company to W.B. Wickersham, encloses payment, 1878 October 25 |
| Box 6 | Folder 40 | Hager, A. (Librarian, Chicago Historical Society) to CPL, petition for transfer of duplicate books, 1880 November 26 |
| Box 6 | Folder 41 | Onaham to W.B. Wickersham, telegram, unable to make Board meeting, 1881 June 10 |
| Box 6 | Folder 42 | Schmidt, Dr. Ernest to John B. Walker (President, Board of Directors), 1882 July 8 |
| Box 6 | Folder 43 | Petition, Polish-speaking residents of Chicago to CPL, asks Library to purchase books in Polish, 1883 October 13 |
| Box 6 | Folder 44 | Dumas, DeWitter (Chicago Association for the Moral, Intellectual and Industrial Improvement of Colored People of Chicago) to Board of Directors, asks for discarded books to be deposited with their Association, 1883 October 15 |
| Box 6 | Folder 45 | Hayes, Harold to CPL, thanks Board for tribute to his father, 1884 March 13 |
| Box 6 | Folder 46 | Callaghan, B. to W.B. Wickersham, requests leave of absence, 1884 June 7 |
| Box 6 | Folder 47 | Lepperr, N.S. (Painter) to Adolph Moses (Chairman, Committee on Buildings and Grounds), miscalculated bid for work to be done, 1884 July 14 |
| Box 6 | Folder 48 | Samolinska, J. to CPL, expresses thanks for the large number of Polish books, 1884 September 12 |
| Box 6 | Folder 49 | Grosart to B.F. Stevens, will send more Lismore papers, 1885 March 19 |
| Box 6 | Folder 50 | Condon, William H. (Attorney) to Bernard Callaghan, asks that books for the blind be made available via delivery station or in the Reading Room (2 letters), 1885 July-November |
| Box 6 | Folder 51 | Page, Alex to Adolph Moses, asks for Library privileges even though not a Chicago resident, 1886 January 4 |
| Box 6 | Folder 52 | Department of Public Works to W.B. Wickersham, sent vouchers and bills for work done, 1886 March 13 |
| Box 6 | Folder 53 | Fire Insurance Agency to T.C. McMillan, recommends fire insurance for 75 percent of total value and receipt for fire policy (3 letters), 1886 May-August |
| Box 6 | Folder 54 | Tauchnitz, Bernhard to CPL, list of books, 1886 July 5 |
| Box 6 | Folder 55 | Moses, Adolph to Board of Directors, cannot attend special meeting called to elect new president, 1886 August 4 |
| Box 6 | Folder 56 | Sisters de Notre Dame to W.B. Wickersham, thanks for extension of Library privileges, 1886 October 3 |
| Box 6 | Folder 57 | Stevens, B.F. to CPL, list of books, 1886 October 26 |
| Box 6 | Folder 58 | Hale, John (Kenwood Evangelical Church) to CPL, asks for Library privileges even though not a Chicago resident, 1886 December 11 |
| Box 6 | Folder 59 | James, Anton (bookbinder) to CPL, invoice, 1887 April 27 |
| Box 6 | Folder 60 | Petition, Residents of Ogden Avenue and New High School to CPL, asks for the establishment of a Reading Room in their vicinity, 1887 May 27 |
| Box 6 | Folder 61 | Brine, George to John W. Enright (President, Board of Directors), thanks for kind words following his recent resignation, 1887 June 7 |
| Box 6 | Folder 62 | Stevens, B.F. to W.F. Poole, asks to continue subscription to Reichenbachia, 1887 June 17 |
| Box 6 | Folder 63 | Illinois Industrial Training School for Boys to W.B. Wickersham, asks for worn books to be donated, 1887 August 10 |
| Box 6 | Folder 64 | Stevens, B.F. to CPL, book list and declaration of value, 1887 August 12 |
| Box 6 | Folder 65 | Wickersham, W.B. to Charles Felton, (Superintendent, Bridewell), offer of worn books to Bridewell, 1887 August 19 |
| Box 6 | Folder 66 | J.L. Regan Printing Company to [CPL?], asks about bidding for printing jobs, 1887 August 24 |
| Box 6 | Folder 67 | Michael Reese Hospital to W.B. Wickersham, accepts Library’s book offer, 1887 August 24 |
| Box 6 | Folder 68 | Bossange, Léopold to W.B. Wickersham, asks for payment, 1887 August 27 |
| Box 6 | Folder 69 | Silvius, T.H. (bookbinder) to CPL, asks for binding work, 1887 September 1 |
| Box 6 | Folder 70 | Western News Company to W.B. Wickersham, declines invitation to quote prices, 1887 September 7 |
| Box 6 | Folder 71 | DeWolf, Oscar C. (Commissioner of Health) to W.B. Wickersham, forwards a list of houses or persons infected with contagious diseases, 1887 September 17 |
| Box 6 | Folder 72 | Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce to W.B. Wickersham, returned postage, 1887 September 19 |
| Box 6 | Folder 73 | Kraft, G. (Secretary, Swiss Committee) to CPL, offers donation of historic Swiss maps, 1887 September 23 |
| Box 6 | Folder 74 | Stevens, B.F. to CPL, statement of charges, 1887 September 30 |
| Box 6 | Folder 75 | Wolfram, Carl to CPL, Beethoven Society’s Library donation to CPL and its transfer to the Newberry Library (2 letters), 1888 March 24, undated |
| Box 6 | Folder 76 | New York Safety Steam Power Company to CPL, information about steam engines, 1888 April 14 |
| Box 6 | Folder 77 | Petition, Residents of Hyde Park to CPL, asks for Library privileges, 1888 April 14 |
| Box 6 | Folder 78 | Rubel Brothers, Printers to CPL, bill for records of Library Board, 1888 May 16 |
| Box 6 | Folder 79 | Brine, George to CPL, thanks for copy of Proceedings, 1888 July 20 |
| Box 6 | Folder 80 | Queals, Mrs. R.F. to John Enright, thanks for copy of Proceedings, 1888 August 1 |
| Box 6 | Folder 81 | Schmidt, E. to John Enright (President, Board of Directors), thanks for copy of Proceedings, 1888 August 10 |
| Box 6 | Folder 82 | Union Park Choral Society to CPL, asks to borrow 40 sheets from the Beethoven Society’s donation, 1888 November 23 |
| Box 6 | Folder 83 | Harrassowitz, Otto to CPL, invoices for shipping books to Library from Leipzig (4 documents), 1888, 1890 |
| Box 6 | Folder 84 | Wickersham, W.B. to Board of Directors, accounts are in order in accordance with Special Committee of Investigation, [1888?] March 28 |
| Box 6 | Folder 85 | Chiney, J.V. to CPL, telegram asking about Library’s appropriation, [1888?] April 28 |
| Box 7 | Folder 1 | Annual Report of Secretary, 1889 June 8 |
| Box 7 | Folder 2 | Russian-speaking citizens and residents of Chicago to CPL, petition asks Library to purchase books in Russian, 1889 June 8 |
| Box 7 | Folder 3 | Holmes and Hektoen, MDs to Board of Directors, asks Library to temporarily house “Jewell Library,” 1889 July 13 |
| Box 7 | Folder 4 | Journal of Education to W.B. Wickersham, publication information, 1889 August 14 |
| Box 7 | Folder 5 | Anonymous to CPL, complains about cleanliness of Library materials, 1889 December 19 |
| Box 7 | Folder 6 | Miscellaneous notices regarding lost Library books (3 letters), 1889-1890 |
| Box 7 | Folder 7 | Poole, W.F. to W.B. Wickersham, book sale and specific titles purchased, 189? March 13 |
| Box 7 | Folder 8 | Chicago Library Club, leaflet detailing origin, constitution and membership of club, circa 1890 |
| Box 7 | Folder 9 | Reade, A.D. (Grand Army of the Republic, GAR) to CPL, receipt for circulars, circa 1890 |
| Box 7 | Folder 10 | Parks, C. Wellman (Superintendent, Paris Exposition of 1889) to CPL, asks for duplicate report from Board following the Library exhibit’s “gold medal”, 1890 February 3 |
| Box 7 | Folder 11 | Williams, Norman to Board of Directors, thanks for kind words, 1890 May 10 |
| Box 7 | Folder 12 | Bradley, H. (Trustee, Newberry Library) to W.B. Wickersham, accepts transfer of medical books from CPL, 1890 July 22 |
| Box 7 | Folder 13 | Brown, Henry J. (CPL agent in London) to CPL, list of books sent with shipping form and declared value, 1890 July 25 |
| Box 7 | Folder 14 | Upton, G.P. to J.G. Shortall, asks about transfer of Beethoven Society Library to the Newberry Library (2 documents), 1890 September 8 |
| Box 7 | Folder 15 | U.S. Cavalry Association to W.B. Wickersham, sent back issues of their journal (2 letters), 1890 November 17 |
| Box 7 | Folder 16 | Wickersham, W.B. to Publishers, Wide Awake, discontinues subscription to Hyde Park Lyceum as now part of CPL, 1891 December 8 |
| Box 7 | Folder 17 | Eastman, H.B. (renting agent) to W.B. Wickersham, Library rents, 1892 April 30 |
| Box 7 | Folder 18 | Tauchnitz, Bernhard to CPL, book list and mention of his World’s Columbian Exposition exhibit, 1893 June 27, 1895 |
| Box 7 | Folder 19 | Ohashi, S. to [?], will send Japanese books to Library, 1893 July 11 |
| Box 7 | Folder 20 | United States Express Company, delivery receipt, 1894 February 5 |
| Box 7 | Folder 21 | Matters pertaining to disturbances at the Milwaukee Avenue Reading Room, 1894 November 30 |
| Box 7 | Folder 22 | Report to Board of Directors regarding the illegal transfer from Library Fund into the General Fund, circa 1895 |
| Box 7 | Folder 23 | Dreyer, E.S. (President, Board of Directors) to Board of Directors, unable to attend next meeting, suggests individuals to sit on committees, 1896 January 11 |
| Box 7 | Folder 24 | Hatch, Azel (President, Board of Directors) to Board of Directors, rental terms for the Library following the death of Hiram Kelly, 1897 February 25 |
| Box 7 | Folder 25 | Statement of Library Fund, 1897 December 31 |
| Box 7 | Folder 26 | Stetson, C.P. to B. Holmes, announces his arrival in Chicago, 1899 January 7 |
| Box 7 | Folder 27 | Young, J.A. (Branch Reading Room #5, 21 Blue Island Avenue) to W.B. Wickersham, concerns about street sprinkling in hot weather and dimensions of a wire mat (2 letters), 1899 June 5, October 16 |
| Box 7 | Folder 28 | S.S. [?] to [?] Electric Company, claims that lack of [electric] current causes elevator to stall, 1900 September 18 |
| Box 7 | Folder 29 | Report from Secretary Wickersham, adoption of city-wide uniform system of accounting, 1902 January 23 |
| Box 7 | Folder 30 | Report from Secretary Wickersham, estimated budgetary needs, 1902 February 27 |
| Box 7 | Folder 31 | Report from Secretary Wickersham, Library’s liability for books, periodicals, etc., 1903 January 8 |
| Box 7 | Folder 32 | Tolman, E.B. (Corporation Counsel) to W.B. Wickersham, reply to Wickersham’s Library tax clarification request, 1903 December 16 |
| Box 7 | Folder 33 | Ahren, M.E. (President, Chicago Library Club) to W.B. Wickersham, asks for list of staff ,1904 September 21 |
| Box 7 | Folder 34 | Library action against Cook County over taxes (19 letters and legal documents), 1904 October 8-1907 December 9 |
| Box 7 | Folder 35 | Sullivan, Michael (Assistant Corporation Counsel) to John Eckhart, billing for elevator inspection, 1905 May-September |
| Box 7 | Folder 36 | Thoms, Burton, (manager, Peabody, Houghteling and Company) to W.B. Wickersham, extension of loan (3 letters), 1906 January-February |
| Box 7 | Folder 37 | Wood, Fyffe & Adcock (attorneys) to CPL, clarifies Library’s position on the use of a seal, 1906 April 14 |
| Box 7 | Folder 38 | Hill, Edith Healy to W.B. Wickersham, borrowing the Reading Room for an event, 1907 February 19 |
| Box 7 | Folder 39 | Brundage, E.J. (Corporation Counsel) to W.B. Wickersham, no warrant to pay salaries of employees from 1902, 1907 August 2 |
| Box 7 | Folder 40 | Eyewitness accounts (3) of an accident involving a CPL automobile and a streetcar, 1908 May |
| Box 7 | Folder 41 | Cigrand, B.J. (President, Board of Directors), address to Board of Directors, 1908 August 10 |
| Box 7 | Folder 42 | Board of Directors tribute to the memory of William B. Wickersham, 1908 October 20 |
| Box 7 | Folder 43 | Cigrand, B.J. (President, Board of Directors) to E.J. Brundage (Corporation Counsel), asks if legal to elect its own Secretary, 1908 October 28 |
| Box 7 | Folder 44 | New Process Steel Company to CPL, asks for payment, 1908 December 18 |
| Box 7 | Folder 45 | Application for Library privileges, blank form, undated |
| Box 7 | Folder 46 | Colby and Rich (publishers) Boston to CPL, subscription information, undated |
| Box 7 | Folder 47 | Dogett, Kate N. to Daniel Shorey, asks if Library interested in copy of Audubon’s Birds, undated |
| Box 7 | Folder 48 | Eastman, F.A. (Chicago Post Office) to Hermann Raster, mix-up of Library mail with that of Rev. Thomas’ Baptist Church, undated |
| Box 7 | Folder 49 | Hoyne, Thomas to W.B Wickersham, editor and proprietor of Land Pioneer intends to put sketches of Library into his paper, undated |
| Box 7 | Folder 50 | Humboldt Library of Science to CPL, subscription information, undated |
| Box 7 | Folder 51 | Medill, Joseph (Mayor, City of Chicago) to Thomas Hoyne, asks for answers, undated |
| Box 7 | Folder 52 | Medill, Joseph to W.B Wickersham, list of Irish papers for file, undated |
| Box 7 | Folder 53 | Michigan Avenue Free Library Association, Directors to Directors, CPL, offers their collection and asks if CPL will maintain a Reading Room in their vicinity, undated |
| Box 7 | Folder 54 | Nass, Allen to CPL, forwarding donor address, undated |
| Box 7 | Folder 55 | Owens, Edward (carpenter) to CPL, offers to provide carpentry work for Reading Room, undated |
| Box 7 | Folder 56 | Stevens, B.F. to CPL, list of books, undated |
| Box 7 | Folder 57 | Rules for Distribution of the Publications of the Smithsonian Institution, flyer, undated |
| Box 7 | Folder 58 | The Enterprise to CPL, subscription information, [no year] September 11 |
| Box 7 | Folder 59 | The Graphic to CPL, subscription information, [no year] December 15 |
| Box 7 | Folder 60 | Land Owner to CPL, subscription information, [no year] October 12, December 10 |
Series 2: Papers of the Secretary of the Board of Directors, 1872-1912
Subseries G: Employment, 1873-1904
Arrangement
Subseries G is arranged chronologically.
