The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-10-27

10 THE PEOPLE OF PORTLAND:
The undersigned, committee appointed
az a. meeting OF citizens held at the Mayor's
sire oi ta oa n,asent oaday evening" October 22d de-
and plan of action agreed upon, for the fo11n,
dation OF Free Public Library:
among the largest wants of our community.
s e4at OF pubic library, free to ALL or SO nearly
ate charge, has been long felt and acknowietIe-
what the young are now, that will our conn
try De after few years, and if the means of
self education be Withheld. how shall we bo,,a 20
to be justified hereafter? "o 'fop0
but PUBLIC Library is wanted, not for the
young only, not for the uneducated. not for the
lew; put tor all ages, for the educated and for
tne great multitude who have no libraries of
their own, and but few books worth rea5in@
within their reach
Ine late calamity, which for few days. at
most, seemed overwhelming, has had the effect
OF enlargingsand iberalizing the views oil o,lr
a,s suDs'antlal properly holders so that already
new enterprises are underway and SUCH i'm
Provements are in progress, that the heatiest
burdens are lifted, and men are looking I'm with
o,,sr t;o, trust and deeper sense of their obiea
r,r'eefy asi snea i<sI7aIn all the books when
i5le 20 asSefEH seElHIf IfaEiety Of conduon were
readers did not exceed fifteen Or tWshfVa
and volumes. Of these, the Cumberland Law
III 1tiorWary tne Atnengum Library, the library OF
OL SuIlStidu ASSOclaIlOn,t and
the Mercantile Library, were wholly destroyed.
leaving only, for reference. and for the supply
OF the common wants, about two hundred and
ntty volumes, belonging to the Natural History
ooeiety, ana ABOUT three thousand, belonging
TO the Mechanics Association .ti =
All, or nearly all, of our private Libraries in
the lower part of the town were swept away:
all but two or three of the law libraries most
OF our Theological and Medical libraries, and
miscellaneous accumulations without number
winch, II now aYistanaa irb4 10 r.
to swell our contributions
Oucn Oelng our necessities, and such our
condltlon, we desire aconference with our fell
low citizens. In the midst of our smoking ru-
ms %,tn new city rising around us "like an
eAhalatlon we are greatly strengthened and
encouraged by what we hear from different
| quarters; bus we must have a consultation and
agree 10 work together for the great common
purpose IN view We propose then
lst 10 apply to the City Government tor a
place OF meeting, and for room or rooms
hereafter, as they can be spared.
1nu. 10 call for subscriptions, and for con-
eripuGionS IN money or in books; believing that
| II we nave not GEORGE PEABODY among us
to lavish millions upon such enterprises we
nave at least many liberal and wealthy men,
VINO may desire to be their own executors for
thousands or tens of thousands, where great
| generations.
After the generous contributions poured in
upon us from all quarters since the great fire,
amounting to seven or eight hundred thousand
dollars including donations from the General
! government, provisions, clothing and building
inateriais-how can we have the heart-hOw
the tn face7to withhold what may be needed for
the foundation of Peoples Library?
ana after our munificent contributions
year after year during the war, which instead OF
impoverishing, seems to have enriched us, and
Dy giving us wider reputation, to have open
ed Ior us new channels of wealth, what less
can De expected of our substantial property
holders, wealthy business men and thriving
lnechanlcs, what less indeed of any among us
cooperation, without delay, in plan so COM
prehenslve and so far reaching, for the help
not only of themselves in their old age, but Of
their children forever?
:. Sd. To bring about, if possible, combina-
uon OF all our literary and scientific bodies, in
Guiding the Athenaum the Mercantile Library
Association, the Mechanics Association, and
| tne foung Mems Christian Association, where
bty all the libraries may be made accessible te
the public, upon such conditions as may be
agreed upon hereafter.
4th. To constitute life membership, on the
| payment of twenty-five dollars ,-
9th. To grant the privilege of membership al
the cost of one dollar year. - .
9th. 10 grant free admission to all who NAV
be recommended from the public schools, OF
who may not be able to pay the yearly sub
scription.
7th. To call public meeting without delay
anu appoint cOnlInlCCeeS IOr conference, Tor COR
respondence, at home and abroad, and for sol
icitation. ...r 'l
All which is respectfully submitted ~, #
JOHN c. SToCKBRIDaE,l
| JOHN RAND,
| -- WILLIAM III. FENN, C...
EDWIN @. BoLLEs, ooiiiini''eo
L, d. NJ. SWEAT
| JOHN NEAL ono
PORTLAND Oct %, 1868.
EB Evening Star and Weeklies please copy
RAILWAY TRAFFIC.-The following are the
receipts of the Grand Trunk Railway for the
week ending Oct Goth, 1866:
4
Express Freight, Mails and Sundries, 6,1O0 90
Freight and Live Stock. s0,O6O 0O
10tal,.. w
Corresponding week last year,. ....... 147, ,107 90
Increase, $4,497 90
JOSEPH HICKSON,
| Secretary and Treasurer