, 1874-03-08

of almost everything chat civilized people find it
necessary to patronage, among all our losses there
was none greater than thatof public libraries
After the material wants Of most OF the suffer-
ors had been in some measure supplied, the good
people in our midst turned their attention toward
filling up tho intellectual blink caused BY the
destruction Of so much valuable reading matter
Foremost among the religious societies which
assumed tho duty OF furnishing food for the
mind Of our masses, the Chicago Young Mons
Christian Union deserves to be accorded.
Its ORGANIZATION.
So ea7|v as the winter Of 1871 they established
. reading room on Wabash avenue. and we're the
means OF keeping very many unemployed poT-
SONS out OF reach of that mischief wn'ch, the olo
adase s.ys, is reserved for idle hands to 90. In
addition to tho Journals ano Eel.onnu,s snp-
n1irhed t.e Union wi.h some excellent books,
aud tie nucleus Of library Was formed
LETTING n TIE LADIES'
Last summer. the Directors OF the primitive
organization thought that on improvements
might be rnado and strength gained by the ad-
mission Of ladies' to the ranks. The members
snw the wisdom of the suggestion, md
without delay adopted it: 60 the -
cioty vas 1eformsd nndsr Ghratan ioo ngn afg['
The ladies, ns is their wont, when fired BY
Christian ardor. rallied to tho standard of the
Union with commendable zeal.
TnEIn ROOMS.
VERY soon the funds we're BTclled to figure
that might bo regarded as respectable, and tho
new organization resolved Oh hiring from Rosen-
field & Rosenberg the handsome rooms situated
at No, III East Madison street, IS headquar-
tors for the Union: Three 6 t1oors r. were engages
At an annual rentcI Of 81, 500. The first was de-
voted to ladies' parlor, library, reading-room
c1,sa and lecture rooms. The second Was set
apnrt Tor q splendid Union Hall, having an aree'
Of 100 bv Is feet, and generally provided With
chairs and other nccomm modatlons; ano ING
unner floor was devoted to very we'll
arranged aud crcditably-conductcd gymna~
snm. Thus tho Union managed to COM
prise in its apartments almost every
thing that could interest the community.
There was intellectual noursh'nent IN tno 1Iss
place, philosophical research and llvely aociaples
in the second, and muscular oeselopmen' III
the third.
THE HooKs.
There arc now on the shelves OF the CHRISTIAN
Union Library some l,G00 volumes. compr1tlnS
a very interesting variety OF books. flctlonr
no3emcs. poetry history. and science are re-
srectably represented. The average NUMBER OF
hooks in active circulation among tho momoofe
is 40o and subscribers are allowed the important
nrivilcco. not common among public libraries,
Of co;ns to the shelves and selecting SUCH WORKS
os tl,ey NAV prefer, instead of looking at cata-
loruo and writing the na1no OF dcsl1ed volume
on card, as is done IN other lnsslsuuons'
The terms Of admission arc as follows: First
c1ass. to whom a-o gwen all the advantages OF
the society, library. 1ecture-room, gymnasium;
socinblca. ETC., $40 annual subscription; second
class, admitted to library rGa:nn"-room, leo-
tures. and sociabes. $5 annual fee; third c=aas,
admitted to library and rcading-room, anu to
certain lectures Of tho season-coutse, ~ per
annl'n. 1885,, c,.,-
Strangers, who are not drunk, filth >, Or nl7oe-
hayed. are admitted. free Of charge, TO the read
no-room and to the Monday evening lec7lre
Whenever any person. not presentaple ~ INC
wav of cleanliness, appears, he Is immediately
| referred, by the Superintendent, to the iseae1
and Aid Society. and, after ne mas nesoE.o
clcnnsed, is admitted TO Tie p1aFle6o VI u@' Wig
ftTo library hours are from 9 o'clock in the
morning until 10 o'clock at night.
! DAILY ATTENDANCE.
Tho avernrn daily observation-disclosures OF
| 1ect,,res-is about 400. of whom 40 per cent are
ladies'. The average weekly attendance during
| tno past year haa becD--lccturcs not Included
/ 1,5o0. This docs not comprise those VINO '1e-
| nuent the gymnasium.
/ THE nEADTSG-nooM
| is very comfortably fitted up with tables, chairs
| and newspaper racks. containing tiles OF the
Chicago, New York, Boston, aud other tlrst-
| class pape,E. At the extreme end OF tee room
| is a table for games, such as chess, c'icckers'
md domiuocr. and this branch of tho Institution
| is ve1y llbcrally patronizcd.
| The ladies' parIor is on the same hotr has 0
n,etty carpet and other Little Injuries. which the
| world, religious and otherwise. Ii a1S2@ " 1une
to accord to the fair and privileged te1, vino, b.
| tic way, ar., the most efficient members OF sne
| Union. ..-
I THE OFFICERS
| Of tho Society, as nov constituted are as 1of'
George n Pullman, President.
Henry Booth. Vice President.
joseph Havea, D. p, Second '1eo-r7es'ocn''
! The rev. Charles W. wcndte. Recording Secretary.
II. II. SWEET, Corresponding SECRETARY.
D,rectors-C Il. S. ifi1cr, J. q. Roberts, " r Dog
mi George IS, Perkins, G. G. Bonncy, ". C. ssaun
ton, George F. Root H. ]. Mcfarland. Henry 11cene
| baum, ". z. Page.
| Under such guidance: and that OF t1le aolt
Srneriutoudent, Mr. 0. C. Gibbs, it is hardly te
hc wondered at that tic Chicago Christian unIot
| ;e advancing rapidIy in the direction Ut undoubt'
.s ed ~ prosperity. The actual membership nov
amounts to 1.200, aud when that fignre II
a.raIlad tn COD tho institution will have become
not alone self f-sustaining but profitable.
| GENERAL PROGRAMME.
The following is tho general programme
| varied according to ciscumstauces-ot tue lec
| turc on c1uss courses .,
Tnesay evening, classes in English literature ane
| shorthand. -.a,,,r .,d bou
eThrrsdaT evening, reserved for sociabes and enter
taina2cntE. ...,u -. ,on+,,re overr al
a h
| tcrnatc week. $780,. . ,. .. ,,,.,1 -,rsic
! Saturday evening. Literary Society. ~.
| Ijhrary and Keatii,lg-k0on open every oa5 III I'LL
week. ,....-x ,,,
Hra,h-ft on first f1onr in rear OF Reaulne- -isoo1l
from a. NJ to r. M, for tho convenience Of ladea
znd such gentlemen do not wish 20 use tue tsE1na
siun. From to 10 p H. it is in the Gsmnasla1n'
UNION CATHOLIC LIBRARY.
Among the prominent literary institutions
this CITY, the Union Catholic Library holds
high place. 1t was first established IN 1Sos
when the late Roger J. Brass was elected ffes'
dent of tho Association. Its first headquarter
were on LaSallo street, in the Oriental Building
hut were subsequently, transferred to more com
mod:ous rooms on Monroe street, where it rc
n,a;ucd until the period OF the lire, at VINO!
tlmo there we're about 3, 600 excellent volume
| upon it's shelves.
AFTER THE coSFLAGRAI1oS,
| the fricuds Of tho Library made fresh start o.
Dcsrlainea street, IN the basement Of 81 3
patrlck's Church. Donations wero made who
kent busiacss moving, although somewhat SLOW
". A,r. " j. Onalan was elected President
T 91rrlS