| Box 8 | Folder 1 | Roy, Dr. C.A. to W.B. Wickersham, employment for a Frenchman, 1873 August 1 |
| Box 8 | Folder 2 | Parker, John to CPL, asks for position (3 letters), 1873 September-1874 February |
| Box 8 | Folder 3 | Green. S.S. (Librarian, Worcester Public Library) to W.B. Wickersham, advises against hiring a certain book binder (2 letters), 1873 October 10, 18 |
| Box 8 | Folder 4 | Madden, John to Board of Directors, asks about Board’s decision not to appoint him as Assistant Librarian, 1874 February 24 |
| Box 8 | Folder 5 | Hastie, John to W.B. Wickersham, thanks the Board for his appointment to Assistant Janitor, 1886 June 28 |
| Box 8 | Folder 6 | Civil Service Commissioners of the City of Chicago, Cook County, and the State of Illinois to W.B. Wickersham, summons to testify at an investigation regarding the employment of named CPL staff, 1904 February 5 |
Series 2: Papers of the Secretary of the Board of Directors, 1872-1912
Subseries H: New Library Building, 1885-1897
Arrangement
Subseries H is arranged chronologically.
| Box 8 | Folder 7 | Swazey, Dr. To Callahan (President, Board of Directors), opinion about the claims by “soldiers” and the Opera House. 1885 December 1 |
| Box 8 | Folder 8 | Merrick, C.C. to CPL, use of Dearborn Park, 1887 February 10 |
| Box 8 | Folder 9 | Chettain, A.L. to B Board of Directors, Soldiers’ Home of Chicago and Dearborn Park, 1887 July 12 |
| Box 8 | Folder 10 | Sturtevant, B.F. (blower and exhaust fans) to Board of Directors, offers their equipment for the new building, 1888 March 29 |
| Box 10 | Folder 17 | Dearborn Park, An Act to authorize the Chicago Public Library to erect and maintain a public library on Dearborn Park…and to authorize the Soldiers’ Home…in the north one quarter of the same,” 1889 |
| Box 10 | Folder 18 | Dearborn Park, A Bill to Modify and Amend… Dearborn Park Act, not passed, circa 1890 |
| Box 10 | Folder 19 | Dearborn Park, list of property owners abutting Dearborn Park, circa 1891 |
| Box 8 | Folder 11 | Shortall, John (President, Board of Directors) to Albert B. Otis, specifications for marble be sent to Oak Hill Granite, 1892 July 1 |
| Box 8 | Folder 12 | Library Building, receipts (2) for specification sets, 1892 July-September |
| Box 8 | Folder 13 | Shepley Rutan & Coolidge (Architects) to [?], receipt for specifications for superstructure, [1892?] August 15 |
| Box 8 | Folder 14 | Moos, Bernhard to W.B. Wickersham, asks for roll of iron drawings for new building, 1893 March 20 |
| Box 8 | Folder 15 | Cornerstone laying of the new Library Building, letters of response (11) from Armour Institute, William [Bee?] (Howard Memorial Library, New Orleans), George Watson Ceole, Martin Conrad, Raymond G. Daris (Librarian, University of Michigan), F.W. Gunsaulus, Kirk Hawkes (Attorney and Counselor), Miss Hewins (Hartford Public Library), Franklin MacVeagh, Mr. and Mrs. Potter Palmer, Schultter & Hotz, Norman Williams, Justin Windsor, 1893 November-December |
| Box 8 | Folder 16 | President, Board of Directors to Board of Directors, calls for meetings to discuss aspects of the new building (9 letters), 1895 May-1897 September |
Series 2: Papers of the Secretary of the Board of Directors, 1872-1912
Subseries I: Special Book Fund, 1886-1887
Arrangement
Subseries I was found loose lying, found in “Wickersham, shows original arrangement.” All relate to the purchase of books or periodicals and almost all are cited as being from the “Special Book Fund.” They were grouped together into numbers and so this order has been maintained.
| Box 8 | Folder 17 | Special Book Fund, statement and bills, #49, 1886 March 12-26 |
| Box 8 | Folder 18 | Special Book Fund, statement and bills, #50, 1886 March 26-April 9 |
| Box 8 | Folder 19 | Special Book Fund, statement and bills, #51, 1886 April 9-23 |
| Box 8 | Folder 20 | Special Book Fund, statement and bills, #52, 1886 April 23-May 7 |
| Box 8 | Folder 21 | Special Book Fund, statement and bills, #53, 1886 May 7-21 |
| Box 8 | Folder 22 | Special Book Fund, statement and bills, #54, 1886 May 21-June 12 |
| Box 8 | Folder 23 | Special Book Fund, statement and bills, #55, 1886 June 12-25 |
| Box 8 | Folder 24 | Special Book Fund, statement and bills, #56, 1886 June 26-August 13 |
| Box 8 | Folder 25 | Special Book Fund, statement and bills, #57, 1886 August 13-27 |
| Box 8 | Folder 26 | Special Book Fund, statement and bills, #58, 1886 August 27-September 24 |
| Box 8 | Folder 27 | Special Book Fund, statement and bills, #59, 1886 September 24-October 22 |
| Box 8 | Folder 28 | Special Book Fund, statement and bills, #59 [duplicated number and same dates as #60], 1886 October 22-November 13 |
| Box 8 | Folder 29 | Special Book Fund, statement and bills, #60, 1886 October 22- November 13 |
| Box 8 | Folder 30 | Special Book Fund, statement and bills, #61, 1886 November 13-November 26 |
| Box 8 | Folder 31 | Special Book Fund, statement and bills, #62, 1886 November 26-December 10 |
| Box 8 | Folder 32 | Special Book Fund, statement and bills, #63, 1886 December 10-December 22 |
| Box 8 | Folder 33 | Special Book Fund, statement and bills, #64, 1886 December 22-31 |
| Box 8 | Folder 34 | Special Book Fund, statement and bills, #65, 1887 January 1-21 |
| Box 8 | Folder 35 | Special Book Fund, statement and bills, #66, 1887 January 21-February 12 |
Series 2: Papers of the Secretary of the Board of Directors, 1872-1912
Subseries J: Reports to Board of Directors, 1872-1874
Arrangement
Subseries J is arranged chronologically.
| Box 9 | Folder 1 | Reports to Board of Directors, 1872 October-December |
| Box 9 | Folder 2 | Reports to Board of Directors, 1873 January-March |
| Box 9 | Folder 3 | Reports to Board of Directors, 1873 April-May |
| Box 9 | Folder 4 | Reports to Board of Directors, 1873 July-December |
| Box 9 | Folder 5 | Reports to Board of Directors, 1874 January-April |
Series 2: Papers of the Secretary of the Board of Directors, 1872-1912
Subseries K: Reports, Annual, 1873-1907
Arrangement
Subseries K is arranged chronologically.
| Box 9 | Folder 6 | Annual reports, 1873 |
| Box 9 | Folder 7 | Annual reports, 1874 |
| Box 9 | Folder 8 | Annual reports, 1875 |
| Box 9 | Folder 9 | Annual reports, 1876 |
| Box 9 | Folder 10 | Annual reports, 1877 |
| Box 9 | Folder 11 | Annual reports, 1878 |
| Box 9 | Folder 12 | Annual reports, 1879 |
| Box 9 | Folder 13 | Annual reports, 1880 |
| Box 9 | Folder 14 | Annual reports, 1881 |
| Box 9 | Folder 15 | Annual reports, 1882 |
| Box 9 | Folder 16 | Annual reports, 1883 |
| Box 9 | Folder 17 | Annual reports, 1884 |
| Box 9 | Folder 18 | Annual reports, 1885 |
| Box 9 | Folder 19 | Annual reports, 1886 |
| Box 9 | Folder 20 | Annual reports, 1887 |
| Box 9 | Folder 21 | Annual reports, 1888 |
| Box 9 | Folder 22 | Annual reports, 1891 |
| Box 9 | Folder 23 | Annual reports, 1892 |
| Box 9 | Folder 24 | Annual reports, 1893 |
| Box 9 | Folder 25 | Annual reports, 1894 |
| Box 9 | Folder 26 | Annual reports, 1895 |
| Box 9 | Folder 27 | Annual reports, 1896 |
| Box 9 | Folder 28 | Annual reports, 1897 |
| Box 9 | Folder 29 | Annual reports, 1898 |
| Box 9 | Folder 30 | Annual reports, 1899 |
| Box 9 | Folder 31 | Annual reports, 1900 |
| Box 9 | Folder 32 | Annual reports, 1901 |
| Box 9 | Folder 33 | Annual reports, 1902 |
| Box 9 | Folder 34 | Annual reports, 1903 |
| Box 9 | Folder 35 | Annual reports, 1904 |
| Box 9 | Folder 36 | Annual reports, 1905 |
| Box 9 | Folder 37 | Annual reports, 1906 |
| Box 9 | Folder 38 | Annual reports, 1907 |
Series 2: Papers of the Secretary of the Board of Directors, 1872-1912
Subseries L: Reports, General, 1884-1896
Arrangement
Subseries L is arranged alphabetically.
| Box 10 | Folder 1 | Book loses, 1884-1886 |
| Box 10 | Folder 2 | Building Account, contracts and payments, 1895 January |
| Box 10 | Folder 4 | Building Fund, statement, 1896 September 6 |
| Box 10 | Folder 3 | Building Fund, annual statement, 1896 December 31 |
| Box 10 | Folder 5 | Report to City Comptroller, 1877 June |
| Box 10 | Folder 6 | Report to City Comptroller, 1877 July |
| Box 10 | Folder 7 | Condemned books given to charitable institutions, 1889 January |
| Box 10 | Folder 8 | City Hall Library Rooms, “Moneys expended on account of new library rooms, City Hall,” 1886 March-1887 December |
| Box 10 | Folder 9 | Committee on Finance, discrepancies in accounts, 1896 May 28 |
| Box 10 | Folder 10 | Finding lists, 1886 March 27 |
| Box 10 | Folder 11 | Fines, comparative statement, 1885 January-February |
| Box 10 | Folder 12 | Library Bill, amendment to establish City tax funds, circa 1895 |
| Box 10 | Folder 13 | Moving expenses, 1886 |
| Box 10 | Folder 14 | New library building, estimates and expenditures, 1896 January 1 |
| Box 10 | Folder 15 | Periodicals, list of Leo Meilbek, 1877-1878 |
| Box 10 | Folder 16 | Periodicals, list, circa 1882 |
| Box 10 | Folder 20 | Report on salaries, 1888-1890 |
| Box 10 | Folder 21 | H.R. 303, A Bill to Test and Try the Science of Spelling, with suggested amendments by Charles A. Story, 1885 |
| Box 10 | Folder 22 | Statement of Assets of Public Library, 1889 |
| Box 10 | Folder 23 | Statement of receipts and expenditures, 1882, 1884-1885 |
| Box 10 | Folder 24 | Vacations, deductions from Employees, 1886 |
| Box 10 | Folder 25 | Visit to eastern libraries, Wickersham’s report, 1896 |
Series 2: Papers of the Secretary of the Board of Directors, 1872-1912
Subseries M: Correspondence, Incoming, 1872-1908
Arrangement
Subseries M is arranged alphabetically by general correspondence and then alphabetically by correspondence with businesses or noted persons. When a business name begins with a first name or initials, the alphabetization begins with these.
| Box 13 | Folder 1 | General correspondence, Aa-Al, 1872-1908 |
| Box 13 | Folder 8 | General correspondence, An-Ay, 1872-1908 |
| Box 13 | Folder 5 | General correspondence, Am, 1872-1908 |
| Box 13 | Folder 14 | General correspondence, Ba, 1872-1908 |
| Box 13 | Folder 19 | General correspondence, Bo, 1872-1908 |
| Box 13 | Folder 25 | General correspondence, Br, 1872-1908 |
| Box 13 | Folder 29 | General correspondence, Bu, 1872-1908 |
| Box 13 | Folder 32 | General correspondence, By, 1872-1908 |
| Box 14 | Folder 1 | General correspondence, Ca, 1872-1908 |
| Box 14 | Folder 9 | General correspondence, Ce-Che, 1872-1908 |
| Box 14 | Folder 11 | General correspondence, Chi, 1872-1908 |
| Box 14 | Folder 12 | General correspondence, Chi, mentions smallpox outbreak, 1872-1908 |
| Box 16 | Folder 6 | General correspondence, Chr-Clu, 1872-1908 |
| Box 16 | Folder 10 | General correspondence, Coa-Cot, mentions scarlet fever contagion, 1872-1908 |
| Box 16 | Folder 16 | General correspondence, Cra-Cut, 1872-1908 |
| Box 16 | Folder 21 | General correspondence, Dah-Day, good example of guarantor cards and notices of fines due, 1872-1908 |
| Box 16 | Folder 23 | General correspondence, Dea-Dey, 1872-1908 |
| Box 16 | Folder 26 | General correspondence, Dia-Dix, 1872-1908 |
| Box 16 | Folder 27 | General correspondence, Doa-Dy, 1872-1908 |
| Box 16 | Folder 32 | General correspondence, Ea-Ed, 1872-1908 |
| Box 16 | Folder 33 | General correspondence, Ee-Ex, 1872-1908 |
| Box 17 | Folder 1 | General correspondence, Fa-Fe, mentions scarlet fever contagion, 1872-1908 |
| Box 17 | Folder 4 | General correspondence, Fi-Of, 1872-1908 |
| Box 17 | Folder 8 | General correspondence, Fr, 1872-1908 |
| Box 17 | Folder 10 | General correspondence, Ga-Ge, 1872-1908 |
| Box 17 | Folder 12 | General correspondence, Gi-Gu, 1872-1908 |
| Box 17 | Folder 14 | General correspondence, Ha, 1872-1908 |
| Box 17 | Folder 22 | General correspondence, He, 1872-1908 |
| Box 17 | Folder 24 | General correspondence, Hi-Ho, 1872-1908 |
| Box 17 | Folder 26 | General correspondence, Hr-Hy, 1872-1908 |
| Box 18 | Folder 1 | General correspondence, I-Il, 1872-1908 |
| Box 18 | Folder 6 | General correspondence, Im-Is, 1872-1908 |
| Box 18 | Folder 10 | General correspondence, J, 1872-1908 |
| Box 18 | Folder 14 | General correspondence, Ka-Ke, 1872-1908 |
| Box 18 | Folder 19 | General correspondence, Ki-Ku, 1872-1908 |
| Box 18 | Folder 20 | General correspondence, La-Le, 1872-1908 |
| Box 18 | Folder 22 | General correspondence, Li-Ly, 1872-1908 |
| Box 19 | Folder 1 | General correspondence, Ma-May, mention of the “effort to keep the Lake Park open and free from buildings”, 1872-1908 |
