The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-12-14

Mr.. Wines, Of Springfield, ulinpis, who VA
sent by the Library Association 1t that place,
to inspect our City Library Apd learn the
nature and rules Of the Association. He did
50, and his report We find in the Springfield
Journal. Az hs makes . fhnS md 1Alear'
statement of the present condition Of the La
brsry, as well as the history Of its foundation,
we transfer his account to our own columns
BE notices the inauguration Of the movement
two years ago, and then says:
They have now library of 6fty-five hun
dred volumes, and reading room which -
open daily from two o'clock until ten, and IS
the most popular place of resort in the city.
The estimated value of their property is ten
thousand dollars.
So great success, in less than two years,
must be attributed to the fact that from the
commencement the leading spirits in this en-
terprise aimed to make it q popular move
ment-a movement not of wealthy men
alone, nor of the young men alone. nor OF
educated men alone, but of all classes, from
the richest and most learned down TO the
humblest mechanic. Every man in keokuk
was appealed to for his assistance, and those
who could not give money contributed their
labor. From the beginning, all classes OF the
community have been represented In the
Board Of Directors.
The room in which the library is kept il in
the most frequented portion of the city. 1t
is seventy eight feet in length by twenty-five
in width, with three windows at each end.
1t is in the second story, and fronts the prin-
cipal street. 1t has beer fitted up at cost
of fourteen hundred dollars, three huadred
dollars of which was gift to the library, in
work. by the mechanics Of keokuk. The
woodwork is grained in oak. The floor is
wall are hung several fine engrsvings, among
which are the sTrial of Efie Deans" 1.-The
Village Blacksmith, 'sThe Signing Of Mag.
ma Charter" Shakespeare and his Friends"
and "Falstaff Mastering his Recruits" The
room is also adorned by several busts, IN
bronze and plaster, of Mr.. Lincoln, Byron,
Shakespeare, Walter Scott, and Governor Low,
of Iowa. A colored photograph of keokuk,
the Indian chief, after whom the city was
named, aud the patron saint of the Associa-
ton. occupies a conspicuous place at the end
of the room. They have also some maps,
and fine clock, q regulator, given to the
Association by some friends. Outside the
railing which encloses the bookcases and the
librarian desk are two long tables, covered
with newspapers, magazines and pamphlets,
and surrounded by comfortable oak arm
chairs, with ane-seat bottoms.
The books are kept in cases with glass
doors. There are twenty-five of these cases,
put together on what is known as the Smith
sonian plan, in movable sections. Each case
contains eight shelves three feet long, making
in all six hundred feet of shelving. The IL
brary itself was selected in the East by q
gentleman competent for that work, who
spent month in accomplishing his task, and
il probably contains less trash than any other
library Of equal size In the United States.
Many of the books were presented to the As
ISOLATION, among which a donation from the
Smithsonian Institute, at Washington. de-
serves special meltion. Mr.. Wines notices,
in the collection, very valuable political IL
brary, which was purchased for $500, which
was far below its real value; a complete set Of
the publications of BONN, the celebrated
London publisher; thirty volumes of the
Universal Masonic Library; more than "a
thousand volumes of history and biography,
and many valuable works on law, medicine
and theology, besides books of fiction, trav-
els, poetry. and general literature. Mr.
Wines did not ask for a single recent publ
cation of any note, which he did not find
upon the shelves
The Association are now engaged in pre-
pairing q catalogue for publication, Of which
they expect 10 print three hundred copies
This library is in general use by all classes.
Every one finds in it something to suit him.
The Association have spent very little money
on newspapers and magazines. They do not
take single daily or weekly newspaper.
They do subscribe for the Atlantic and Har-
per Magazines, the English Reviews, Sill
mans Journal, Hunts Merchants Magazine
and the North American Review. This list
they expect to increase next year. They de-
sign taking Punch, the English illustrated
papers, and some other periodicals. All the
daily and weekly newspapers ON their files
are given to them.
Their expenses are about 500 annually
Their room costs them $40 q year. They
employ lady for librarian at salary of
$500 The fees from stockholders and sub
scrbers about pay the expenses of the read
| ing room. The library is insured for five
thousand dollars
They have tried the lecture system The
| first winter they lost twenty-five dollars.
Last winter they did better. Their expert
ence is that first class lecturers will pay.
Second class lecturers will not. The Associ-
alton has joined the Western Lecture
Association, union Of Western literary
societies, whose secretary, George Andrews.
resides at Detroit.
Inc plan Oh the heOkuk Liprary ASSOcla
ton is that of joint stock company. The
capital stock is ten thousand dollars, divided
| into one thousand shares at ten dollars each,
and may be increased by vote of the stock
holders at any time. To prevent the library
from falling into the hands of speculators,
who would obtain control of it and sell it out,
it is provided that no stakeholder SHAH east
more than Eve votes. The management OF
the institution is in the hands of a
Board of Directors, who are responsible to
the stockholders, and report to them an
nually. They are forbidden to 20 into debt
beyond the amount of money in the hands of
the treasurer. Those who do not hold stock
may have the use of the library by paying in
advance three dollars for yeas, or one dol
/ lar for three months. Lie memberships cost
fifty dollars. Stockholders pay two dollars a
year for the use of the library. Life men,
bers pay nothing. The stock is transferable,
but cannot be sold without the consent Of the
Directors, which will not be granted, If all
arrearages due are not paid in full The
oversight of the library is in the hands of a
library committee, chosen by the Board Of
| Directors
4 The experience of the Keokuk Association
is, that to build up library ipvolves an i'm
mense amount of labor, more than any one
would imagine that it also requires a great
deal of money. The cooperation of two
classes of men, therefore, 10 necessary.
Wealthy men are needed 70 furnish the