Hickory Has a Lot to Lose If It Doesn't Raise Final $3,000 for Library, Says Mayor Elliott, Nov. 28, 1921

Elliott-Carnagie Library was built, and although it is no longer used as a library, it is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Mayor Appeals for Library Support

To the citizens of Hickory and especially those interested in the Carnegie library:

J.L. Cilley, at his own expense, with the mayor of your city visited the Carnegie foundation committee at their office in New York last April, and this committee agreed to extend the time limit, which would have expired on May 3, 1921, one year, to May 3, 1922, and further agreed to increase their approbation $3,000, provided the citizens of Hickory would voluntarily contribute $3,000. This certain citizens agreed to do and signed an agreement to that effect. This signed agreement the banks declined to handle. The city is informed by Mr. L.F. Abernethy that the first pageant with the Glee Club will reduce the amount $1,000., that the second performance of the pageant will probably reduce this amount about $400 additional. Before the second pageant performance, the city notified the guarantors that their proportion part of the deficit would be $2,000 and requested that they send their checks to the city for $33.34 each with the assurance that should additional funds be received they should be refunded proportionally. The following parties who were not guarantors voluntarily donated the amounts opposite their names:

T.A. Mott, $34.34; R.C. Carver, $33,34; E.L. Flowers, $15; S. Short, $1.

We have received 46 checks from guarantors, who are entitled to refund provided the other 15 guaranteors, who have not paid their proportional part, furnish the city with their checks or make satisfactory arrangements so that the city will have the cash in hand not later than the first day of December.

I am giving this information to those interested based on the fact that if we do not receive the $3,000 from the citizens of Hickory on or before the 1st day of December we cannot complete the library building in the time designated by the Carnagie Foundation Committee, and we so inform this committee and return all the checks we hold and abandon the library project. The city loses $14,000 and the building site and the children a source of enlightenment that they are entitled to.

Respectfully,

J.D. Elliott, Mayor

From the front page of The Hickory Daily Record, Nov. 28, 1921