A Night Out for the Carpenters' Union
A local labor union throws a fundraiser to stock their Second-street library, proving that even in the bustling 1890s, workers prioritized access to knowledge.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Carpenters' Union No. 381 gave a ball Saturday evening for the benefit of the library which the union recently established in its Second-street reading rooms. The members of the union were out in force with their families and friends, and the attendance tested the capacity of the hall. Dancing began at 8:30 o'clock in the evening and continued until long after midnight. Mr. B. N. Cooper and six assistants acted as floor managers. The ball was a success and the amount raised will augment the library fund considerably.
“The members of the union were out in force with their families and friends, and the attendance tested the capacity of the hall.”
Today's Seattle struggle involves fighting for physical space for community centers and libraries in a city where land is at an extreme premium. This 1890s event reminds us that labor unions were not just about wages, but about building independent, working-class institutions for education and culture.
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