| Box 19 | Folder 6 | General correspondence, Mc, 1872-1908 |
| Box 19 | Folder 10 | General correspondence, Mea-Mey, 1872-1908 |
| Box 19 | Folder 11 | General correspondence, Mia-Mis, 1872-1908 |
| Box 19 | Folder 14 | General correspondence, Mod-Mye, 1872-1908 |
| Box 19 | Folder 17 | General correspondence, Nag-Nat, 1872-1908 |
| Box 19 | Folder 18 | General correspondence, Nee-New, 1872-1908 |
| Box 19 | Folder 20 | General correspondence, Nic-Nox, 1872-1908 |
| Box 19 | Folder 24 | General correspondence, Oak-Ox, 1872-1908 |
| Box 20 | Folder 1 | General correspondence, Pa, 1872-1908 |
| Box 20 | Folder 2 | General correspondence, Pe, 1872-1908 |
| Box 20 | Folder 8 | General correspondence, Ph-Pi, 1872-1908 |
| Box 20 | Folder 9 | General correspondence, Pl-Pu, 1872-1908 |
| Box 20 | Folder 15 | General correspondence, Q, 1872-1908 |
| Box 20 | Folder 17 | General correspondence, Rad-Rey, 1872-1908 |
| Box 20 | Folder 22 | General correspondence, Ric-Ry, 1872-1908 |
| Box 21 | Folder 1 | General correspondence, Saa-Sch, 1872-1908 |
| Box 21 | Folder 2 | General correspondence, Sco-Sew, 1872-1908 |
| Box 21 | Folder 3 | General correspondence, Sha-Sl, 1872-1908 |
| Box 21 | Folder 12 | General correspondence, Sm-Sq, 1872-1908 |
| Box 21 | Folder 15 | General correspondence, Sta-Ste, 1872-1908 |
| Box 21 | Folder 29 | General correspondence, Sti-Sy, 1872-1908 |
| Box 22 | Folder 1 | General correspondence, Ta-Th, 1872-1908 |
| Box 22 | Folder 3 | General correspondence, Ti-Ty, 1872-1908 |
| Box 22 | Folder 10 | General correspondence, Uh-Uni, 1872-1908 |
| Box 22 | Folder 14 | General correspondence, unidentified, 1896-1908 |
| Box 22 | Folder 21 | General correspondence, Univ, 1872-1908 |
| Box 22 | Folder 23 | General correspondence, Va-Vo, 1872-1908 |
| Box 22 | Folder 27 | General correspondence, Wab-Way, 1872-1908 |
| Box 22 | Folder 30 | General correspondence, Web-Wey, 1872-1908 |
| Box 22 | Folder 36 | General correspondence, Wh-Wi, 1872-1908 |
| Box 22 | Folder 38 | General correspondence, Wo-Wu, 1872-1908 |
| Box 22 | Folder 40 | General correspondence, X, Y, Z, 1872-1908 |
| Box 19 | Folder 7 | A.C. McClurg & Company, 1891-1908 |
| Box 13 | Folder 2 | Addams, Jane, Hull House, 1891-1896 |
| Box 18 | Folder 26 | Adolph Loeb and Sons, Insurance, 1896-1907 |
| Box 13 | Folder 3 | Ainsworth, Ms. E.J., 1889-1906 |
| Box 13 | Folder 9 | A.H. Andrews Company, 1898-1906 |
| Box 20 | Folder 24 | A.H. Roffe & Company, foreign books, 1877-1879 |
| Box 13 | Folder 4 | Allan, Jessie, Librarian, Omaha Public Library, Nebraska, 1887-1889 |
| Box 13 | Folder 6 | American Bonding & Trust Company, 1899-1908 |
| Box 13 | Folder 7 | American Surety Company, 1898-1908 |
| Box 13 | Folder 10 | Arabol Manufacturing Company, 1894-1903 |
| Box 13 | Folder 11 | Armour & Company, 1900-1901 |
| Box 13 | Folder 12 | Art Metal Construction Company, 1901-1908 |
| Box 13 | Folder 13 | Automatic Electric Company, 1907 |
| Box 13 | Folder 15 | Baker Brothers, Hard and Soft Coal, 1896-1908 |
| Box 13 | Folder 16 | Baggot, Gas and Electric, 1897-1904 |
| Box 13 | Folder 17 | Barbee Brothers, Deposit Station, mentions smallpox outbreak, 1893-1906 |
| Box 13 | Folder 18 | Barrett’s Bindery, 1894-1908 |
| Box 21 | Folder 17 | B.F. Stevens, London, 1876-1879 |
| Box 21 | Folder 18 | B.F. Stevens, London, 1880-1882 |
| Box 21 | Folder 19 | B.F. Stevens, London, 1883-1884 |
| Box 21 | Folder 20 | B.F. Stevens, London, 1885-1887 |
| Box 21 | Folder 21 | B.F. Stevens, London, 1888-1889 |
| Box 21 | Folder 22 | B.F. Stevens, London, 1890-1891 |
| Box 21 | Folder 23 | B.F. Stevens, London, 1892-1893 |
| Box 21 | Folder 24 | B.F. Stevens, London, 1894-1895 |
| Box 21 | Folder 25 | B.F. Stevens (& Brown), London, 1896-1900 |
| Box 21 | Folder 26 | B.F. Stevens & Brown, London, 1901-1903 |
| Box 21 | Folder 27 | B.F. Stevens & Brown, London, 1904-1908 |
| Box 13 | Folder 20 | Bogue & Company, Real Estate Agency, 1891-1892 |
| Box 13 | Folder 21 | Bogue, Oliver, H., lawyer, 1898-1901 |
| Box 13 | Folder 22 | Book Borrower’s Delivery, 1885 |
| Box 13 | Folder 23 | Boston Public Library, 1897-1904 |
| Box 13 | Folder 24 | Boyd, Stickney & Company, Anthracite Coal, 1902-1905 |
| Box 13 | Folder 26 | Bradner Smith & Company, Paper Makers, 1900-1907 |
| Box 13 | Folder 27 | Brett, William, H., Librarian, Cleveland Public Library, 1894-1895 |
| Box 13 | Folder 28 | Bryan-Marsh Company, Incandescent Lamps, 1901-1902 |
| Box 13 | Folder 30 | Burdett-Rowntree Manufacturing Company, Elevators, 1896-1908 |
| Box 13 | Folder 31 | Busse, George, Art Importer, 1897-1908 |
| Box 14 | Folder 2 | Cady, Harriet L., Society for Providing Evangelical Religious Literature for the Blind, Blind Program at CPL, 1902-1906 |
| Box 14 | Folder 3 | Cady, Harriet L., Society for Providing Evangelical Religious Literature for the Blind, Blind Program at CPL, 1905 |
| Box 14 | Folder 4 | Cady, Harriet L., Society for Providing Evangelical Religious Literature for the Blind, Blind Program at CPL, 1905 |
| Box 14 | Folder 5 | Cady, Harriet L., Society for Providing Evangelical Religious Literature for the Blind, Blind Program at CPL, 1905-1906 |
| Box 14 | Folder 6 | Carnegie Library, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1904-1905 |
| Box 14 | Folder 8 | Carson, Pirie, Scott & Company, 1904-1906 |
| Box 14 | Folder 10 | Central Electric Company, 1898-1908 |
| Box 14 | Folder 13 | Chicago Architectural Iron Works, 1896-1900 |
| Box 14 | Folder 15 | Chicago Civil Service Commission, 1895-1908 |
| Box 14 | Folder 33 | Chicago Commons, 1901-1908 |
| Box 14 | Folder 34 | Chicago Edison Company, 1897-1905 |
| Box 14 | Folder 35 | Chicago Historical Society, 1885 |
| Box 14 | Folder 36 | Chicago Medical Society, 1887-1905 |
| Box 14 | Folder 37 | Chicago Ornamental Iron Company, 1886-1906 |
| Box 14 | Folder 38 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, William Beebe, 1888-1889 |
| Box 14 | Folder 39 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, James F. Bowers, 1906 |
| Box 14 | Folder 40 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, Bernard Callaghan, 1886 |
| Box 14 | Folder 41 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, Bernard Cigrand, 1904-1907 |
| Box 14 | Folder 42 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, Committee on Buildings and Grounds, 1898-1902 |
| Box 14 | Folder 43 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, Edward J. Dreyer, 1894 |
| Box 14 | Folder 44 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, John W. Eckhart, 1903-1905 |
| Box 14 | Folder 45 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, John W. Eckhart, 1906-1908 |
| Box 15 | Folder 1 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, Dennis J. Egan, 1904 |
| Box 15 | Folder 2 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, John Enright, 1885-1890 |
| Box 15 | Folder 3 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, Fyffe, Colin H. (Attorney at Law, CPL’s Legal Counsel), 1904- 1908 |
| Box 15 | Folder 4 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, general correspondence, 1893-1908 |
| Box 15 | Folder 5 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, Azel F. Hatch, 1895-1900 |
| Box 15 | Folder 6 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, Emil G. Hirsch, 1892-1894 |
| Box 15 | Folder 7 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, Thomas Hoyne, 1872-1873. See also Early CPL, Papers of the President. |
| Box 15 | Folder 8 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, Thomas F. Keeley, 1894-1896 |
| Box 15 | Folder 9 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, John W. Lowe, 1903-1906 |
| Box 15 | Folder 10 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, Berthold Loewenthal, 1880 |
| Box 15 | Folder 11 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, Arthur Meeker, 1900-1905 |
| Box 15 | Folder 12 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, Bernard Moos, 1892-1895 |
| Box 15 | Folder 13 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, Adolph Moses, 1886 |
| Box 15 | Folder 14 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, W.J. Onahan, 1875-1881. See also “Chicago, City of, Department of Finance, Comptroller.” |
| Box 15 | Folder 15 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, Francis S. Peabody, 1900-1903. See also “Peabody, Houghteling & Company.” |
| Box 15 | Folder 16 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, Harry Rubens, 1883-1884 |
| Box 15 | Folder 17 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, Daniel Shorey, 1874-1879 |
| Box 15 | Folder 18 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, John Shortall, 1886-1903 |
| Box 15 | Folder 19 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, Pliny B. Smith, 1892-1894 |
| Box 15 | Folder 20 | Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, J.B. Walker, 1877-1898 |
| Box 15 | Folder 21 | Chicago Public Library, Branch Libraries, T.B. Blackstone Memorial Branch, 1904 |
| Box 15 | Folder 22 | Chicago Public Library, Branch Libraries, T.B. Blackstone Memorial Branch, 1905-1908 |
| Box 15 | Folder 23 | Chicago Public Library, Branch Reading Room #1, 1894-1908 |
| Box 15 | Folder 24 | Chicago Public Library, Branch Reading Room #2, (W.D. Malone) 1891-1893 |
| Box 15 | Folder 25 | Chicago Public Library, Branch Reading Room #3, (Ira Lange) 1891-1893 |
| Box 15 | Folder 26 | Chicago Public Library, Branch Reading Room #3, 1894-1895 |
| Box 15 | Folder 27 | Chicago Public Library, Branch Reading Room #3, 1896-1899 |
| Box 15 | Folder 28 | Chicago Public Library, Branch Reading Room #3, 1900-1904 |
| Box 15 | Folder 29 | Chicago Public Library, Branch Reading Room #3, 1905-1909 |
| Box 15 | Folder 30 | Chicago Public Library, Branch Reading Room #4, (Hyde Park Lyceum), 1893-1895. See also “Hyde Park Lyceum.” |
| Box 15 | Folder 31 | Chicago Public Library, Branch Reading Room #4, 1901-1905 |
| Box 15 | Folder 32 | Chicago Public Library, Branch Reading Room #5, (J.A. Young), 1896-1904 |
| Box 15 | Folder 33 | Chicago Public Library, Branch Reading Room #6, 1896-1903 |
| Box 15 | Folder 34 | Chicago Public Library, Branch Reading Room, (Will L. McRae), 1891-1893 |
| Box 15 | Folder 35 | Chicago Public Library, Branch Reading Room, (Frederic Rex), 1905 |
| Box 15 | Folder 36 | Chicago Public Library, Branch Reading Room, (Will L. Shide), 1893-1902 |
| Box 15 | Folder 37 | Chicago Public Library, Branch Reading Room, 1891-1895 |
| Box 15 | Folder 38 | Chicago Public Library, Branch Reading Room, 1896-1908 |
| Box 15 | Folder 39 | Chicago Public Library, Branch Reading Room, 1896-1908 |
| Box 15 | Folder 40 | Chicago Public Library, Chief Engineer, (J. Reitz), 1899 |
| Box 15 | Folder 41 | Chicago Public Library, Librarian, William Frederick Poole, 1879. See also Early CPL Papers of the Librarian. |
| Box 15 | Folder 42 | Chicago Public Library, Superintendent of Buildings (Nicolas E. Weydert), 1892-1893 43. Chicago Public Library, Superintendent of Buildings (Nicolas E. Weydert), 1894-1895 |
| Box 16 | Folder 1 | Chicago Public Library, Superintendent of Buildings (Nicolas E. Weydert), 1896 |
| Box 16 | Folder 2 | Chicago Public Library, Superintendent of Buildings (Nicolas E. Weydert), 1897 |
| Box 16 | Folder 3 | Chicago Public Library, Superintendent of Buildings (Nicolas E. Weydert), 1898-1900 |
| Box 16 | Folder 4 | Chicago Telephone Company, 1892-1908 |
| Box 16 | Folder 5 | Chicago Underwriter’s Association, 1897-1908 |
| Box 16 | Folder 7 | Citizen’s Improvement Association of Normal Park and Eggleston, 1905 |
| Box 14 | Folder 14 | City of Chicago, Board of Education, 1896-1908 |
| Box 14 | Folder 16 | City of Chicago, City Council, 1902-1908 |
| Box 14 | Folder 17 | City of Chicago, Corporation Counsel, 1905 |
| Box 14 | Folder 18 | City of Chicago, Department of Finance, Comptroller, 1876-1880 |
| Box 14 | Folder 19 | City of Chicago, Department of Finance, Comptroller, 1890-1895 |
| Box 14 | Folder 20 | City of Chicago, Department of Finance, Comptroller, 1897-1899 |
| Box 14 | Folder 21 | City of Chicago, Department of Finance, Comptroller, 1900-1902 |
| Box 14 | Folder 22 | City of Chicago, Department of Finance, Comptroller, 1903-1904 |
| Box 14 | Folder 23 | City of Chicago, Department of Finance, Comptroller, 1905-1906 |
| Box 14 | Folder 24 | City of Chicago, Department of Finance, Comptroller, 1907-1908 |
