The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1850-07-04
Reading Room.

A few days since we wrote an editorial and
notice, sgnifying that subscription papers
would be left with certain gentlemen, for the
purpose Of obtaining a sufficient amount of
money to start and pay the expenses of
Public Reading Room. We promised, if it
were started, to supply it with newspapers
and periodicals, and superintend the room,
and we distinctly asserted that we expected
to derive no profit from the enterprise. In
promising to do this, we promised what no
half dozen men in the place would have
agreed to do. and we volunteered labor which
no other citizen could be induced without re-
ward to perform. Privately, we have since
stated that the expenses Of the room could
not be annually less than two hundred dol
lars, and that we would not undertake the en-
terprise unlcgs that sum were secured. Now
after calculating the matter more closely, we
kno11 the expenses of the room will even ex-
coed this sum. After all this actual liberal
ity on our part to further an enterprise which
we have been urged over and over again by
respectable citizens to put under Roadway,
an enterprise which could be of no profit to
US, but of great trouble, there is Il spirit ex-
hibited among some of our citizens to whom
the subject has been introduced, Of doubt
and distrust, that is no more honorable to US
than creditabe to themselves. We started
this as an individual enterprise, and by ur-
gent solicitation. Several gentlemen profit
cred their assistance which was gratefully
accepted. Whatever was subscribed was to
be paid over to US for the benefit of the room.
We expected every subscriber to realize the
full value of that he subscribed. Yet a few
seem to fear that A. H. Sanders will receive
some pecuniary benefit from the enterprise,
when actually he would not sell the time he
would have to devote to the room for several
hundred doIlars-nor could he eat his dinner
with his present appetite, if he thought he
were indebted copper pecuniariy to these
same men.
We wish 10 say TO the public most distinct
ly, that nolD we do not care picayune wheth-
er this Reading Room be started or not-and
we shall only take control of it on one condi-
ton, which viii perfectly insure to at least
one prominent citizen" of Evansville, whom
we once took the trouble personally to con-
vince of his Lutleness, that Sanders will not
realize copper's benefit from the enterprise
or copper's remuneration for his troub -
The condition is this-that subscribers shall
organize and elect Treasurer to whom all
the subscriptions shall be given, and who
shall from this sum pay all the expenses O.
the Room, and said Treasurer shall viii
ourself determine what these expenses are
that not cent of this money shall he paid t.
the Superintendent, A. ii. Sanders or through
him to any other person-so we may thus be
rid of that portion of the trouble and respon
sibllity-and that all the rules, regulations
&c, of the Room shall be established by thu
organized company ofsubscrbers We thu
secure our own pocket from much loss, whert
otherwise we might have met with conside
. rable. In conclusion we would advise sub
scribers not to undertake the Reading Room
unless they can start on at least three hund
red dollars per annum. or enthusiasm o.
the subject has been somewhat cooled.