Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-01-11
MERCANTILE LIBRARY.
Annual Aeeting-RePOrt Of the Direct
Ors-EieeffOn Of Odieers-APpesI
10 the Public.

The annual meeting of the Memphis
Mercantile library association was held
in the associations office, corner of Main
and Madison streets, last night, Presi-
dent Minor Merriwether in the chair,
and full attendance Ofmembers present,
CONDITION OF THE ASSOCIATION.
Messrs. w. w. Goodwin, Minor Mer-
riwether and Gerald Griffin, the COM
mittee appointed by the board of direc-
tors TO examine into the progress and
condition of the association, reported for
the directors as follows:
Durirg the entire year the admins
| tration ofthe affairs of the association has
! been embarrassed and obstructed, and its
advancement retarded, if not altogether
stopped by the successive and unprece-
/ dented calamities, physical, moral and
| financial that have fallen upon our
entire city, and prevented any increase
or possible growth in the wealth or
numerical strength of the association.
| So much have all the efforts of directors
and members been discouraged that all
attempts of increasing the facilities of
members or adding to the present stock,
and thereby incurTing additional ex-
penses, were early in the year aban-
dOned. One or two opportunities OF
purchasing valuable, but small libraries,
having been presented, the directors
thought best to take advantage Of them,
and thus secure to your stock
OF necessary books a most useful
| increase. This was accordingly done,
and from three hundred to five hundred
volumes were thus added tC your
shelves, which upon examination will be
found to comprise books Of indispensa-
/ BILE information and matter. 1t was
| thought advisable to change the Organi-
zation, from a stated purpose of the as
| sociatiOn from the original foundation,
and TO procure a charter Of incorporation
/ by which the association could be placed
| upon legal and most stable footing.
Accordingly upon inquiry and to save
unnecessary cost, the charter granted
some years ago to the Memphis mercan-
| tile library was procured from persons
rightiully holding it, and although
imperfect and insufficient for all
! purposes and form Of organization,
constitution and bylaws were prepared
! hereunder and the whole submitted to
a special called meeting of the mem
bers of the Reading room association,
and the whole fully ratified and adopted,
as they now stand, transferring the
1 I.
| Memphis Mercantile library assOcia-
ton in its present form and organiza-
ton. The election Of officers and direct
ors being postponed to the next annual
meeting.
| With the foregoing excepted, but little
OF interest has transpired as proper sub
ject of this report. Emerging from one
season of epidemic disease but to enter
another, and crushed by our unprece-
dented financial panic, the directors nave
thought it eXpedient not to continue
their fruitless attempts to add to the list
of members, as any further efforts would
be spasmodical, and tend to discourage,
more than interest, the community in
your behalf. 1t has been determined,
after mature deliberation, to curtail the
expenses of the present organization,
and rather nurse and husband present
resources, until q more auspiciOus time
for making further demands upon the
people for increase of the capital fund,
and support of current expenses. With
this in view, the present board of direct
ors respectfully suggest that the most
advantageous policy for the present and
future welfare of the association, is to cut
offall Expenditures which can possibly be
dispensed with, and TO sustain the
necessary expense only for maintaining
the present organization in its present
form intact, holding the entire machin-
cry complete and ready, that at favor
able season the whole may be put in act.
i've, life-like motion, and may then
receive prompt encouragement, it being
the ultimate design and the heartfelt
wish Of all to establish by life, fifty-year
ten-year and annual memberships as 3
capital fund, the interest or profits o.
which may pay all the annual expense
! and in a short time be sufficient to ado
an annual list of valuable books. The
committee appointed for the purposes
set forth, submit the foregoing statement
J for the careful consideration OF al
who have at heart the interest of oul
association. The report was adopted
! ELECTION or DIRECTORS.
The president stated that the election
: of directors was the next order of bust
ness. The association then elected th'
following gentlemen directors for In,
ensuing year: w. Z. Bowdre, Mino
Merriwether, Gerald Griffin, w. i
Anderson, w. w. Goodwin, L. &
} Mcdowell and A. Z. Frankland.
Afrer discussing various measures per
| tanning to the social interests of th'
association the meeting adjourned.
ELECTION or oFFICERS.S.
The board of directors then held ,
} meeting to elect officers Of the associa
ton for the ensuing year. The follow
, ing gentlemen were elected: T.. 9. Nc
Dowell, PRESIDENT w. w. Goodwin
e-president; Eugene Z. Jones, secre
tary and treasurer. The board then ad
I jOurned.
: In this connection 1t is not inappTo
: pirate to urge the Importance OF sustain
ing the Memphis Mercantile library as
4 sociation, which, if encouraged and de
p velOped, would prove of untold adYan
: tage TO our city. The association seek
: to afford q cheap and pleasant medium
0 of instruction and enlightenment +
: those who rightly value the advantage
: reading eopfers. IT brings minds of dit
q ferent kinds together, and the sOeia
D sympathies that may be arouse'
: cannot fail to induce fre
e quent Investigations into tn
e more remote regions OF literature anC
( the examination Of subjects which
] would never, perhaps, claim the atten
D ton of any save the student. For
: pleasant hour Of literary qgietude, n,
place would be more tempting than
/ well-stOcked library. In st. Louis ant
f other cities, libraries constitute one Q
/ the most attractive and popular resort
! that could be desired. Why eanno
: Memphis offer her citizens such pleas
( urss-plessures which improve and ele
4 vate, enaghten and interest, by sustain
i. ing the Mercantile library association?