| Box 14 | Folder 25 | City of Chicago, general correspondence, 1893-1908 |
| Box 14 | Folder 26 | City of Chicago, Department of Health, mentions smallpox outbreaks, 1894-1903 |
| Box 14 | Folder 27 | City of Chicago, Mayor’s Office, Fred Busse, 1907-1908 |
| Box 14 | Folder 28 | City of Chicago, Mayor’s Office, Dewitt Clinton Creiger, 1889 |
| Box 14 | Folder 29 | City of Chicago, Mayor’s Office, Edward Dunne, 1905-1906 |
| Box 14 | Folder 30 | City of Chicago, Mayor’s Office, Carter H. Harrison, 1900-1904 |
| Box 14 | Folder 31 | City of Chicago, Mayor’s Office, Hempstead Washburne, 1891 |
| Box 14 | Folder 32 | City of Chicago, Department of Public Works, 1886-1907 |
| Box 16 | Folder 8 | Clinic Publishing Company, 1899-1900 |
| Box 16 | Folder 9 | Clinic Publishing Company, 1901 |
| Box 16 | Folder 11 | Cobb, Henry Ives, 1892 |
| Box 16 | Folder 12 | Colonial Electric Company, 1902-1904 |
| Box 16 | Folder 13 | Commonwealth Electric Company, 1903-1908 |
| Box 16 | Folder 14 | Consumers Company, 1896-1907 |
| Box 16 | Folder 15 | Cook County, general correspondence, 1897-1905 |
| Box 16 | Folder 17 | Crane Elevator Company, 1898 |
| Box 16 | Folder 18 | John Crerar Library, 1897-1898 |
| Box 16 | Folder 19 | Crocker-Wheeler Electric Company, 1899-1904 |
| Box 16 | Folder 20 | Crumbaugh, Kate B., 1898 |
| Box 16 | Folder 22 | Daily Globe, 1891 |
| Box 16 | Folder 24 | Dewey, Melvil [See also Library Journal in “General, Li-Ly”], 1878 |
| Box 16 | Folder 25 | Dey Time Register Company, 1905 |
| Box 16 | Folder 30 | Dunne, M., Deposit Station, 1898-1905 |
| Box 16 | Folder 31 | Durborow, Allan, Insurance, 1904-1906 |
| Box 16 | Folder 34 | Electric Appliance Company, 1898-1907 |
| Box 16 | Folder 35 | Eliel & Loeb, Insurance, fire underwriters, 1905-1907 |
| Box 22 | Folder 2 | E.M. Terquem, Importer, 1884-1908 |
| Box 16 | Folder 36 | Emerson, George, Bookseller and Stationer, 1875-1880 |
| Box 16 | Folder 37 | Engineering Record, 1892-1898 |
| Box 16 | Folder 29 | E.S. Dreyer & Company, Mortgage Bankers, 1894-1897 |
| Box 16 | Folder 38 | Evans Marble Company, 1895-1900 |
| Box 17 | Folder 2 | Fairbanks, Morris & Company, Fairbanks Standard Scales, 1896-1908 |
| Box 17 | Folder 3 | Faraday Carbon Company, 1899-1900 |
| Box 17 | Folder 18 | F.G. Hartwell & Company, Coal Shippers, 1901-1908 |
| Box 17 | Folder 23 | F.H. Herhold & Sons, manufacturer of chairs, 1898-1903 |
| Box 17 | Folder 5 | Field Columbian Museum, 1895 |
| Box 17 | Folder 6 | Forbes Library, Northampton, Massachusetts, Copyright Act in US Congress, 1906 |
| Box 17 | Folder 9 | Frankfort Marine Accident & Plate Glass Insurance Company, 1899-1908 |
| Box 18 | Folder 12 | Fred S. James & Company, 1898-1906 |
| Box 17 | Folder 7 | G.F. Foster & Sons Company, Uniforms, 1898 |
| Box 17 | Folder 11 | General Post Office, Chicago, 1898-1900 |
| Box 14 | Folder 7 | George Carpenter & Company, Awnings, 1898-1906 |
| Box 17 | Folder 13 | Grand Army Hall & Memorial Association (GAR), 1898-1905 |
| Box 21 | Folder 16 | Gustav E. Stechert & Company, Importer of Books and Periodicals, 1876-1907 |
| Box 17 | Folder 15 | Hamburg-Bremen Fire Insurance Company, 1906-1908 |
| Box 17 | Folder 16 | Harrassowitz, Otto, Agent in Leipzig, 1888-1904 |
| Box 17 | Folder 17 | Harris Trust & Savings Bank, 1908 |
| Box 17 | Folder 19 | Hartwick, C.M., Free Library, Merrillan, Wisconsin, 1879-1890 |
| Box 17 | Folder 20 | Hastings Express Company, 1892-1895 |
| Box 17 | Folder 21 | George K. Hazlitt & Company, Printers, 1889-1905 |
| Box 17 | Folder 25 | Howard Watch & Clock Company, 1898-1900 |
| Box 17 | Folder 27 | Hyde Park Lyceum, CPL sub-station, 1888-1890. See also “Chicago Public Library, Branch Reading Room #4.” |
| Box 17 | Folder 28 | Hyde Park Lyceum, 1891 |
| Box 18 | Folder 2 | Illinois Electric Company, 1899-1906 |
| Box 18 | Folder 3 | Illinois, State of, general correspondence, 1897-1905 |
| Box 18 | Folder 4 | Illinois, State of, House of Representatives, 1905-1907 |
| Box 18 | Folder 5 | Illinois, State of, Senate, 1891-1905 |
| Box 18 | Folder 7 | Imhauser Company, Watchman’s Improved Time Detectors, 1897-1898 |
| Box 18 | Folder 8 | International Harvester Company [See also McCormick Harvesting Machine Company and McCormick, Robert S.], 1903-1908 |
| Box 18 | Folder 9 | International Time Recording Company, 1900-1907 |
| Box 20 | Folder 19 | I.T. Relling & Company, Importers of Norwegian, Swedish and Danish Books and Periodicals, 1879-1881 |
| Box 18 | Folder 11 | James, Anton, 1891-1899 |
| Box 18 | Folder 13 | Jandus Electric Company, 1899-1904 |
| Box 19 | Folder 15 | John Mohr & Sons, boiler makers, 1897-1900 |
| Box 18 | Folder 15 | Kamelow, 3 library cards, fines envelope, CPL debit sheets, correspondence, 1897 |
| Box 18 | Folder 16 | Kearney, J.J., 1879-1882 |
| Box 18 | Folder 17 | Kelly Brothers, Manufacturing Company, 1890 |
| Box 18 | Folder 18 | King’s Model Laundry Company, 1901-1905 |
| Box 18 | Folder 21 | Lewis Institute, Chicago, library station, 1905-1908 |
| Box 18 | Folder 23 | Library Bureau, 1887-1900 |
| Box 18 | Folder 24 | Library Bureau, 1901-1905 |
| Box 18 | Folder 25 | Library Bureau, 1906-1908 |
| Box 18 | Folder 27 | London Guarantee & Accident Company Limited, 1898-1907 |
| Box 18 | Folder 28 | Loewenstein & Sons, Modern Clothes for Men, 1904 |
| Box 18 | Folder 29 | Loewenstein & Sons, Modern Clothes for Men, 1905-1906 |
| Box 19 | Folder 2 | Madisonville Literary Society, 1886 |
| Box 19 | Folder 3 | Marshall Field Company, 1894-1908 |
| Box 19 | Folder 4 | Massachusetts, Commonwealth, 1877-1908 |
| Box 19 | Folder 5 | Matthews Brothers Manufacturing Company, regarding the GAR Memorial Hall, 1896 |
| Box 19 | Folder 8 | McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, regarding library deposits [See also International Harvester Company and McCormick, Robert S.], 1902-1903 |
| Box 19 | Folder 9 | McCormick, Robert S., 1898-1900 |
| Box 19 | Folder 12 | Michigan Chair Company, 1897 |
| Box 19 | Folder 13 | Mitchell & Halbach, interior decorators, 1896-1907 |
| Box 19 | Folder 16 | Municipal Museum of Chicago, (housed at Chicago Public Library) 1905-1906 |
| Box 19 | Folder 19 | Newberry Library, 1887-1908 |
| Box 19 | Folder 21 | North Electrical Manufacturing Company (CPL machinery), 1900-1902 |
| Box 19 | Folder 22 | Northern Trust Company, 1898-1908 |
| Box 19 | Folder 23 | Northwestern University, Chicago Library Club, 1893 |
| Box 19 | Folder 25 | Ogden Gas Company, 1900-1907 |
| Box 19 | Folder 26 | Oliver Typewriter Company, 1899-1908 |
| Box 19 | Folder 27 | Otis Elevator Company, 1899-1907 |
| Box 19 | Folder 28 | Oxley & Enos Manufacturing Company, electric and gas fixtures, 1897-1900 |
| Box 20 | Folder 3 | Peabody, Houghteling & Company, CPL investments, 1901-1904 |
| Box 20 | Folder 4 | Peabody, Houghteling & Company, CPL investments, 1905-1908 |
| Box 20 | Folder 5 | Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, 1901-1902 |
| Box 20 | Folder 6 | Pellet & Hunter, fire insurance, 1898-1903 |
| Box 20 | Folder 7 | People’s Gas Light and Coke Company, 1892-1907 |
| Box 20 | Folder 10 | Plapp, F.W., 1901-1907 |
| Box 20 | Folder 11 | Plzensky Sokol, 1906-1908 |
| Box 20 | Folder 13 | Pullman Company, 1908 |
| Box 20 | Folder 14 | Pullman School, 1898 |
| Box 20 | Folder 16 | D.M. Quay/Quay-Daykin Company, 1898-1901 |
| Box 20 | Folder 18 | Ravenswood Press, 1898-1899 |
| Box 20 | Folder 20 | Remington Typewriter Company, 1890-1908 |
| Box 20 | Folder 21 | Re-New Lamp Company, 1901-1907 |
| Box 20 | Folder 23 | Rockford, Illinois, Public Library, 1896-1904 |
| Box 20 | Folder 26 | Rosin, I., regarding Library book theft, circa 1896 |
| Box 16 | Folder 28 | R.R. Donnelly & Sons Company, (Lakeside Press), 1891-1907 |
| Box 21 | Folder 4 | Sharpe, A., foreign periodicals, 1882 |
| Box 21 | Folder 5 | Shelby Electric Company, 1902-1903 |
| Box 21 | Folder 6 | Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge, Architects, 1892-1895 |
| Box 21 | Folder 7 | Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge, Architects, 1896 |
| Box 21 | Folder 8 | Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge, Architects, 1897 |
| Box 21 | Folder 9 | Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge, Architects, 1898 |
| Box 21 | Folder 10 | Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge, Architects, 1899-1907 |
| Box 21 | Folder 11 | Shortall, & Murison, Mortgage Brokers [See also Chicago Public Library, Board of Directors, John G. Shortall], 1893-1907 |
| Box 21 | Folder 13 | Snead & Company, Ironworks, 1894-1901 |
| Box 21 | Folder 14 | South Park Commissioners, 1899-1907 |
| Box 21 | Folder 28 | Stewart Iron Works, 1896-1897 |
| Box 21 | Folder 30 | Subscription News Company, 1882-1889 |
| Box 21 | Folder 31 | Subscription News Company, 1890-1900 |
| Box 21 | Folder 32 | Swift & Stroker, Real Estate, 1893-1901 |
| Box 21 | Folder 33 | Swift & Stroker, Real Estate, 1902-1904 |
| Box 21 | Folder 34 | Swift & Stroker, Real Estate, 1905-1907 |
| Box 22 | Folder 4 | Tice & Lynch, Custom House Brokers, 1900-1903 |
| Box 22 | Folder 5 | Tice & Lynch, Custom House Brokers, 1904-1908 |
| Box 22 | Folder 6 | Tice & Lynch, Custom House Brokers, 1908 |
| Box 22 | Folder 7 | Tiffany Glass & Decorating Company, 1895-1897 |
| Box 22 | Folder 8 | Traders Insurance Company, 1891-1893 |
| Box 22 | Folder 9 | Travelers Insurance Company, 1897-1906 |
| Box 22 | Folder 11 | Uhlich Orphan Asylum, 1908 |
| Box 22 | Folder 12 | Unger Printing Company, 1891-1903 |
| Box 22 | Folder 13 | Union Casualty Surety Company, 1901-1902 |
| Box 22 | Folder 15 | United States Government, general correspondence, 1881-1889 |
| Box 22 | Folder 16 | United States, Library of Congress, 1902-1908 |
| Box 22 | Folder 17 | United States, Mint of Philadelphia, 1893 |
| Box 22 | Folder 18 | United States, Office of the Public Printer, 1876-1878 |
| Box 22 | Folder 19 | United States, Patent Office, 1875-1901 |
| Box 22 | Folder 20 | United States, Superintendent of Documents, 1907-1908 |
| Box 22 | Folder 22 | Upton, W.B., 1899 |
| Box 22 | Folder 24 | Van Dorn Iron Works Company, 1901 |
| Box 22 | Folder 25 | Veeder Manufacturing Company, 1903-1907 |
| Box 22 | Folder 26 | Vierling, McDowell & Company, 1896-1900 |
| Box 22 | Folder 28 | Warren Electric & Specialty Company, 1897-1902 |
| Box 22 | Folder 29 | Wasmuth, Ernst, Berlin, 1902 |
| Box 22 | Folder 31 | Wentworth, F.L., 1882 |
| Box 22 | Folder 32 | West Chicago Park Commission, 1899-1905 |
| Box 22 | Folder 33 | West Disinfecting Company, 1896-1908 |
| Box 22 | Folder 34 | West End Improvement Club, 1903 |
| Box 22 | Folder 35 | Western Electric Company, 1898-1908 |
| Box 20 | Folder 25 | William E. Rollo & Company, Insurance Agency, 1904-1907 |
| Box 22 | Folder 37 | Wire, Dr. G.E., regarding the donation of the Poole Memorial Bust, 1898 |
| Box 22 | Folder 39 | Women’s Christian Temperance Union, 1888-1895 |
| Box 20 | Folder 12 | W.R. Pridmore, Real Estate, 1905-1907 |
| Box 22 | Folder 41 | Youghiogheny and Lehigh Coal Company, 1896-1904 |
| Box 22 | Folder 42 | Young Men’s Christian Association, 1878-1899 |
| Box 22 | Folder 43 | Zenske, Listy, 1896 |
Series 2: Papers of the Secretary of the Board of Directors, 1872-1912
Subseries N: Correspondence, Outgoing, 1876-1895
Arrangement
Subseries N is arranged chronologically.
| Box 11 | Folder 1 | Outgoing correspondence book, indexed, 1876-1879 |
| Box 11 | Folder 2 | Outgoing correspondence book, indexed, 1879-1884 |
| Box 11 | Folder 3 | Outgoing correspondence book, indexed, 1884-1887 |
| Box 11 | Folder 4 | Outgoing correspondence book, indexed, 1887-1890 |
| Box 11 | Folder 5 | Outgoing correspondence book, indexed, 1890-1891 |
| Box 12 | Folder 1 | Outgoing correspondence book, indexed, 1891-1893 |
| Box 12 | Folder 2 | Outgoing correspondence book, indexed, 1893-1895 |
Series 2: Papers of the Secretary of the Board of Directors, 1872-1912
Subseries O: Records of Claim, “T” Documents, 1895-1908
Scope and Contents
Subseries O contains Records of Claim, or “T” Documents seem to be decisions of issues that required legal advice.
Arrangement
Subseries O is arranged numerically by the assigned “T” number. The original filing numbers used by the library have been maintained, although this numbering system was likely imposed after these documents were created. Thus, T-57 dates from 1902 while T-16 is dated 1904.
