Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-02-29
LOCAL NEWS.

ALEXANDRIA LIBRARY COMPANY. -Pursl,-
ant to adjournment, the seventy-seyenth annual
meeting of this company was held at its rooms
last nj sht, Richard l.. Carne in the chair and
George r. Hill acting as secretary:
The following report OF the officers OF the
company for the year 1871, was read by Kos
cusko kemper, President, and unanimously
accepted, viz
To the Stockholders ofMs alexandria Library:
Having at your last annual meeting present
ed for your consideration a report. exhaustive
as we'll of the subject as of your patience, it is
,,,,omed unnecessary to do more at this time
than to lay before you, in as few words as pos
sble, statement OF what has occurred during
The year Just passed.
As soon after the annual meeting as circum-
stances would permit, the new Board assembled
at the call of the President and organized by
electlng A. q. Uhler Vice President, +. S.
I.eadbeater Treasurer, and W. W. Legare Sec
rotary. Mr.. August Hennng was retained n
tie position OF Librarian at the same salary,
the amount being afterwards somewhat iu-
creased by allowing him commission OF ten
per ct. on all subscriptions collected by him.
The year has been marked by several changes
as well in the pe'Sonel Of the Board as Of the
other officers OF the company.
By the removal from the city Of W. w. Lee
gare, esq, the Board lost an efficient member
aud the Library staunch friend. His place
in the Board was filled by the election Of Jos.
Hopkins. esq.,, and the office of Secretary vaca-
ted at the same time was rendered to and ac-
copied by Geo. W ~ Ramsay, esq: After a few
months Mr. Hopkins resigned. and DIR. VIM.
B. Gregory was chosen to supply the vacancy
thus created.
With these exceptions the Board remains as
constituted by You when last in general meet
ing assembled.
About the first Of October last Mr.. Hcu-
ming rendered his resignation as Librarian,
which was accepted. 10 find a SUCCESSOR to
Mr.. Hennipg, person capable, aud at the
same time wiling to accept the position OF Iii
brarian III view of the moderate salary attached
thereto, was no easy matter. The Board, there
fore, congratulate themselves, as we'll as the
company, upon their good fortune III securing
in this connection the services OF w. i. STAINS
bury, who has from that time to the present
filled the office to the entire satisfaction Of the
Beard, ami in manner which justly entities
HIN to the thanks OF the company.
Que unfortunate result, consequent upon this
change in the lncumbency OF the position of
Librarian, Was the alteration 1t necessltaed in
the hours ot opening the Llbrary-a necessity
the more regretted on account Of the inconyc-
nlGncc 10 WHICH tHe lauy SUBSTITUTES nave uctn
subjected The afternoon hours, except on
Saturdays, had to be abandoned, but the rooms
continued to he kept opeu every night from
to 10 clock
The Librarian reports that he has given out
during the year over 5000 voumes-a very
gratifying exhibit During the same time
nearly 800 volumes have been added, including
donation ut G3 neatly bound and we'll selected
novels received from Miss Whiting, resident
OF this city-a handsome gift truly, evincing a
liberality Of spirit highly commendable, and we
wish many OF the citizens OF this city would fol-
low the example. The thanks of the company
were at the time, through the President, re-
turned to Miss Whiting for this very substantial
exhibition Of her interest in the prosperity of this
venerable Alexandria institution. Whilst thus
remembering our benetactors at home, let us not
forget those from abroad. 10 the Hon. Jno.
W. Johnston, our Senator in Congress, the
thanks OF the company are emlnently due, Tor
the number and valuable character OF the pub
lie documents presented 10y lltu uuilnS the
past Year. and also to Lewis Mckenzie, late
member Of Congress from this District, tor
>imi!ar tavors.
Upon our tables will yet be found the four
foreign Reviews, and Biackwood's Magazine,
Good Words, Sunday Magazine, the Southern
REVIEW, Southern Magazine, Appleton ) Jour
paper files some OF the best daily aud weekly
newspapers OF this country.
The finances OF the company next demand
ynur attention. BY reference to the Treasur-
Ell report it will be seen that the receipts tor
the year amount to $GI9. -, and the dlsburse
lnents to 1924. l0--lraving balance IN the
treasury OF 500 ga very agreeable financial
exhibit certainly, but one for which the COM
pany is indebted to the ladies, for had they not
volunteered to assist US, the balance, instead OF
being iu our favor, would have been largely
against us A close examination into the de-
tails of this report will demonstrate that 10 or
der to carry on the Library with anything like
success, it ought to have at least 200 stock hold
ers paving an annual assessment of SO each,
thus recurring yearly income of S6O0--the
very smallest sum upon which this institution
can be successfully maintained, and even this
would only allow about $500 Tor the pure base
of books 1t would be to them reproach, IN
deed if the people of this city We're to allow
the Library-wh"sc Influence for good has
been so seusibly felt in this community for the
past two years-to anguish and fnaly lapse
again into obscurity for the want of means to
keep it in operation. See to it, then, that the
claims of the Alexandria Library are so brought
to the attention of the good people OF this
ancient city. as to avert the possibility of such
thing. The thanks of the company are eml-
ncnly due to the Treasurer, Secretary and
Librarian for the faithful and satisfactory man
ncr 10 which they have discharged the duties
of their respective position.
Such then is a briet--aud it may be mper-
fect-record of the year transactions.
In conclusion. word ortwo of more gener-
al character 1t is source of profound regret
to your present Board of Directors that their
earnest efforts in behafof this useful and veneer
able institution have been so feeby seconded
by the citizens generally 4 strange indifference
as to the maintenance of the l. :brary seems TO
prevail among large portion of even the more
wealthy and better educated classes of the PEG
pie, though none are bold enough to question
the great benefit to community of the estab
lishmert and proper support in its midst Of
we'll ordered circulating library.
But, whilst such is the feeling among a
much larger portion of the people Of this city