July 10-11, 1941 — The Tribune holds its own election

The council was deadlocked and the committees had given up; they would bring no recommendation to Friday night's meeting. So on Thursday, July 10, 1941, the Tribune stopped reporting the argument and ran an election of its own.

It printed a ballot.

THE TRIBUNE, City.

My suggestion for a site of the proposed north side branch library

is .........................................................

Name .......................... Address ..........................

Three sites were listed: the Briebach property at Gillette and Kane; the Logan high school grounds; the Bollrud and Robinson-Iverson property at the southwest corner of Avon and Sill. Readers could post the blank that night, leave it at the Tribune's north side office at 708 Clinton Street, or bring it downtown before ten the next morning.

"VOTE TONIGHT!"

— The La Crosse Tribune, July 10, 1941

The poll had to be finished in a day, because the project came before the council the following night. The paper was candid about what it was doing: the referendum would be purely advisory, but if enough people took part the result should offer welcome guidance to the council. The results would run in Friday's edition, in time for the aldermen to read them before they sat down.

Because north side residents were concerned and deeply interested, and because the Common Council had been unable to decide, the Tribune opened its columns and asked them directly.

"This is your opportunity to have direct voice for the site of your choosing."

Friday, July 11 — the north side answers

The ballots came in overnight and through the morning. The Tribune tabulated them at noon and printed the result in that afternoon's paper, hours before the council sat.

Briebach property, Gillette and Kane	85
Bollrud property, Avon and Sill	59
Logan high school grounds	27

A hundred and seventy-one people filled in a newspaper coupon and posted it, or walked it to the Tribune's north side office on Clinton Street, or carried it downtown before ten in the morning. The paper reported what they had said: residents of the north side favor the Briebach property, Gillette and Kane streets, as the site for the proposed branch library building.

It also reminded readers where the council stood. On Tuesday night the committees had canvassed the sites and tied 10 to 10 on the Briebach purchase. The council would convene in regular session that evening.

That night the council bought the Briebach property.