| Box 23 | Folder 1 | Appellate Court of Illinois, Board of Directors of the Chicago Public Library v. James Arnold, 1895 |
| Box 23 | Folder 2 | T-1 Opinion of Corporation Counsel, contracts, 1898 |
| Box 23 | Folder 3 | T-2 Opinion of Corporation Counsel, making leases, 1898 |
| Box 23 | Folder 4 | T-3 Opinion of Corporation Counsel, McMahon case [salary deducted for non-compliance with rule], 1899 |
| Box 23 | Folder 5 | T-3 Opinion of Corporation Counsel, Board having engineer’s work done by contract, 1899 |
| Box 23 | Folder 6 | T-3 Opinion of Corporation Counsel, sale of warrants, 1902 |
| Box 23 | Folder 7 | T-3 Opinion of Corporation Counsel, Free Lending Library for the Blind Home Teaching, 1902 |
| Box 23 | Folder 8 | T-3 ½ Opinion of Corporation Counsel, funds transferred from Library to General Fund in 1880, 1900 |
| Box 23 | Folder 9 | T-3 ½ Opinion of Corporation Counsel, giving estimate in detail, 1902 |
| Box 23 | Folder 10 | T-3 ½ Opinion of Corporation Counsel, Council dictating to Library to it shall spend its money, 1902 |
| Box 23 | Folder 11 | T-4 Opinion of Corporation Counsel, defines what constitutes the lowest responsible bidder, 1894 |
| Box 23 | Folder 12 | T-6 Opinion of Corporation Counsel, defines transfer of Public Library balance, 1880 |
| Box 23 | Folder 13 | T-9 Opinion of Corporation Counsel, CPL claim to Old Post Office Property, 1880 |
| Box 23 | Folder 14 | T-12 Opinion of Corporation Counsel, paving streets around Library, 1903 |
| Box 23 | Folder 15 | T-14 Opinion of Corporation Counsel, claim of John J. Enright [payment for Sunday overtime], 1903 |
| Box 23 | Folder 16 | T-15 Opinion of Corporation Counsel, cost of extending Library tax, 1903 |
| Box 23 | Folder 17 | T-17 Declaration, Opinion of Corporation Counsel, quit-claim [Dearborn Park property], 1905 |
| Box 23 | Folder 18 | T-18 Notification from Corporation Counsel, Linehan case outcome, 1904 |
| Box 23 | Folder 19 | T-20 Report by Director Fyffe and correspondence regarding Pettilkow’s claim for damages [Library auto accident with horse and buggy], 1905 |
| Box 23 | Folder 20 | T-21 Pension Bill, adopted, 1905 |
| Box 23 | Folder 21 | T-22 Opinion of Director Fyffe, awards contract for automobiles, 1905 |
| Box 23 | Folder 22 | T-23 Opinion of Corporation Counsel, payment of elevator inspection fees to City, 1905 |
| Box 23 | Folder 23 | T-24 Correspondence from Director Fyffe, lien on Mitchel & Halbach [sub-contractors], 1905 |
| Box 23 | Folder 24 | T-25 Opinion of Corporation Counsel, exempts the Brother Jonathan Building from taxation, 1905 |
| Box 23 | Folder 25 | T-26 Notice to Library of violation of City Ordinance, elevator inspections, 1904 |
| Box 23 | Folder 26 | T-27 Correspondence from Superintendent of Water, unpaid bills, 1904 |
| Box 23 | Folder 27 | T-28 Opinions [2] of Corporation Counsel, right of Library to use part of the Kelly Bequest to build a branch library, 1904, 1905 |
| Box 23 | Folder 28 | T-34 and T-34 ½, Foley loan, 1906-1908 |
| Box 23 | Folder 29 | T-35 Opinion of Corporation Counsel, fines and pension fund, 1906 |
| Box 23 | Folder 30 | T-37 Opinion of Corporation Counsel, right of Library to issue bonds to build branch libraries, 1905 |
| Box 23 | Folder 31 | T-38 Correspondence, John H. Eckhart to Corporation Counsel, asks if Library can use Kelly Bequest to purchase fee under Brother Jonathan Property, 1905 |
| Box 23 | Folder 32 | T-39 Request by Colin Fyffe to use Library room for Home for Destitute Crippled Children’s flower show, 1907 |
| Box 23 | Folder 33 | T-42, Foley loan, 1907 |
| Box 23 | Folder 34 | T-54, money due from City, 1906 |
| Box 23 | Folder 35 | T-55, collision between Library automobile and Chicago Union Traction Company streetcar, 1907, 1908 |
| Box 23 | Folder 36 | T-56, paving Randolph Street from State Street to Michigan Avenue, 1906 |
| Box 23 | Folder 37 | T-57, spreading taxes for city, schools, and library, 1902-1903 |
Series 2: Papers of the Secretary of the Board of Directors, 1872-1912
Subseries P: Petitions to Board: “L” Documents [denied mostly], 1874-1912
Scope and Contents
Subseries P contains Petitions to the Board of Directors, that consist primarily of petitions from staff members asking for time off or for a change in work circumstances. The petitions marked with an “L” appear to have been denied.
Arrangement
Subseries P is arranged numerically by petition number. As with the Records of Claim, the Petitions have numbers that were likely assigned to them after their creation since they do not flow chronologically. From the numbering system it appears that the numbers were assigned sometime around 1899.
| Box 24 | Folder 1 | Petitions to Board - L-1 to L-10, 1879-1897 |
| Box 24 | Folder 2 | Petitions to Board - L-11 to L-20, 1879-1896 |
| Box 24 | Folder 3 | Petitions to Board - L-21 to L-30, 1881-1899 |
| Box 24 | Folder 4 | Petitions to Board - L-31 to L-40, 1884-1899 |
| Box 24 | Folder 5 | Petitions to Board - L-41 to L-50, 1874-1897 |
| Box 24 | Folder 6 | Petitions to Board - L-51 to L-60, 1881-1896 |
| Box 24 | Folder 7 | Petitions to Board - L-61 to L-70, 1879-1898 |
| Box 24 | Folder 8 | Petitions to Board - L-71 to L-80, 1875-1900 |
| Box 24 | Folder 9 | Petitions to Board - L-81 to L-90, 1900 |
| Box 24 | Folder 10 | Petitions to Board - L-91 to L-100, 1900-1901 |
| Box 24 | Folder 11 | Petitions to Board - L-101 to L-110, 1901 |
| Box 24 | Folder 12 | Petitions to Board - L-111 to L-120, 1900-1902 |
| Box 24 | Folder 13 | Petitions to Board - L-121 to L-130 [L-128 missing], 1902-1903 |
| Box 24 | Folder 14 | Petitions to Board - L-131 to L-140, 1903-1904 |
| Box 24 | Folder 15 | Petitions to Board - L-141 to L-150, 1904-1905 |
| Box 24 | Folder 16 | Petitions to Board - L-151 to L-160, 1906-1907 |
| Box 24 | Folder 17 | Petitions to Board - L-161, 1 of 2 [all these petitions were found bound together by string], 1907 |
| Box 24 | Folder 18 | Petitions to Board - L-161, 2 of 2 [all these petitions were found bound together by string], 1907 |
| Box 24 | Folder 19 | Petitions to Board - L-162 to L-170, 1907-1908 |
| Box 24 | Folder 20 | Petitions to Board - L-171 to L-180, 1908-1909 |
| Box 24 | Folder 21 | Petitions to Board - L-181 to L-187, 1910 |
| Box 24 | Folder 22 | Petitions to Board - L-188 to L-191, 1905-1912 |
Series 2: Papers of the Secretary of the Board of Directors, 1872-1912
Subseries Q: Petitions to Board: “K” Documents [granted mostly], 1874-1912
Scope and Contents
Subseries Q contains petitions to the Board of Directors, that consist primarily of petitions from staff members asking for time off or for a change in work circumstances. Those petitions marked with a “K” seem to have been granted.
Arrangement
Subseries Q is arranged numerically by petition number. As with the Records of Claim, the Petitions have numbers that were likely assigned to them after their creation since they do not flow chronologically. From the numbering system it appears that the numbers were assigned sometime around 1899. K-1 through K-373, which date from before 1899 are arranged roughly alphabetically, regardless of year and those numbered K-374 and higher are arranged chronologically, beginning in 1899 when the new filing system was adopted.
| Box 25 | Folder 1 | Petitions to Board - K-1 to K10 [K-8 missing], Arentz-Booth, 1881-1897 |
| Box 25 | Folder 2 | Petitions to Board - K-11 to K-20, Booth-Burroughs, 1885-1898 |
| Box 25 | Folder 3 | Petitions to Board - K-21 to K-30, Bushnells- Barnes, 1884-1898 |
| Box 25 | Folder 4 | Petitions to Board - K-31 to K-40, Barnes-Coleman, 1887-1897 |
| Box 25 | Folder 5 | Petitions to Board - K-41 to K-50, Coleman-Cameron, 1881-1895 |
| Box 25 | Folder 6 | Petitions to Board - K-51 to K-60 [K-58 missing], Cameron-Doran, 1887-1897 |
| Box 25 | Folder 7 | Petitions to Board - K-61 to K-64, K-68, K-70, Donovan-Evening and Sunday Attendants, 1885-1901 |
| Box 25 | Folder 8 | Petitions to Board - K-71 to K-80, evening, Sunday, and holiday employees-petition for holiday, 1880-1884 |
| Box 25 | Folder 9 | Petitions to Board - K-81 to K-88, employees for holiday- Perry, 1878-1899 |
| Box 25 | Folder 10 | Petitions to Board - K-92 to K-99 [K-93 missing], Sunday, evening employees-Ettelson, 1883-1897 |
| Box 25 | Folder 11 | Petitions to Board - K-100 to K-110, Ettelson-Elliot, 1884-1895 |
| Box 25 | Folder 12 | Petitions to Board - K-111 to K-120, Elliot-Frankenstein, 1878-1895 |
| Box 25 | Folder 13 | Petitions to Board - K-121 to K-130, Frankenstein-Fitzgerald, 1878-1897 |
| Box 25 | Folder 14 | Petitions to Board - K-131 to K-140, Fitzgerald-Goldberger, 1884-1896 |
| Box 25 | Folder 15 | Petitions to Board - K-141 to K-150, Goldberger-Gauss, 1884-1894 |
| Box 25 | Folder 16 | Petitions to Board - K-151 to K-160, Hammett-Hyde, 1882-1899 |
| Box 25 | Folder 17 | Petitions to Board - K-161 to K-170, Hyde-Hisher, 1889-1897 |
| Box 25 | Folder 18 | Petitions to Board - K-171 to L-180, Janitors-Kearney, 1886-1895 |
| Box 25 | Folder 19 | Petitions to Board - K-181 to K-190, Kearney-King, 1881-1897 |
| Box 25 | Folder 20 | Petitions to Board - K-191 to K-200, Konpal-Larson, 1881-1894 |
| Box 25 | Folder 21 | Petitions to Board - K-201 to K-210, Larson-Moe, 1881-1897 |
| Box 25 | Folder 22 | Petitions to Board - K-211 to K-220, Moe-Morawski, 1878-1892 |
| Box 25 | Folder 23 | Petitions to Board - K-221 to K-230, Morawwski-Meilbek, 1878-1897 |
| Box 25 | Folder 24 | Petitions to Board - K-231 to K-240, Meilbek-Nyhuss, 1878-1898 |
| Box 25 | Folder 25 | Petitions to Board - K-241 to K-250, Ohrenstein-Pribyl, 1884-1898 |
| Box 25 | Folder 26 | Petitions to Board - K-251 to K-260, Pribyl-Purer, 1881-1895 |
| Box 25 | Folder 27 | Petitions to Board - K-261 to K-270, Purer-Patterson, 1884-1898 |
| Box 25 | Folder 28 | Petitions to Board - K-272 to K-280, Patterson-Rommeiss, 1876-1898 |
| Box 25 | Folder 29 | Petitions to Board - K-281 to K-290 [K-295 missing], Rommeiss-Roode, 1883-1898 |
| Box 25 | Folder 30 | Petitions to Board - K-291 to K-300, Rohrer-Sonne, 1888-1899 |
| Box 25 | Folder 31 | Petitions to Board - K-301 to K-310, Stern-Sherwood, 1887-1896 |
| Box 25 | Folder 32 | Petitions to Board - K-311 to K-320, Sherwood-Scanlon, 1879-1896 |
| Box 25 | Folder 33 | Petitions to Board - K-321 to K-330, Schmidt-Taylor, 1878-1899 |
| Box 25 | Folder 34 | Petitions to Board - K-331 to K-340, Sanchin-Voellmy, 1884-1896 |
| Box 25 | Folder 35 | Petitions to Board - K-341 to K-350, Voellmy-Waska, 1874-1897 |
| Box 25 | Folder 36 | Petitions to Board - K-351 to K-360, Waska-Wilson, 1881-1898 |
| Box 25 | Folder 37 | Petitions to Board - K-361 to K-370, Wilson-Young, 1884-1898 |
| Box 25 | Folder 38 | Petitions to Board - K-371 to K-373, Young-Skorazinska, 1879-1897 |
| Box 26 | Folder 1 | Petitions to Board - K-374 to K-380, 1899-1900 |
| Box 26 | Folder 2 | Petitions to Board - K-381 to K-390 [K-388 missing], 1900 |
| Box 26 | Folder 3 | Petitions to Board - K-391 to K-400 [K-397 missing], 1900-1901 |
| Box 26 | Folder 4 | Petitions to Board - K-401 to K-410, 1901 |
| Box 26 | Folder 5 | Petitions to Board - K-411 to K-420, 1901-1904 |
| Box 26 | Folder 6 | Petitions to Board - K-421 to K-430, 1902 |
| Box 26 | Folder 7 | Petitions to Board - K-431 to K-440, 1903 |
| Box 26 | Folder 8 | Petitions to Board - K-441 to K-450 [K-444 missing], 1903-1904 |
| Box 26 | Folder 9 | Petitions to Board - K-451 to K-460, 1904 |
| Box 26 | Folder 10 | Petitions to Board - K-461 to K-470, 1904-1905 |
| Box 26 | Folder 11 | Petitions to Board - K-471 to K-480, 1905 |
| Box 26 | Folder 12 | Petitions to Board - K-481 to K-490, 1905-1906 |
| Box 26 | Folder 13 | Petitions to Board - K-491 to K-500, 1906-1907 |
| Box 26 | Folder 14 | Petitions to Board - K-501 to K-510, 1907 |
| Box 26 | Folder 15 | Petitions to Board - K-511 to K-520, 1907-1908 |
| Box 26 | Folder 16 | Petitions to Board - K-521 to K-530, 1908 |
| Box 26 | Folder 17 | Petitions to Board - K-531 to K-540, 1908-1909 |
| Box 26 | Folder 18 | Petitions to Board - K-541 to K-549 [K-550 missing], 1909 |
| Box 26 | Folder 19 | Petitions to Board - K-551 to K-560, 1909 |
| Box 26 | Folder 20 | Petitions to Board - K-561 to K-570, 1909 |
| Box 26 | Folder 21 | Petitions to Board - K-571 to K-580, 1909 |
| Box 26 | Folder 22 | Petitions to Board - K-581 to K-590, 1910 |
| Box 26 | Folder 23 | Petitions to Board - K-591 to K-600, 1910 |
| Box 26 | Folder 24 | Petitions to Board - K-601 to K-610, 1910 |
| Box 26 | Folder 25 | Petitions to Board - K-611 to K-620, 1910-1911 |
| Box 26 | Folder 26 | Petitions to Board - K-621 to K-632 ½, 1911-1912 |
Series 2: Papers of the Secretary of the Board of Directors, 1872-1912
Subseries R: Canceled Checks, 1872-1882
Arrangement
Subseries R is arranged alphabetically by financial document type and chronologically within.
| Box 27 | Folder 1 | Canceled checks - German National Bank, numbers 1-10, 1872 October 15-1873 April 28 |
| Box 27 | Folder 2 | Canceled checks - German National Bank, numbers 11-20, 1873 May 7-July 28 |
| Box 27 | Folder 3 | Canceled checks - German National Bank, numbers 21-30, 1873 July 30-October 16 |
| Box 27 | Folder 4 | Canceled checks - German National Bank, numbers 31-40, 1873 October 21-December 31 |
| Box 27 | Folder 5 | Canceled checks - German National Bank, numbers 41-55, 1874 January 6-March 26 |
| Box 27 | Folder 6 | Canceled checks - First National Bank, numbers 1-10, 1874 December 1-1875 March 8 |
| Box 27 | Folder 7 | Canceled checks - First National Bank, numbers 11-20, 1875 March 10-July 1 |
| Box 27 | Folder 8 | Canceled checks - First National Bank, numbers 21-30 [23 and 25 missing], 1875 July 20-December 7 |
| Box 27 | Folder 9 | Canceled checks - First National Bank, numbers 31-40, 1875 December 25-1876 March 29 |
| Box 27 | Folder 10 | Canceled checks - First National Bank, numbers 41-47, 1876 March 30-July 19 |
| Box 27 | Folder 11 | Canceled checks - First National Bank, numbers 51-60, 1876 August 3-September 26 |
| Box 27 | Folder 12 | Canceled checks - First National Bank, numbers 61-70, 1876 September 26-1877 February 16 |
| Box 27 | Folder 13 | Canceled checks - First National Bank, numbers 71-80, 1877 February 24-August 30 |
| Box 27 | Folder 14 | Canceled checks - First National Bank, numbers 81-90 1877 September 1-1878 January 2 |
| Box 27 | Folder 15 | Canceled checks - First National Bank, numbers 91-100, 1878 February 1-July 1 |
| Box 27 | Folder 16 | Canceled checks - First National Bank, numbers 101-110, 1878 July 30-October 1 |
| Box 27 | Folder 17 | Canceled checks - First National Bank, numbers 111-120, 1878 October 16-1879 March 1 |
| Box 27 | Folder 18 | Canceled checks - First National Bank, numbers 121-135, 1879 April 2-October 1 |
| Box 27 | Folder 19 | Canceled checks - First National Bank, numbers 136-150, 1879 November 4-1880 March 20 |
| Box 27 | Folder 20 | Canceled checks - First National Bank, numbers 151-160, 1880 March 30-June 1 |
| Box 27 | Folder 21 | Canceled checks - First National Bank, numbers 161-170, 1880 June 2-June 24 |
| Box 27 | Folder 22 | Canceled checks - First National Bank, numbers 171-179, 1880 July 31-August 23 |
| Box 27 | Folder 23 | Canceled checks - First National Bank, Numbers 180-196, 1880 August 24-October 11 |
| Box 27 | Folder 24 | Canceled checks - First National Bank, miscellaneous checks (7 items), 1874 |
| Box 27 | Folder 25 | Canceled checks - First National Bank, numbers 279-293, 585, 1881 December 1-1882 January 20, 1884 July 23 |
| Box 27 | Folder 26 | Checkbook stubs - First National Bank, numbers 1-47, 1874 December 11-1876 July 5 |
| Box 27 | Folder 27 | Checkbook stubs - First National Bank, numbers 48-97, 1876 July 18-1878 June 5 |
| Box 27 | Folder 28 | Checkbook stubs - First National Bank, numbers 98-195, 1878 June 24-1880 October 11 |
Series 2: Papers of the Secretary of the Board of Directors, 1872-1912
Subseries S: Official Bonds, 1882-1897
Arrangement
Subseries S is arranged alphabetically by document type and chronologically within.
