The City Of Chester.

disband and the books and other property be distributed among the members, but it was decided that no such action could be had without an act of the Legislature. The company dragged thereafter. On Aug. 22, 1835, the books had been removed to the town hall, a frame structure covering half of the market-house, which stood in Market Square, comprising one room about twenty feet square. The old frame town hall is now owned by J. Edward Clyde, having been removed to Fifth Street east of Market when the market-house was torn down, in 1857, and is now a Chinese laundry. When the building was demolished the library was temporarily placed in a room in the old court-house, remaining there until 1866, when it was removed to the office of Joseph Taylor, in National Hall. In 1840 the title of the association was changed to "The Chester Library Company" by act of Assembly, but the ancient "partnership" had become so enfeebled by its weight of years that it could not be recuperated, so that when in January, 1871, it was removed to a room in the second story of the Farmers' Market, on Fourth Street, it was laid away to accumulate dust on its unused volumes, and that such an association exists in this city has been almost forgotten.

Holly Tree Hall, on the north side of Seventh Street west of Edgmont Avenue, is a brick building containing on the upper floor a large audience-room capable of seating over six hundred persons, handsomely fitted and arranged for lectures and public entertainments, while on the lower floor is a commodious library and reading-room, and a large apartment specially furnished for the use of Miss Laura J. Hard's Bible-class. In the front there are two rooms leased for store purposes. Holly Tree Hall is the outgrowth of an attempt of Miss Hard to provide a resort where workingmen and females might assemble in the evening for conversation and reading. To this end she labored diligently, succeeding in enlisting the public in the enterprise. Money and books were donated, and in January, 1873, three rooms were leased over H. B. Taylor's hardware store, on Third Street near Market Square, and the "Mechanics' Reading-Room" opened to the public. The apartments soon became too small to meet the demand made upon them, and it was determined to erect a building adapted to the purposes intended. A charter was obtained from the court, stock was issued, and in May, 1877, the present building was built. There are nearly two thousand volumes on the shelves of the institution, the books being free to all who may visit the library, but can only be taken therefrom by stockholders, and the reading-room is well supplied with daily newspapers of Philadelphia, the local press, and current standard American periodicals. The officers of the association are Hugh Shaw, president; George B. Lindsay, secretary; and Miss Laura Hard, treasurer.

Chester Institute of Science. - A call for a meeting of citizens to consider the advisability of forming an Iustitute of Science was issued on Feb. 26, 1882, by Thomas Moore, Adam C. Eckfeldt, and Dr. F. R. Graham. Mr. Moore had long been interested in the matter, and it was through his efforts that the first steps towards a formal organization were taken. On Thursday, March 2, 1882, the following gentlemen assembled at the office of D. M. Johnson, Esq.: Thomas Moore, Adam C. Eckfeldt, Dr. F. R. Graham, George Gilbert, Felix de Lannoy, Ward R. Bliss, Henry B. Taylor, Dr. R. H. Milner, D. M. Johnson, Dr. C. W. Perkins, Henry Palmer, Dr. C. W. de Lannoy, and B. F. Morley. Adam C. Eckfeldt was called to the chair, and Dr. De Lannoy was made secretary. Great interest was shown in the matter, and, after some general discussion of the subject, a committee, consisting of Ward R. Bliss, Thomas Moore, and Dr. De Lannoy, was appointed to draft a constitution and bylaws.

A second meeting was held at the Armory, on Friday, March 10th. George Gilbert was called to the chair, and Capt. B. F. Morley appointed secretary. A constitution was adopted, and under it an election was held, April 14th, and the following permanent officers were chosen: President, George Gilbert; Vice-Presidents, Adam C. Eckfeldt, Professor F. de Lannoy; Secretary, Thomas W. Scott; Treasurer, Thomas Moore; Librarian, Henry B. Taylor; Managers, Dr. Ellwood Harvey, Henry Greenwood, M. Louise Clancy, Dr. R. H. Milner, and Dr. C. W. de Lannoy.

Thomas W. Scott, secretary, resigned November 10th, and John Miller was elected in his stead. Upon the removal of the latter from the State, Charles St. J. McKee was made secretary on Feb. 9, 1883. Owing to business engagements Mr. McKee resigned, and Frank R. Gilbert became secretary on the 9th of November.

At the first stated meeting, on April 14,1882, D. M. Johnson, Esq., Hon. Y. S. Walter, and Thomas Lees were appointed a committee to procure a charter; and on June 5th the society was incorporated by the Court under the title of the "Chester Institute of Science and Mechanic Arts." The members named as corporators in the charter are as follows:

George Gilbert, Ellwood Harvey, Y. S. Walter, Thomas Moore, F. de Lannoy, H. B. Taylor, Thomas Lees, D. M. Johnson, Thomas W. Scott, Charles F. Foster, Thomas B. Robinson, Benjamin D. Johnson, Reuben Yarnall, J. L. Forwood, J. T. DeSilver, Clarence Larkin, Benjamin F. Baker, M. L. Clancy, Ward R. Bliss, and H. G. Ashmead.

The objects of the society are "to promote the diffusion of general and scientific knowledge among the members and the community at large, and the establishment and maintenance of a Library, Historical Record, and a Museum."

A library of two or three hundred volumes is already collected. The museum, of several thousand specimens, has already reached such proportions as to