Moorreesburg/Korrespondensie ter stigting van die Carnegie-biblioteek op Moorreesburg

Die afskrif van die oorspronklike korrespondensiemateriaal kan hier afgelaai word. (teen 55 megagreep) Vir die gerief van die leser is gepoog om die meeste tekste te transkribeer, aangesien die dokument geen kopiereg het nie. Die meeste ondertekenaars se name is vir eers uitgelaat, behalwe waar die naam onmiskenbaar en duidelik is.

Volgorde

Die volgorde in die Carnegie-dokument is nie chronologies van aard nie. Dit moet wees:

16 Mei 1904 - bl. 8 tot 9

17 April 1907 - bl. 5

19 April 1907 - bl. 2 tot 3

20 April 1907 - bl. 4

4 Julie 1911 - bl. 10 tot 11

10 Julie 1911 - bl. 12

11 Julie 1911 - bl. 7

3 Augustus 1911 - bl. 6

21 Augustus 1911 - bl. 15

19 September 1911 - bl. 17 tot 8

21 September 1911 - die chronologiese volgorde: bls. 21, 22, 23, 20, 19.

23 Oktober 1911 - bl. 16

20 November 1911 - bl. 24

20 Januarie 1912 - bl. 25

22 Januarie 1912 - bl. 26 tot 28

20 Februarie 1912 - bl. 28

5 Maart 1912 - bl. 28

5 Maart 1912 - bl. 1

24 Julie 1913 - bl. 29 tot 30

Opmerkings

1. Party dele van die briewe eindig met 'n woord waarmee die volgende begin. Dit is 'n gebruik uit die Middeleeue, pleks daarvan om die bladsye te nommer.
2. Deurgaans word die 'stoel' as "Dear Sir" aangespreek; dit maak dus nie saak of die sekretaresse die brief geskryf en onderteken het nie.

Korrespondensie

16 Mei 1904 (Afskrif van Wetgewing 508 van 1904)

Government Notice № 508

Dated 16th May

1904

Colonial Secretary Office

Cape Town. Cape of Good Hope

16th May, 1904

It is hereby notified that the

subjoined amended regulation for the

management of the Public Libraries

in the smaller towns of the Colony,

having been approved by the Hon.

the House of Assembly and the

Hon. the Legislative Council, during

the Session of 1903, takes effect

throughout the Colony from the

1st January, 1903, from which date

it supersedes and cancels regulation

No. 1. promulgated by the Government

Notice № 878 of 1899, which has hitherto

been observed by the Government in

subsidising the funds of the

institutions in question.

(Sgd.) C.P. Crewe

Colonial Secretary. [Public]

Public Libraries amended Regulation

That the Government annual

Grant shall not exceed the annual

average amount raised by subscriptions

and donations during the three

preceding years or in the case of

new Libraries, shall not exceed the

amount of subscriptions and

donations received for the first

year or average for two years, but

in no case to be more than £150

per annum, provided that these

grants shall be made out of the

money voted annually by

Parliament for the purpose.

17 April 1907 (Siviele kommissaris verklaar aansoek as eg en opreg)

Office of the Civil Commissioner

Malmesbury 17 April 1907

This is to certify that I

am aware that the

fact disclosed in the

accompanying letter

are accurately stated.

I believe the application

to be a bona fide

one.

19 April 1907 (Eerste aansoek aan Carnegie)

Moorreesburg

Cape Colony

South Africa

19th April, 1907

Andrew Carnegie Esqr

Skibo Castle Dornoch

Scotland.

Sir,

The undersigned represent and act for a number of young people

from the village of Moorreesburg and neighbourhood who for the

last two years have been trying to raise funds for establishing a

public library. The method adopted so far has been to give

entertainments the proceeds of which now amount to thirty pounds stg.

The resources upon which we can draw locally are very limited

as the majority of the population consists of the poorer classes,

peasants, trademen and artisans. A further drawback is that the

community is very conservative having until recently been isolated

from important and enlightened centres. Naturally they have been

debarred from acquiring anything beyond a very elementary

education. For reasons state above our appeals to them have not been

productive of much monetary value.