| Box 27 | Folder 39 | Authority of President and Finance Committee for purchase of $10,000, 1891 |
| Box 27 | Folder 29 | Official Bond for $1,000 of W.B. Wickersham, 1882 August 10 |
| Box 27 | Folder 30 | Official Bond for $2,500 of W.B. Wickersham, 1883 July 28 |
| Box 27 | Folder 31 | Official Bond for $2,500 of W.B. Wickersham, 1884 October 10 |
| Box 27 | Folder 32 | Official Bond for $2,500 of W.B. Wickersham, 1885 October 24 |
| Box 27 | Folder 33 | Official Bond for $2,500 of W.B. Wickersham, 1886 September 25 |
| Box 27 | Folder 34 | Official Bond for $2,500 of W.B. Wickersham, 1887 August 18 |
| Box 27 | Folder 35 | Official Bond for $5,000 of W.B. Wickersham, 1888 September 5 |
| Box 27 | Folder 36 | Official Bond for $10,000 of W.B. Wickersham, 1889 November 23 |
| Box 27 | Folder 37 | Official Bond for $10,000 of W.B. Wickersham, 1890 July 12 |
| Box 27 | Folder 38 | Official Bond for $10,000 of W.B. Wickersham, 1897 August 20 |
| Box 27 | Folder 40 | Receiver’s certificates, 1891 |
Series 3: Papers of the Librarian, 1866-1917
Biographical/Historical
Librarians/Commissioners, Chicago Public Library, 1873-
- 1873-1887 | William Frederick Poole
- 1887-1909 | Frederick H. Hild
- 1909-1917 | Henry E. Legler
- 1918-1950 | Carl Bismarck Roden
- 1950-1967 | Gertrude E. Gscheidle
- 1967-1974 | Alex Ladenson
- 1975-1978 | David L. Reich
- 1978-1981 | Donald J. Sager
- 1982-1985 | Amanda S. Rudd
- 1986-1993 | John B. Duff
- 1993-1994 | Karen Danczak Lyons (Acting)
- 1994-2012 | Mary A. Dempsey
- 2012-2019 | Brian Bannon
- 2019-2020 | Andrea Telli
- 2020 | Mary Ellen Messner (Acting)
- 2021- | Chris Brown
Scope and Contents
Series 3 contains a range of correspondence, reports and other documents associated with the first three Librarians of Chicago Public Library: William Frederick Poole, Frederick H. Hild and Henry E. Legler.
Arrangement
Series 3 is arranged into three subseries:
- Subseries A: William Frederick Poole, 1866-1891
- Subseries B: Frederick H. Hild, 1887-1914
- Subseries C: Henry E. Legler, 1909-1917
Subseries A: William Frederick Poole, 1866-1891
Biographical/Historical
William Frederick Poole (1821-1894) was born on December 24, 1821 in Salem, Massachusetts. Poole began studies at Yale in 1842 but had to leave due to financial difficulties. He returned 3 years later and graduated in 1849. While at Yale he worked as assistant librarian at the Brothers in Unity Library under John Edmands, who began to create a list of materials in books and magazines which could be useful to patrons. Poole succeeded Edmands during his senior year and expanded the project to index all of the periodicals in the Library. This was published in 1848 by G.P. Putnam and An Alphabetical Index to Subjects Treated in the Reviews and Other Periodicals, to which No Indexes Have Been Published was an immediate success. A second edition was published in 1853, and a third in 1882. The 1882 edition, Poole’s Index to Periodical Literature, was an expanded publication because of the cooperative effort of over 50 librarians.
Poole worked at the Boston Athenaeum in 1851 as assistant librarian. He left for 4 years to work as librarian of the Boston Mercantile Library Association then returned to the Boston Athenaeum as librarian until 1869. He was appointed librarian of the Cincinnati Public Library from 1871 until 1873 and then moved to Chicago to organize the Chicago Public Library. Poole stayed at the Chicago Public Library until 1887 when he was offered a position to organize the Newberry Library in Chicago.
Poole was a founder of the American Library Association and served as its President from 1885 until 1887. He authored several works of American history, including Cotton Mather and Salem Witchcraft in 1869 and Anti-Slavery Opinions Before 1800 in 1873.
William Frederick Poole died on March 1, 1894.
Scope and Contents
Subseries A contains correspondence, reports and other documents created by or addressed to W.F. (William Frederick) Poole primarily during his tenure as Librarian of Chicago Public Library. Topics include library acquisitions, administrative functions, employment and reports that contain statistical summaries. The subseries also has a few letters from his time with Boston Athenaeum, Cincinnati Public Library and the Newberry Library.
Researchers should also consult the President of the Board of Directors, the Secretary of the Board of Directors series as well as the Proceedings of the Board of Directors and the Annual Reports of the Chicago Public Library. The Newberry Library in Chicago also holds a substantial collection of papers from Poole which date from 1858 until his death in 1894.
Arrangement
Subseries A is arranged as far as possible into subject order, in accordance with the original arrangement found in Secretary Wickersham’s papers, and then into chronological order. Parts of the arrangement were imposed by the archivist.
Files which predate Poole’s appointment as Librarian of Chicago Public Library are listed first by the institution where he was employed.
The papers which deal with the Chicago Public Library are organized into the same subject categories as other subseries within Early CPL. In this case the only subjects are Correspondence, CPL Business and Employment. Unless otherwise stated CPL business correspondence was address to Poole.
Following these are files which date from Poole’s years at the Newberry Library.
There are also reports written by Poole which contain mainly statistical summaries. These reports have been organized by type, monthly reports are filed chronologically together, as are annual reports. Reports written for specific issues are listed at the end.
Finally there are three bound volumes of outgoing correspondence, which are indexed. These volumes contain outgoing correspondence from whomever filled the position of Librarian. Thus, before Poole’s appointment in late 1873 there are letters written by W.B. Wickersham, acting Librarian. Similarly, there are letters following Poole’s departure written by Wickersham, who again acted as Librarian until Frederick Hild’s appointment in 1887.
| Box 29 | Folder 1 | Boston Athenaeum - Moore, George H. (New York Historical Society) to W. F. Poole, copies of correspondence regarding slavery, asks about sending “two colored gentlemen as representatives to the General Conv.” 1866 November 14 |
| Box 29 | Folder 2 | Cincinnati Public Library - Newhaus, Paul (Assistant Librarian, Cincinnati Public Library) to W.B. Wickersham, sends catalog and annual reports, 1872 September 4 |
| Box 29 | Folder 3 | Cincinnati Public Library - Poole, W.F. (Librarian) to W.B. Wickersham, sends reports (2 letters), 1872 September 16, 19 |
| Box 29 | Folder 4 | Cincinnati Public Library - Poole, W.F. (Librarian) to W.B. Wickersham, explains how Poole maintains statistics for Cincinnati Public Library, 1872 October 22 |
| Box 29 | Folder 5 | Cincinnati Public Library - Poole, W.F. (Librarian) to W.B. Wickersham, explains Cincinnati Public Library visitor counts, debates paper book covers, mentions quality and value of books ordered from Tauchnitz, sends list of periodicals, 1872 October 29 |
| Box 29 | Folder 6 | Cincinnati Public Library - Poole, W.F. (Librarian) to W.B. Wickersham, 1873 January 4 |
| Box 29 | Folder 7 | Cincinnati Public Library - Poole, W.F. (Librarian) to W.B. Wickersham, explains how to order periodicals nationally and internationally, 1873 April 1 |
| Box 29 | Folder 8 | Cincinnati Public Library - Poole, W.F. (Librarian) to W.B. Wickersham, Talks about a published review of Cincinnati’s new library building, 1873 April 5 |
| Box 29 | Folder 9 | Cincinnati Public Library - Poole, W.F. (Librarian) to W.B. Wickersham, asks for information regarding the possible move of Chicago Public Library into the Old Post Office building and suggests Chicago representatives visit Cincinnati’s new library and the architect, 1873 April 11 |
| Box 29 | Folder 10 | Cincinnati Public Library - Poole, W.F. (Librarian) to W.B. Wickersham, advises about pay scales of attendants and the importance of learning librarianship skills at an early age, 1873 June 1 |
| Box 29 | Folder 11 | Correspondence, CPL business - Kehoe, L. (Catholic Publication House), subscription information (2 letters), 1874 September 17, 1885 December 3 |
| Box 29 | Folder 12 | Correspondence, CPL business - Henry, Joseph (Smithsonian Institution), offers to distribute CPL Annual Report copies, 1874 October 31 |
| Box 29 | Folder 13 | Correspondence, CPL business - U.S. Patent Office, explains terms for public libraries (2 letters), 1874 December 2 |
| Box 29 | Folder 14 | Correspondence, CPL business - Hereford, Brooke, donation of 2 books, 1876 February 29 |
| Box 29 | Folder 15 | Correspondence, CPL business - Woodward, Charles L. (Book Peddler), account of interest, 1876 September 29 |
| Box 29 | Folder 16 | Correspondence, CPL business - Wolf, J. Van der Heyde, status of her library card application, 1877 February 3 |
| Box 29 | Folder 17 | Correspondence, CPL business - Sattlesler, Frank W., lost library card, 1877 February 23 |
| Box 29 | Folder 18 | Correspondence, CPL business - Newhall, S.F. to W. F. Poole, regarding a fine, 1877 March 3 |
| Box 29 | Folder 19 | Correspondence, CPL business - Peoria Library [?], sends money for books, 1877 May 11 |
| Box 29 | Folder 20 | Correspondence, CPL business - Schumacher, A. & Co. (Agents to North German Lloyd S.S. Line), sent books and requests payment (2 letters), 1877 June 21, November 1 |
| Box 29 | Folder 21 | Correspondence, CPL business - Coffey, J., lost library ticket, 1877 August 3 |
| Box 29 | Folder 22 | Correspondence, CPL business - Oberny, George N., requests Library hold book for him, 1877 August 11 |
| Box 29 | Folder 23 | Correspondence, CPL business - Harris, Elisha, M.D. (American Public Health Association, APHA), donation of reports and papers of the APHA, 1877 September 29 |
| Box 29 | Folder 24 | Correspondence, CPL business - West, J.G., asks for a replacement card, 1879 October 15 |
| Box 29 | Folder 25 | Correspondence, CPL business - International Bank, receipts (3), 1877 October 18, November 19, December 5 |
| Box 29 | Folder 26 | Correspondence, CPL business - Roffe, Albert H. (New England Subscription Agency), asks if the library would like to change future subscriptions, 1877 November 26 |
| Box 29 | Folder 27 | Correspondence, CPL business - Willis, H.P., informs that library book was destroyed in a fire in the Singer Building, 1877 December 5 |
| Box 29 | Folder 28 | Correspondence, CPL business - Onaham to Charles E. Felton (Superintendent, House of Corrections, Bridewell), requests pick up of donated books, 1878 February 18 |
| Box 29 | Folder 29 | Correspondence, CPL business - Felton, Charles E. (Superintendent, House of Corrections, Bridewell), thanks for donated books (3 letters), 1878 February 20-1879 November 24 |
| Box 29 | Folder 30 | Correspondence, CPL business - McComb J., complains about Library staff, 1878 March 28 |
| Box 29 | Folder 31 | Correspondence, CPL business - W.A. (Cook County Jail), thanks for donated books, 1879 March 21 |
| Box 29 | Folder 32 | Correspondence, CPL business - Poole, W.F. to T.B. Currier ([Cook] County Jailer), offers books to jail, 1879 May 12 |
| Box 29 | Folder 33 | Correspondence, CPL business - Hager, Albert (Librarian, Chicago Historical Society, CHS), asks for transfer of family papers to CHS, 1879 August 1 |
| Box 29 | Folder 34 | Correspondence, CPL business - Weir, Albert M., asks for library privileges, 1879 October 15 |
| Box 29 | Folder 35 | Correspondence, CPL business - North, Ida (Iowa State Librarian), asks about the “New England Club Agency,” 187? November 1 |
| Box 29 | Folder 36 | Correspondence, CPL business - McMurtry Teaming and Transfer Company, asks to be notified about library move so they can prepare a bid, 1880 January 6 |
| Box 29 | Folder 37 | Correspondence, CPL business - Stevens, B.F., sends statements (2 letters), 1880 May 5, 1881 May 3 |
| Box 29 | Folder 38 | Correspondence, CPL business - invitation to a reception of Mr. Thomas Hughes, 1880 October 6 |
| Box 29 | Folder 39 | Correspondence, CPL business - Mason, Alfred Bishop, complaint about a library employee, 1880 October 16 |
| Box 29 | Folder 40 | Correspondence, CPL business - estimates of outstanding orders, 1881 January 11 |
| Box 29 | Folder 41 | Correspondence, CPL business - Hine, W., complaint about the lack of books, 1882 May 27 |
| Box 29 | Folder 42 | Correspondence, CPL business - Prendergast, Richard, asks for books to be sent to him, 1883 December 18 |
| Box 29 | Folder 43 | Correspondence, CPL business - Hatfield, Marcus, P., M.D. t, employee’s doctor explaining her absence from work, 1884 August 26 |
| Box 29 | Folder 44 | Correspondence, CPL business - Independent Republican to the editor of the Chicago Herald, accuses Poole of partisanship over the selection of newspapers for the Library and note from M.J. Rugsell asking why the Herald is not ordered, 1884 October 4 |
| Box 29 | Folder 45 | Correspondence, CPL business - Wheldon, John (Bookseller), sent books (3 pages), 1884 October 16, 1885 March 18 |
| Box 29 | Folder 46 | Correspondence, CPL business - Grinnell, Julius S. (Illinois State’s Attorney), stolen books that had been returned to the Library [See Box 2, Folder 33 for Poole’s report], 1885 January 26 |
| Box 29 | Folder 47 | Correspondence, CPL business - McCentley, J.P., paid fine but complains about the Library’s policy, 1885 April 2 |
| Box 29 | Folder 48 | Correspondence, CPL business - Mandl, Joseph (President, Kolar Club), asks for a number of books to be deposited with his club, 1885 July 26 |
| Box 29 | Folder 49 | Correspondence, CPL business - Hager, Albert (Librarian, Chicago Historical Society), lists titles that are duplicated in CPL’s catalog and asks that they be transferred to the Chicago Historical Society, 1885 September 8 |
| Box 29 | Folder 50 | Correspondence, CPL business - Hild, F.H., completed tour of libraries in the East, 1885 September 23 |
| Box 29 | Folder 51 | Correspondence, CPL business - Little, George (Bowdoin College), sent volumes for either sale or exchange, 1885 October 17 |
| Box 29 | Folder 52 | Correspondence, CPL business - Harrassowitz, Otto, binding of German books, 1886 March 29 |
| Box 29 | Folder 53 | Correspondence, CPL business - Harrassowitz, Otto, binding of German books to be donated to Milwaukee Public Library, 1886 April 5, May 21 |
| Box 29 | Folder 54 | Correspondence, CPL business - Clark & Richardson Bankers, asks for advice on how to protect their library from loss or damaged books, 1886 May 20 |
| Box 29 | Folder 55 | Correspondence, CPL business - Bigmon, Edward [?] (B.F. Stevens), thanks for information on the Newberry Library, “What a grand opportunity to make Chicago the educational, artistic and literary center, as it’s now the commercial center of the United States? And how could this be better accomplished by giving Chicago the finest technical and reference library in the world?” 1886 August 28 |
| Box 29 | Folder 56 | Correspondence, CPL business - Detroit (Michigan) Public Library, asks for missing CPL Annual Reports, 1886 December 2 |
| Box 29 | Folder 57 | Correspondence, CPL business - U.S. Patent Office, explains terms for purchasing Decisions of the Commissioners of Patents and U.S. Courts in Patent Cases, 1886 December 11 |
