The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-03-31

W. W0uuuokSt6uOAIo AIom SouIAoAou SoA- .
nectEdF With the Columbia Board of I
Tradea about 1000 volumes have
been collected in response to it's appeals
to the citizens to establish library in
Columbia. This was done more than
year ago. The contributions OF books
were liberal and generous on thepart OF
the people here, and some publishing
houses North. What causes have pre-.
vented we do not know, but no arrange
ments have yet been entered into to
secure a suitable room and open the
library to the public. We understand
that the matter is likely to be considered
by the Board Of Trade in short time.
We trust that they will carry out the
original intention, end make these
books available for use in some agreea-
b!e way. We know nothing which is
more needed, or which will be of more
advantage, than o library Of useful and
entertaining works. accessible upon fair
and easy terms 10 subscribers. Bank
ers, merchants, clerks, students, all will
be benefited by intercourse with the
thoughts of standard writer's OH finance,
politicat economy, social problems
and the current topics of the day.
"Books." says a great thinker,
"are not absolutely dead things,
but do contain potency of life in
them to be as active as that soul was
whose progeny they are; nag, they do
preserve, as in vial, the purest efficacy
and extraction of that living intellect
that bred them" We trust that the
board will now promptly carry out its
original plan. and that we shall, in O
short time. have the library open and
made place OF resort, which will prove
instructive and entertaining, and an
agreeable point OF social meeting. In
connection with this matter, we will
make suggestion. Our city numbers
about ten or twelve thousand people. It
is place OF considerable resort Visit.
o-s find it attractive in many respects.
But there are no libraries, no rendiup
rooms into which we may stroll to re-
fresh the spirits exhausted by toll, or
where we may throw cff, in converse
with good books or interesting journals,
the oppressive sense Of care and trou-
BILE. The stranger has his hotel, where
he may be comfortable, and our livery
stables Will furnish him excellent turn
oats, IN which he may visit the points of
Interest in the city and subu1bs. But
we submit that something more is want
ing. For ourselves and for the stranger
within our gales, we ought to have
reading room i'll central position, fur.
nishcd Ti:h the best reviews aud per;o
dicals OF the day, and the daily journals
from all the principal American cities.
By properly combining trgether into
society for the purpose, each individual
reader can secure the pleasure and ad-
vantage OF reading number OF pub!:-
cations for tho same expense that one
; would cost him while isolated und not
acting il friendly concert with Others.
A reading room would be fit pendant
and adjunct of the library, which we
hope to hear will soon be opened by the
Doufd OF Trade.
WHAT CAN BE DoSE.-It is our pur-
pose to show. in this brief notice, that
it is false economy for our citizens to
send orders for architectural ornaments.
designs or any work CT that character to
Eastern and Northern cities, under the
delnsion TIM. equally good articles or
workmanship cannot be obtained at our
very doors. It is fact 70 be recorded
to tho discredit Of Columbia and other
Southern cities, that the ornaments to
the majority Of the buildings are pro
cured elsewhere, at an enormous cost.
whom they can bo bought at home of
superior quality. workmanship and
equitable rates. We are induced TO
make these remarks from the proofs
furnished during pleasant visit to and
stroll through the sash, door and blind
factory OF Mr.. F. ". Wing, located on
Pickens street, adjoining the old Nick.