The absence of the customary sources of innocent diversion

and the better local provision that has recently been made for the

education of our youth are factors that are well calculated to

assure the popularity and utility of the contemplated library.

Andrew Carnegie Esqr

Skibo Castle, Dornoch, Scotland.

The promotors of the library have had to contend with much trouble

and disheartening incidents but a spirit of indefatigable

perseverance has kept them from swaying from their purpose.

It is felt however that in spite of the strenuous efforts of those

engaged in the work a very long time will elapse before a building

of even modest dimensions can be secured and furnished and supplied

with the nucleus of a library.

In devising plans which will in the shortest time give us

what we desire it has been decided to approach you on the matter

and ask you as we hereby most respectfully do to give us a donation.

We hope that neither the distance nor the obscurity of the place

will influence you to withhold that philantrophic generosity for

which your name is so justly held in esteem.

We do not wish further to impose upon your valuable time

but should you require any other information we shall at any time

most willingly supply the same.

We are, dear sir

Your obedient servants

M. M. Walters

[...]

J. J. H. Vlok

M. D. Koch

20 April 1907 (Dorpsraad ondersteun aansoek)

Andrew Carnegie Esq

Skibo Castle

Dornoch

Scotland.

Sir,

We, the undersigned, members

of the Village Management Board of

Moorreesburg, herewith certify that

the application entwined in the

accompanying letter is a bona fide

one, and it will merit your

Kind consideration

4 Julie 1911 (Munisipaliteit steun onderhoudskoste van biblioteek)

Extract of Minutes of Meet[ing]

of Moorreesburg Municipality

July, 4 " 1911

Mr. E. Starke moved seconded by

Dr. J.B. Garvie that the Municipality

guarantees the annual sum of

Fifty pounds (£50) for the upkeep

of a Library here; whenever the

same takes a practical form -

carried.

Municipal office

July 8 " 1911.

10 Julie 1911 (J.P. du Toit & Koch aan Carnegie: heraansoek)

Moorreesburg

Cape Colony

South Africa

July 10th, 1911

Andrew Carnegie Esq. -

Dear Sir.

On behalf of the Public of

Moorreesburg and district - in Cape

Colony - representing a population

of over 3,000, we would respectfully

enlist your sympathy to start a

Public Library.

During the last six years concerts have

been held and subscriptions collected

with this object in view, but the sums

raised where quite inadequate, amoun-

ting in all to only £73.

We feel now that only by an appeal

to your generosity, - that generosity

which you have extended to other

towns in South Africa placed under

similar disabilities - can we expect to

have our hopes realized.

The following conditions which we have

ascertained are essential before Philanthropic

Bequests to Public Libraries are granted by

you, can and will be fulfilled:

I. £100 per annum to be guaranteed for the upkeep of the Library.

II. A free site upon which to build.

III. The Library to be free.

The enclosed

papers show that the Municipality

guarantee £50 per annum, and the

Government the remaining £50 on the

£ for £ principle, i.e. £100 per annum;

and that a free site has been granted

by the Dutch Reformed Church.

We would further respectfully request

that your donation provide not only

for the building but also for the

furnishings of same with books.

The absence of the customary sources

of innocent diversion, and the better

local provision that has of late years

been made for the education of our

youth - with regard to improved schools, -

are factors that are well calculated

to assure the popularity and utility

of the contemplated Library.

We may also add that

Moorreesburg is situate in the centre

of the graingrowing district of this

Colony, and a large Oatmeal Factory [here]

here has many employées both

South African and British, who

are looking forward to the

establishment of the anticipated

Library.

Apologising for encroaching

upon your valuable time and trusting

that you will consider our appeal

favourably.

We are,

dear Sir,

Your's respectfully

J.P. du Toit Chairman

M. D. Koch Secretary

Library Committee

Andrew Carnegie Esq.

Skibo Castle Dornich

Scotland.

11 Julie 1911 (J.D. Retief, eerste predikant op Moorreesburg, beskryf goedkeuring)

The undersigned, Minister of the Dutch

Reformed Church Moorreesburg, hereby

certifies that the Churchwardens of the

said Church at the request of a Deputation,

consented to grant, free of charge, a piece

of ground for the erection of a library,

the ground to be transferred to certain

trustees; and the building to be used

only for a library.