| Box 29 | Folder 58 | Correspondence, CPL business - Barrett, T.Y. (Mitchell Library, Glasgow, Scotland), postcard about postage charges [See also Box 1, Folders 58, 60], 1886 December 27 |
| Box 29 | Folder 59 | Correspondence, CPL business - Poole, W.F. to W.E. Patton (Auditor, Chicago Post Office), asks Patton how postage is weighed and charged whilst damp [See also Box 1, Folders 58, 60], 1887 January 10 |
| Box 29 | Folder 60 | Correspondence, CPL business - Squiers, C.S. (Assistant Postmaster, Chicago Post Office), explains how postage is weighed (2 letters) [See also Box 1, Folders 58-59], 1887 January 12 |
| Box 29 | Folder 61 | Correspondence, CPL business - Bell, Matthew, copies of Illustrated Journal and Official Journal of Patent Office are lost in transit, duplicates have been sent, 1887 February 16 |
| Box 29 | Folder 62 | Correspondence, CPL business - Johnson, E.O. (North Wisconsin News), asks for advice on setting up a free library, 1887 March 10 |
| Box 29 | Folder 63 | Correspondence, CPL business - Harrassowitz, Otto, binding of German books, details of customs procedures, U.S. Consulate’s Declaration stating value of books and list of books sent (5 pages), 1887 April 19 |
| Box 29 | Folder 64 | Correspondence, CPL business - DeCelles, A.D. (Library of Parliament, Ottawa, Canada), sent volumes and asks for an exchange, 1887 May 7 |
| Box 29 | Folder 65 | Correspondence, CPL business - Testimonial Minute to Mr. Poole [upon his resignation from CPL] [See BOD Proceedings, August 27, 1887], (2 pages), 1887 August 27 |
| Box 29 | Folder 66 | Correspondence, CPL business - de Sainte-Foy, L.R., suggests committee to recommend books in French literature, 1887 September 24 |
| Box 29 | Folder 67 | Correspondence, CPL business - Kollock, Florence E. (Reverend), requests library privileges, 1887 October 6 |
| Box 29 | Folder 68 | Correspondence, CPL business - Smithsonian Institution, flyer announcing the appointment of Samuel Pierpont Langley to position of Secretary, 1887 November 18 |
| Box 29 | Folder 69 | Correspondence, CPL business - Graves, W.P. (McClintock & Strong’s Cyclopaedia), asks for payment, 188? May 14 |
| Box 29 | Folder 70 | Correspondence, CPL business - Markley, Thomas, asks about paying a fine, undated |
| Box 29 | Folder 71 | Correspondence, CPL business - U.S. Patent Office to F.H. Hild, explains terms for purchasing back issues, 1891 September 16 |
| Box 29 | Folder 72 | Correspondence, CPL business - Logan (the family of General John A. Logan) to [unidentified], thanks for condolences [Logan’s death?], undated |
| Box 30 | Folder 1 | Employment - Mitchell, Edward E. to W. F. Poole, letter of recommendation for prospective employee, Dominique Lunti; letter from Poole to Julius Rosenthal, April 25, 1874, expressing concern about Mr. Lunti’s character (2 letters) [See also Box 2, Folder 2], 1874 April 17, April 25 |
| Box 30 | Folder 2 | Employment - Wheeler, E. to W. F. Poole, criticizes Lundi’s character [See also Box 2, Folder 1], 1874 April 25 |
| Box 30 | Folder 3 | Employment - Poole, W.F. to Board of Directors, appointed a new janitor, 1875 January 16 |
| Box 30 | Folder 4 | Employment - Hyde, James, M.D. to W. F. Poole, doctor’s certificate recommending a CPL employee be granted leave of absence to visit Arkansas Hot Springs, 1876 January 21 |
| Box 30 | Folder 5 | Employment - Wirths, E. to W. F. Poole, applies for position of messenger to sub-stations, 1884 June 10 |
| Box 30 | Folder 6 | Newberry Library - Poole, W.F. (Librarian, Newberry Library) to W.B. Wickersham, thanks CPL Board of Directors for the resolution adopted upon his resignation, 1887 September 12 |
| Box 30 | Folder 7 | Newberry Library - Falkner, Roland P. (Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science), asks for a copy of a book to republish, 1890 July 2 |
| Box 30 | Folder 8 | Report - Librarian’s monthly report, (includes employees’ salaries and abstract of expenditures) [See also Board of Director Proceedings, 1874 September 19] 1874 September |
| Box 30 | Folder 9 | Report - Librarian’s monthly report, [See also Board of Director Proceedings, 1880 November 13], 1880 November |
| Box 30 | Folder 10 | Report - Librarian’s monthly report, [See also Board of Director Proceedings, 1880 November 27], 1880 November |
| Box 30 | Folder 11 | Report - Librarian’s monthly report, [See also Board of Director Proceedings, 1880 December 11], 1880 December |
| Box 30 | Folder 12 | Report - Librarian’s monthly report, [See also Board of Director Proceedings, 1880 December 27], 1880 December |
| Box 30 | Folder 13 | Report - Librarian’s monthly report, [See also Board of Director Proceedings, 1881 January 8], 1881 January |
| Box 30 | Folder 14 | Report - Librarian’s monthly report, [See also Board of Director Proceedings, 1881 January 29], 1881 January |
| Box 30 | Folder 15 | Report - Librarian’s monthly report, 1881 January-June |
| Box 30 | Folder 16 | Report - Librarian’s monthly report, 1881 July-December |
| Box 30 | Folder 17 | Report - Librarian’s monthly report, 1882 January-June |
| Box 30 | Folder 18 | Report - Librarian’s monthly report, 1882 August-December |
| Box 30 | Folder 19 | Report - Librarian’s monthly report, 1883 January-June |
| Box 30 | Folder 20 | Report - Librarian’s monthly report, 1883 July-December |
| Box 30 | Folder 21 | Report - Librarian’s monthly report, 1884 January-April, June |
| Box 30 | Folder 22 | Report - Librarian’s monthly report, 1884 July-December |
| Box 30 | Folder 23 | Report - Librarian’s monthly report, 1885 January-June |
| Box 30 | Folder 24 | Report - Librarian’s monthly report, 1885 July-December |
| Box 30 | Folder 25 | Report - Librarian’s monthly report, 1886 January-June |
| Box 30 | Folder 26 | Report - Librarian’s monthly report, 1886 July-December |
| Box 30 | Folder 27 | Report - Librarian’s monthly report, 1887 January-June |
| Box 30 | Folder 28 | Report - Librarian’s monthly report, 1887 July-September |
| Box 30 | Folder 29 | Report - Librarian’s annual report for year ended May 31, 1881, 1881 June 13 |
| Box 30 | Folder 30 | Report - Librarian’s annual report for year ended May 31, 1886, 1886 June 12 |
| Box 30 | Folder 31 | Report - Librarian’s annual report for year ended May 31, 1887, 1887 June 11 |
| Box 30 | Folder 32 | Report - Joint Report of the Librarian and the Secretary to the Board of Directors, [See also Board of Directors Proceedings, 1883 April 28] “on the general character work performed by the Librarian and assistant Librarians and the various classes of Library employees,” 1883 April 28 |
| Box 30 | Folder 33 | Report - Librarian’s report on stolen books [See also Board of Directors Proceedings, 1885 February 14] 1885 February |
| Box 30 | Folder 34 | Report - Librarian’s report on reference finding lists, undated |
| Box 31 | Folder 1 | Correspondence, outgoing, 1872 August 27-1875 January 20 |
| Box 31 | Folder 2 | Correspondence, outgoing, 1873 February 24-1884 November 24 |
| Box 31 | Folder 3 | Correspondence, outgoing, 1884 November 26-1894 September 27 |
Series 3: Papers of the Librarian, 1866-1917
Subseries B: Frederick H. Hild, 1887-1914
Biographical/Historical
Frederick Henry Hild (1858-1914) was born in Chicago in 1858, educated in the public schools, and began working for the Chicago Public Library in 1874 as a page. In 1881 he was appointed as Poole’s office assistant and chief cataloger. He was appointed Librarian in 1887 upon Poole’s resignation. He held this office until 1909, overseeing rapid growth of the Library and the construction of the Central Library (now the Cultural Center). He resigned in 1909 amid a controversy among the members of the Board of Directors.
Hild died on August 12, 1914 at the University of Virginia hospital at Charlottesville, Virginia of pneumonia and heart trouble. He was 55.
Scope and Contents
Subseries B is primarily comprised of the Hild’s correspondence and the Librarian’s reports to the Board. There is an original copy of the City Club of Chicago’s Bulletin that contains the report that led to Hild’s resignation as Librarian in 1909. There are also news clippings from that controversial time.
Arrangement
Subseries B is arranged alphabetically by document type or title. The correspondence is arranged alphabetically within. When a business name begins with a first name or initials, the alphabetization begins with these.
| Box 35 | Folder 6 | Correspondence, A, 1892-1899 |
| Box 35 | Folder 55 | Correspondence, A.C. McClurg & Company, 1889 |
| Box 35 | Folder 1 | Correspondence, Adams, J.E., U.S. House of Representatives, 1887 |
| Box 35 | Folder 2 | Correspondence, Addams, Jane, Hull House, 1899 |
| Box 35 | Folder 47 | Correspondence, A.J. Johnson & Company, Publishers, 1890 |
| Box 35 | Folder 3 | Correspondence, American Institute of Architects, Alfred Stone, Secretary, 1893 |
| Box 35 | Folder 4 | Correspondence, American Library Association, 1893 |
| Box 35 | Folder 5 | Correspondence, Amherst College Library, 1888-1895 |
| Box 35 | Folder 12 | Correspondence, B, 1890-1899 |
| Box 35 | Folder 8 | Correspondence, Boston Athenaeum, Charles A. Cutter, Librarian, [See also “Cutter, Charles A.”], 1888 |
| Box 35 | Folder 9 | Correspondence, Boston Public Library, Herbert Putnam, Librarian, 1895-1896 |
| Box 35 | Folder 10 | Correspondence, Brooklyn Public Library, Superintendent of Branches, 1905 |
| Box 35 | Folder 11 | Correspondence, Burlington & Missouri River Railroad Company, Nebraska, 1890 |
| Box 35 | Folder 26 | Correspondence, C, 1888-1904 |
| Box 35 | Folder 13 | Correspondence, Cairo Public Library, 1891 |
| Box 35 | Folder 14 | Correspondence, Campsey, J.D., County Commissioner of Public Schools, Missouri, 1890 |
| Box 35 | Folder 15 | Correspondence, Carter, William T., Lieutenant-Colonel. USA, Adjutant General, War Department, 1900 |
| Box 35 | Folder 16 | Correspondence, Chandler, George, Department of the Interior, 1890 |
| Box 35 | Folder 54 | Correspondence, Charles S. Macnair Publishing Company, 1890 |
| Box 35 | Folder 17 | Correspondence, Chicago Department of Public Works, 1890 |
| Box 35 | Folder 18 | Correspondence, Chicago Library Club, 1905 |
| Box 35 | Folder 19 | Correspondence, Chicago Times Herald, 1895 |
| Box 35 | Folder 20 | Correspondence, Chicago Tribune, 1888-1890 |
| Box 35 | Folder 21 | Correspondence, Cobb, C.C., 1898-1902 |
| Box 35 | Folder 22 | Correspondence, John Crerar Library, Clement Andrews, Librarian, 1896 |
| Box 35 | Folder 23 | Correspondence, Crocker, Henry, 1890 |
| Box 35 | Folder 24 | Correspondence, Culver, William J., 1892 |
| Box 35 | Folder 25 | Correspondence, Cutter, Charles A., Boston Athenaeum, Librarian [See also “Boston Athenaeum”], 1893 |
| Box 35 | Folder 28 | Correspondence, D, 1889-1890 |
| Box 35 | Folder 27 | Correspondence, Dewey, Melvil, Columbia College, New York, also University of the State of New York, 1887-1891 |
| Box 35 | Folder 29 | Correspondence, E, 1895-1899 |
| Box 35 | Folder 32 | Correspondence, F, 1888-1895 |
| Box 35 | Folder 30 | Correspondence, Fowler & Wells Company, Publishers of Phrenological Journal, 1888 |
| Box 35 | Folder 31 | Correspondence, Franklin Photo Electrotype Company, 1889 |
| Box 35 | Folder 34 | Correspondence, G, 1890-1893 |
| Box 35 | Folder 33 | Correspondence, Grand Rapids Public Library, Michigan, H.J. Carr, 1888-1889 |
| Box 35 | Folder 42 | Correspondence, H, 1888-1899 |
| Box 35 | Folder 35 | Correspondence, Hackley Public Library, Muskegon, Michigan, 1890 |
| Box 35 | Folder 36 | Correspondence, Haek & Anderson, Printers, 1890 |
| Box 35 | Folder 37 | Correspondence, Hale, W., University of Chicago, 1893 |
| Box 35 | Folder 38 | Correspondence, Harrassowitz, Otto, Leipzig, Germany, 1886-1895 |
| Box 35 | Folder 39 | Correspondence, Harrison, Carter H., Mayor, 1899 |
| Box 35 | Folder 40 | Correspondence, Hartigan, Thomas, Drill Master, Chicago Police, 1891 |
| Box 35 | Folder 41 | Correspondence, Hild, Frederick, H., Librarian, Chicago Public Library, to W.B. Wickersham, Secretary, 1894-1905 |
| Box 35 | Folder 43 | Correspondence, Illinois Central Railroad Company, 1899 |
| Box 35 | Folder 44 | Correspondence, Illinois, State of, Auditor’s Office, 1891 |
| Box 35 | Folder 45 | Correspondence, International Arithmachine Company, 1899 |
| Box 35 | Folder 46 | Correspondence, International Union of American Republics, 1897-1898 |
| Box 35 | Folder 48 | Correspondence, K, 1898-1899 |
| Box 35 | Folder 53 | Correspondence, L, 1890-1899 |
| Box 35 | Folder 49 | Correspondence, Larned, J.N., Buffalo Library, New York, 1894 |
| Box 35 | Folder 103 | Correspondence, libraries (various) acknowledging receipt of CPL publications, 1887-1892 |
| Box 35 | Folder 50 | Correspondence, Lipcomb, J. [?] United States Patent Office, 1888 |
| Box 35 | Folder 51 | Correspondence, Los Angeles Public Library, Tessa L. Kelso, Librarian, 1890 |
| Box 35 | Folder 52 | Correspondence, Luchting & Company, Bremen, Germany, 1896 |
| Box 35 | Folder 58 | Correspondence, M, 1890-1892 |
| Box 35 | Folder 7 | Correspondence, Matthew Bell & Company, 1899 |
| Box 35 | Folder 56 | Correspondence, Milwaukee Public Library, Theresa West, Librarian, 1888-1895 |
| Box 35 | Folder 57 | Correspondence, Minneapolis Public Library, James K. Hosmer, Librarian, 1893 |
| Box 35 | Folder 62 | Correspondence, N, 1890 |
| Box 35 | Folder 59 | Correspondence, Newark Free Public Library, New Jersey, 1892 |
| Box 35 | Folder 60 | Correspondence, Newberry Library, Chicago, J.V. Cheney, Librarian [See also “Poole, William Frederick, Newberry Library, Librarian”], 1899 |
| Box 35 | Folder 61 | Correspondence, Newell, Collector of Customs, Port of Chicago, 1892 |
| Box 35 | Folder 68 | Correspondence, P, 1890-1892 |
| Box 35 | Folder 63 | Correspondence, Parker, Francis W., 1889 |
| Box 35 | Folder 64 | Correspondence, Peabody, Frank S., 1897-1900 |
| Box 35 | Folder 65 | Correspondence, Poole, William Frederick, Newberry Library, Librarian [See also “Newberry Library, Chicago”], 1892-1893 |
| Box 35 | Folder 66 | Correspondence, Pratt Institute, New York, 1896 |
| Box 35 | Folder 67 | Correspondence, Prince Society, Massachusetts, 1894 |
| Box 35 | Folder 69 | Correspondence, Quartich, Bernard A., 1891-1895 |
| Box 35 | Folder 71 | Correspondence, R, 1890-1899 |
| Box 35 | Folder 70 | Correspondence, Ronde, Mrs. Augusta [?], mentions scarlet fever, 1889 |
| Box 35 | Folder 81 | Correspondence, S, 1889-1899 |
| Box 35 | Folder 72 | Correspondence, Scranton Public Library, Henry J. Carr, Librarian, 1894 |
| Box 35 | Folder 73 | Correspondence, St. Josephs Public Library, H.G. Getchell, Secretary, 1890 |
| Box 35 | Folder 74 | Correspondence, St. Louis Public Library, Frederick M. Crunden, Librarian, 1892 |
| Box 35 | Folder 75 | Correspondence, St. Paul Public Library, Minneapolis, Helen J. McCaine, Librarian, 1899 |
| Box 35 | Folder 76 | Correspondence, Salem Public Library, Massachusetts, 1890 |
| Box 35 | Folder 77 | Correspondence, Scaife, W.L., 1891 |
| Box 35 | Folder 78 | Correspondence, Stechert, Gustav E., book importer, 1888-1895 |
| Box 35 | Folder 79 | Correspondence, Stevens, B.F., London, 1889-1892 |
| Box 35 | Folder 80 | Correspondence, Subscription News Company, 1899 |
| Box 35 | Folder 85 | Correspondence, T, 1887-1905 |
| Box 35 | Folder 82 | Correspondence, Tauchnitz, Bernhard, Leipzig, 1892-1893 |
| Box 35 | Folder 83 | Correspondence, Terquem, Em., Paris, 1890-1894 |
| Box 35 | Folder 84 | Correspondence, Tice & Lynch, Custom House Brokers, 1899 |
| Box 35 | Folder 86 | Correspondence, United States Commission to the Paris Exposition of 1889, 1888 |
| Box 35 | Folder 87 | Correspondence, United States, Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents, 1906 |
| Box 35 | Folder 88 | Correspondence, United States, Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents, 1907 |
| Box 35 | Folder 89 | Correspondence, United States, Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents, 1908 |
| Box 35 | Folder 90 | Correspondence, United States, Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents, 1909 |
| Box 35 | Folder 91 | Correspondence, United States, Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents, 1910-1912 |
| Box 35 | Folder 92 | Correspondence, United States, Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents, 1913 |
| Box 35 | Folder 93 | Correspondence, United States War Department, Library of the Surgeon General’s Office, 1887-1890 |
| Box 35 | Folder 101 | Correspondence, W, 1888-1890 |
| Box 35 | Folder 94 | Correspondence, Wagner Institute of Science, 1893 |
| Box 35 | Folder 95 | Correspondence, Ward, Samuel D., 1890 |
| Box 35 | Folder 96 | Correspondence, Wickersham, W.B., Chicago Public Library, Secretary, 1888 |
| Box 35 | Folder 98 | Correspondence, Weill, D., 1891-1892 |
| Box 35 | Folder 99 | Correspondence, Williams, H., 1889-1891 |
| Box 35 | Folder 97 | Correspondence, Wisconsin State Historical Society, 1894 |
| Box 35 | Folder 100 | Correspondence, [Woodlawn Property?], note from Hild regarding taxes, 1898 |
| Box 35 | Folder 102 | Correspondence, Young & Nichols, 1899 |
| Box 34 | Folder 1 | Librarian’s annual report, draft, 1890 |
| Box 34 | Folder 2 | Librarian’s annual report, statistical analysis, 1893 |
| Box 34 | Folder 3 | Librarian’s annual report, abstract, 1894 |
| Box 34 | Folder 4 | Librarian’s annual report, abstract, 1895 |
| Box 34 | Folder 5 | Librarian’s annual report, abstract, 1896 |
| Box 34 | Folder 6 | Librarian’s annual report, abstract, 1898 |
| Box 34 | Folder 7 | Librarian’s annual report, abstract, 1899 |
| Box 34 | Folder 8 | Librarian’s annual report, abstract, 1900 |
| Box 34 | Folder 9 | Librarian’s annual report, abstract, 1901 |
| Box 34 | Folder 10 | Librarian’s annual report, abstract, 1904 |
| Box 34 | Folder 11 | Librarian’s annual report, abstract, 1905 |
| Box 34 | Folder 12 | Librarian’s annual report, abstract, 1906 |
| Box 34 | Folder 13 | Librarian’s annual report, abstract, 1908 |
| Box 32 | Folder 1 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1887 October-December |
| Box 32 | Folder 2 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1888 January-March |
| Box 32 | Folder 3 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1888 April-June |
| Box 32 | Folder 4 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1888 July-September |
| Box 32 | Folder 5 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1888 October-December |
| Box 32 | Folder 6 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1889 January-March |
| Box 32 | Folder 7 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1889 April-June |
| Box 32 | Folder 8 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1889 July-September |
| Box 32 | Folder 9 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1889 October-December |
| Box 32 | Folder 10 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1890 January-March |
| Box 32 | Folder 11 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1890 April-June |
| Box 32 | Folder 12 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1890 July-September |
| Box 32 | Folder 13 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1890 October-December |
| Box 32 | Folder 14 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1891 January-March |
| Box 32 | Folder 15 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1891 April-June |
| Box 32 | Folder 16 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1891 July-September |
| Box 32 | Folder 17 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1891 October-December |
| Box 32 | Folder 18 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1892 January-March |
| Box 32 | Folder 19 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1892 April-June |
| Box 32 | Folder 20 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1892 July-September |
| Box 32 | Folder 21 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1892 October-December |
| Box 32 | Folder 22 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1893 January-March |
| Box 32 | Folder 23 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1893 April-June |
| Box 32 | Folder 24 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1893 July-September |
| Box 32 | Folder 25 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1893 October-December |
| Box 32 | Folder 26 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1894 January-March |
| Box 32 | Folder 27 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1894 April-June |
| Box 32 | Folder 28 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1894 July-September |
| Box 32 | Folder 29 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1894 October-December |
| Box 32 | Folder 30 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1895 January-March |
| Box 32 | Folder 31 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1895 April-June |
| Box 32 | Folder 32 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1895 July-September |
| Box 32 | Folder 33 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1895 October-December |
| Box 32 | Folder 34 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1896 January-March |
| Box 32 | Folder 35 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1896 April-June |
| Box 32 | Folder 36 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1896 July-September |
| Box 32 | Folder 37 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1896 October-December |
| Box 32 | Folder 38 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1897 January-March |
| Box 32 | Folder 39 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1897 April-June |
| Box 32 | Folder 40 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1897 July-August |
| Box 32 | Folder 41 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1897 November-December |
| Box 32 | Folder 42 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1898 January-March |
| Box 32 | Folder 43 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1898 April-June |
| Box 32 | Folder 44 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1898 July-September |
| Box 32 | Folder 45 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1898 October-December |
| Box 33 | Folder 1 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1899 January-March |
| Box 33 | Folder 2 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1899 April-June |
| Box 33 | Folder 3 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1899 July-September |
| Box 33 | Folder 4 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1899 October-December |
| Box 33 | Folder 5 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1900 January-March |
| Box 33 | Folder 6 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1900 April-June |
| Box 33 | Folder 7 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1900 July-September |
| Box 33 | Folder 8 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1900 October-December |
| Box 33 | Folder 9 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1901 January-March |
| Box 33 | Folder 10 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1901 April-June |
| Box 33 | Folder 11 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1901 July-September |
| Box 33 | Folder 12 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1901 October-December |
| Box 33 | Folder 13 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1902 January-March |
| Box 33 | Folder 14 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1902 April-June |
| Box 33 | Folder 15 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1902 July-September |
| Box 33 | Folder 16 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1902 October-December |
| Box 33 | Folder 17 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1903 January-March |
| Box 33 | Folder 18 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1903 April-June |
| Box 33 | Folder 19 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1903 July-September |
| Box 33 | Folder 20 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1903 October-December |
| Box 33 | Folder 21 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1904 January-March |
| Box 33 | Folder 22 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1904 April-June |
| Box 33 | Folder 23 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1904 July-September |
| Box 33 | Folder 24 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1904 October-December |
| Box 33 | Folder 25 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1905 January-March |
| Box 33 | Folder 26 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1905 April-June |
| Box 33 | Folder 27 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1905 July-September |
| Box 33 | Folder 28 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1905 October-December |
| Box 33 | Folder 29 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1906 January-March |
| Box 33 | Folder 30 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1906 April-June |
| Box 33 | Folder 31 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1906 July-September |
| Box 33 | Folder 32 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1906 October-December |
| Box 33 | Folder 33 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1907 January-March |
| Box 33 | Folder 34 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1907 April-June |
| Box 33 | Folder 35 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1907 July-September |
| Box 33 | Folder 36 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1907 October-December |
| Box 33 | Folder 37 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1908 January-March |
| Box 33 | Folder 38 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1908 April-June |
| Box 33 | Folder 39 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1908 July-September |
| Box 33 | Folder 40 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1908 October-December |
| Box 33 | Folder 41 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1909 January-March |
| Box 33 | Folder 42 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1909 April-June |
| Box 34 | Folder 14 | Librarian’s reports, list of donors, 1887 October-December |
| Box 34 | Folder 16 | Librarian’s reports, list of donors, 1888 January-1889 January |
| Box 34 | Folder 17 | Librarian’s reports, list of donors, 1889 February-May |
| Box 34 | Folder 19 | Librarian’s reports, list of persons laid off by order of the Board, 1902 |
| Box 34 | Folder 15 | Librarian’s reports, report on reference finding lists, 1888 |
| Box 34 | Folder 18 | Librarian’s reports, Schedule of Statistics, Growth and Use of the Library, 1891-1894 (2 copies), 1895 |
| Box 34 | Folders 21-37 | News clippings, resignation of F.H. Hild, Librarian, 1909 April 13-1909 May, undated |
| Box 34 | Folder 20 | Report, City Club of Chicago, City Club Bulletin, “Report on Chicago Public Library’s Service, by the Sub-committee on Libraries, of the Committee of the City Club of Chicago, on Public Education”, 1909 April 17 |
| Box 34 | Folder 40 | Resolution from CPL Board of Directors expressing appreciation for Hild’s work, 1909 May 3 |
| Box 34 | Folder 41 | Resolution form CPL Board of Directors, memorial minute in testimony to F.H. Hild, upon his death, 1914 |
| Box 34 | Folder 38 | World’s Columbian Exposition, World’s Congresses, invitation, 1893 |
| Box 34 | Folder 39 | World’s Columbian Exposition, World’s Congress Auxiliary, program, 1893 |
Series 3: Papers of the Librarian, 1866-1917
Subseries C: Henry E. Legler, 1909-1917
Biographical/Historical
Henry E. Legler (1861-1917) was born in Palermo, Italy on June 22, 1861 and was educated in Switzerland and the United States. He married Nettie M. Clark in 1890 and from 1890 to 1904 was the secretary of the Milwaukee School Board. From 1904 until 1909 he was secretary of the Wisconsin Library Commission and was appointed Librarian of the Chicago Public Library in 1909 following the resignation of F.H. Hild. During his tenure as Librarian Legler wrote the instrumental “A Library Plan for the Whole City” in which he laid out a blueprint for extension services for the Chicago Public Library using regional and branch libraries to serve the majority of Chicagoans, see Box 8, folder 17. This 1916 document is still referred to today as one of the key documents that formed the Chicago Public Library’s early years.
Legler died in September 1917.
Scope and Contents
Subseries C is primarily comprised of monthly reports filed by Legler for the Board of Directors, but also includes an original copy of Legler’s significant accomplishment as Librarian, “A Library Plan for the Whole City” of 1916.
Arrangement
Subseries C is arranged alphabetically by document type or title and then chronologically within.
| Box 36 | Folder 17 | Correspondence, Pratt Institute, School of Library Science, Mary W. Plummer, Director to Faith E. Smith, CPL, regarding training for CPL staff, 1911 |
| Box 36 | Folder 19 | Jas. H. Matthews & Company, Bronze Memorial Tributes, brochure and letter of bid, 1917 |
| Box 36 | Folder 1 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1909 July-September |
| Box 36 | Folder 2 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1909 October-December |
| Box 36 | Folder 3 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1910 January-March |
| Box 36 | Folder 4 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1910 April-June |
| Box 36 | Folder 5 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1910 July-September |
| Box 36 | Folder 6 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1910 October-December |
| Box 36 | Folder 7 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1911 January-March |
| Box 36 | Folder 8 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1911 April-June |
| Box 36 | Folder 9 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1911 July-September |
| Box 36 | Folder 10 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1911 October-December |
| Box 36 | Folder 11 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1912 January-March |
| Box 36 | Folder 12 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1912 April-June |
| Box 36 | Folder 13 | Librarian’s monthly report, 1912 July-August |
| Box 36 | Folder 14 | Librarian’s monthly report, abstract, 1909 |
| Box 36 | Folder 15 | Librarian’s monthly report, abstract, 1910 |
| Box 36 | Folder 18 | A Library Plan for the Whole City, Proposed System of Regional and Auxiliary Branches, 1916 |
| Box 36 | Folder 16 | The Literary Collector, A Monthly Magazine of Book-Lore and Bibliography, “Longfellow’s Hiawatha, bibliographical Notes Concerning its Origin…”, by Henry E. Legler, 1904 November-December |