J.D. Retief V.D.M.

Chairman

Moorreesburg, 11 July 1911.

3 Augustus 1911 (Minister van Opvoeding doen goeie woordjie vir Koch)

Telegraphic Address: "Instructor"

Union of South Africa

Department of Education

Pretoria, 3rd. AUGUST. 1911.

ANDREW CARNEGIE, Esqre.,

Skibo Castle.

Dornich.

SCOTLAND.

Dear Sir,

Miss. Maria D. Koch of Moorreesburg in the

Province of the Cape of Good Hope informs me that she has

had correspondence with you in connection with a grant to

a Public Library for the village of Moorreesburg, and she

has asked me to write a word to you in support of her

request.

I may say that Miss. Koch is a most enthusiastic worker

for the Proposed Public Library. She has had to contend

with a number of difficulties which have, however, all been

successfully overcome, and I feel confident that any assistance

which you might be willing to give will have far-reaching

and beneficent results.

I trust that you will excuse this further demand made

on your well known generosity.

Yours sincerely,

F. S. Malan

MINISTER OF EDUCATION.

Union of South Africa.

21 Augustus 1911 (Carnegie aan J.P. du Toit: Aansoek goedgekeur)

August 21st, 1911.

Dear Sir,

Yours of July 10th receivd. Mr. Carnegie will

be glad to supply £1500 to cover the cost of erecting a Free

Public Library Bilding for Moorreesburg and district, representing

a population of over 3,000, as you state, provided Moorreesburg

guarantees a contribution of £100 annually for the support of this

Library from taxation, of which, it is understood, £50 is to come

from the Government. A site must also be given for the bilding,

the cost ofwhich shall not be a charge against said revenue.

It is to be noted that the £1500 is to cover the cost of

the bilding complete and redy to occupy and the plan must be

such as Mr. Carnagie can approve, to obtain such approval pleas

send the plans as soon as you hav them ready.

The Library must be entirely free, [bonhas → both as] to reading in

the bilding and borrowing books for home use.

Respectfully yours,

P. Secretary

J. P. du Toit, Esq.,

Chairman, Library Committee,

Moorreesburg, Cape Colony.

19 September 1911 (Koch aan Carnegie: Dankbetuiging, twee planne word opgetrek)

Moorreesburg

Cape Province

South Africa

Sept 19th, '11.

Andrew Carnegie Esq.

2 East 91st Street

New York.

Dear Sir,

I am directed by the

Chairman and members of the

Library Committee to acknowledge

the receipt of your letter of the

21st ultimo and to thank you

most heartily for the very

generous help you are willing

to extend to us.

We feel that words are

inadequate to convey to

you our deep gratitude for

such greathearted

magnanimity.

As mentioned in our

letter dated July 10th, we

unfortunately have no

Books, nor the means of

obtaining some beyond

the amount stated therein

with which to stock our

Library.

We are therefore having

two plans prepared, one for

£1500 and the other for

£1200 for submission to you.

Should the latter meet

with your approval and

you allow us to appropriate

the balance of £300

for the purchase of Books

your kind generosity will

also enable us to over-

come this very great

difficulty viz: the furnishing

of the Library with the

necessary books.

If however you risk the

whole amount of £1500

put into the Building, we

shall very gratefully

carry out your decision.

Assuring you again

of our deepest gratitude

for your great help in our

need

I am,

dear Sir,

Yours very respectfully

M.D. Koch

Secretary Library Committee.

21 September 1911 (Koch aan Carnegie: Persoonlike brief)

Biesjesfontein,

Moorreesburg,

Cape Province

South Africa,

Sept. 21st '11.

Dear Sir,

I feel that individually

apart from my duty as Secretary

Library Committee - I must thank

you for the munificent monetary

help you are giving us for the

establishment of a Library at

Moorreesburg.

For the last six or seven years

with the help of a few of our

young people, we have given

concerts with a view of raising

funds for a Library.

You will know [with]

with what results when I

tell you that of the £73 now in

hand £25 were contributed

towards that fund by a member

of Parliament for this district.

Removed from the centres of

education, and deprived by

adverse circumstances of the

educational advantages for

which I yearned, I have

experienced what it meant to

thirst for mental development,

- for knowledge.

Reading has greatly supplied

this need and reconciled me

to the isolation of my life, and

through books I have been

enabled to come into contact

with the souls of great men

and women which breathe

through them, and to see something

of this great world in a small

tower of which I live. The work

I'm set myself to do, is the outcome

of this experience.

Sir, I have tried to keep my

gaze fixed far ahead on my

ideal, the goal I've set myself

to reach; the intervening obsta-

cles have often discouraged

me when the contemplated Library

seemed to vanish like a beautiful

mirage, and now when for the

third time we've appealed to you

for help and you've come to our

assistance so magnanimously,

you stand out to me above every-

thing, as the man to whom I owe

the realization of that ideal.

What is to me greater even

than your wealth, and before

which my soul bows with

respectful esteem and admir-

ation, is the great and beautiful

soul of our Benefactor, who

spends that wealth in the raising

of humanity to a higher level,

by holding up to mankind and

putting within their reach that

which would instil into their

minds what is good en pure

and make them aspire, in

whatever walk of life their lots

be cast, to lofty principles.

I have never before come

into contact with such

guaranteed generosity, the

benefiting of one's fellow creatures

on such a large scale, and

I thank God that to your keeping

He has entrusted the means

to confer such far-reaching

good on humankind [for]

for present and future gene-

rations.

Should the good fortune

ever befal me to be able to

travel in foreign lands and

see the world otherwise than

trough books, it will be one

of my greatest desires to see

you and express to you person-

ally the deep gratitude from

a full heart, which I wish

these lines to convey to you.

From your own life's exper-

iences you will know what it

means to meet with such

success as you have placed

in our way, after having

applied oneself perseveringly

to a task, and therefore [also]

also you will understand the

joy and gratitude I feel today,

and pardon me for the liberty

I am taking in writing to

you so unreservedly.

God bless you Sir, and

may He never leave un-

answered your heart's

dearest wishes and earnest

prayers.

Yours very respectfully,

Maria D. Koch

Andrew Carnegie Esq.

2 East 91st Street,

New York.

23 Oktober 1911 (Koch aan Carnegie: Twee voorgestelde planne gestuur)

Moorreesburg,

Cape Province

South Africa

Oct. 23rd '11

Dear Sir,

We are forwarding for your

approval by today's mail two plans

for proposed Library Building, of £1,500

and £1,200 respectively, as mentioned

in our letter dated Sept. 19th, together

with coloured perspective views

of buildings.

Sincerely hoping that you

will give our request embodied in

above letter your kind consideration,

I am,

dear Sir,

yours faithfully

M. D. Koch.

Sec. Library Committee.

Andrew Carnegie Esq.

2 East 91st Street,

New York,

N Y.

20 November 1911 (Probleme: plan moet oorgedoen word; dokumente kort)

November 20, 1911

M. D. Koch, Esq.

Biesjesfontein,

Moorreesburg, Cape Province, South Africa.

Dear Sir, -

Yours of September 21st receivd. You make trouble unnecessarily. Mr.

Carnegie was very explicit in his letter. He is to pay for a Library Bilding,

not partly for Library Bilding and partly for books. The money must be spent

on erecting a Library bilding complete, redy for occupancy, within the £1500.

promist. Before you adopt a plan, we must hav your assurance that the plans

presented wil fulfill the above requirements.

As to the plans sent, it [came] to us that it would be best to hav the inte-

rior just one large room with no partitions except such as may be formd of book

cases as convenience dictates. The books themselvs can be arranged partly

around the walls and partly in such book cases with will separate the interior

into alcoves for reference books, magazines, etc. It is taking up space and

money unnecessarily in making all those permanent partitions shown in your

plans.

There is nothing in your letter in the nature of a pledge by the municipal-

ity that the conditions attacht to Mr. Carnegie's gift will be carried out, as

anything about a site having been purchast and paid for and redy for the bilding.

Respectfully yours,

20 Januarie 1912 (Stadsklerk aan Koch; skryf weer munisipale goedkeuringsbrief)

The Municipality

Moorreesburg

January 20 1912

The Secretary of the

Library Committee

Moorreesburg.

Dear Madam,

I have the honour

to state that a Meeting of

our Council held July 4, 1911, it

was resolved to guarantee a

yearly sum of £50 for the

upkeep of the Moorreesburg Public

Library. I may also state that

Government will donate an

equal sum as per Act 508 of 1904.

The Church has given free

of charge to your Comittee

portion of Erf № 89 measuring

100 by 100 ft. as a site for

the Library.

I have the honour to be

dear Madam

Your obedient servant

N. J. Basson

Town clerk

Moorreesburg

January 22, 1912

22 Januarie 1912 (Koch aan Carnegie: brief met nuwe plan, en, nogmaals, die munisipale goedkeuringsbrief)

Biesjesfontein

Moorreesburg

Cape Province

South Africa

January 22nd, 1912

Andrew Carnegie Esq.

2 East 91st Street

New York, U.S.A.

Dear Sir.

Your favour of the 20th

November 1911 received for which I thank you.

We extremely regret causing trouble and we

note that the money so kindly donated by you

is to be spent entirely on building and furniture

in portion to be spent on books.

Your suggestions as to the building

interior have been placed before my

Committee who have had a modified plan

prepared which we trust will meet with your

approval.

I sent you on July 10th last the

guarantee of our Municipality but enclose

herewith a letter from them ensuring that

the conditions attached to your gift will

be strictly carried out.

A free site in the centre of our town has

already been given by the Church Authorities

and is now ready for the Building.

With renewed assurances of our gratitude

I am

Dear Sir

Yours respectfully

M. D. Koch

20 Februarie 1912 (Carnegie aan Koch: Neem kontak op met Home Trust Co. vir uitkering)

February 20, 1912

M. D. Koch, Esq.

Biesjesfontein

, Moorreesburg, Cape Colony, S. Africa.

Dear Sir,

Yours of January 22d receivd with plans, which are approved on the understand-

ing that the bilding is to be erected complete and redy to occupy within the £500

promist. Pleas communicate with Mr. R.A. Franks, Home Trust Co., Hoboken,

New Jersey, U.S.A.

5 Maart 1912 (Home Trust Co. belas om geld uit te keer)

March 5th, 1912.

Dear Mr. Franks,

Please honor the calls of the proper authorities

of Moorreesburg, Cape Colony, South Africa, for sums as needed to

pay for the erection of Library Bilding, as work progresses, to [the]

extent of Fifteen Hundred Pounds Stg.

5 Maart 1912 (Bekragtiging van gelduitkering)

LIBRARY

Town................... Moorreesburg C. Colony

Population............. [circ?] 3000

Correspondent.......... J.P. Du Toit

Date of Application.... 19 April 1907

Amount................. £1500 £100

Promised............... Aug/ 19/11

Drafts Authorised...... MAR-5 1912

24 Julie 1913 (Koch aan Carnegie: dankbetuiging, biblioteekopening 20 Junie 1913, vra om foto)

Moorreesburg

Cape Province

July 24th, '13

Andrew Carnegie Esq.

New York

Dear Sir

I am directed

by my Commitee to

inform you that the Carnegie

Public Library of this

town was officially

opened on June 20th by

the Hon. F.S. Malan,

Minister of Education for

the Union of South Africa.

A public Luncheon was

organised by the Library

Committee for the occasion,

at which our distinguished

visitors and leading local

and district ladies and

gentlemen were present.

The whole function passed

off brilliantly and marked

a redletter day in the

history of Moorreesburg.

I have also been

directed by my Committee

to request you to grant

us your further indulgence

by presenting us with

your photograph, which

we are very eager to hang

up in the Library.

We respectfully claim

beg to claim the privilege

of associating you in

our minds with the greatest

friend and benefactor of

this town and district,

and therefore sincerely

hope you will not think

it presumptuous on our

part to make this request

of you, which we trust

you will consider favourably.

I am

dear Sir,

Your obedient servant,

Maria D. Koch

Secr. Library Committee.