, 1875-01-02

LOCAL LETTERS.
| NEVER QuIT.
| r. ths Edhor Of The Chicago Tribune.
CHICAGO. Jan. lido not let up moment on
| tho Librarian and Directors OF tue Public
Library till change Ia uatlo in the plan Of de-
| livcring books. Ono should not blame tho
| young lady attendants, WHO, az general thing,
seem to 10 tho boat Tiny eau. The Directors and
Librarian arc not to blame, pcrhsps, In the
SERIOUS mistake mado i'll adopting the pEceont
plan. but they nre very much In fault In not
recognizing ut onco the buudor, aud rectifylng
1t BY somo other method. Last Saturday oven
Ing stood ono whole ho1r In tho mob OF waiting
book-eockers bcfoza could get attention, and
then ladn,y list OF fonrtcen books handed bncI,
with only ono found Of the two books wished
applicants. Tho iDudcst mouth Or tho longest
| arul generally SECURES tho first attention, and it
can hardly bo otherwise. Tho attendants cannot
noto tho order Of entrance OF each ono. II tho
dsht should have Ills or her oxact station ut tic
counter. anu applicants bo required to form in
line aa they paBs up to bo terrod.
Tie suggestion, however. Of glass doors
to the bookcases. and ratings around
them. allowing the people to circ,llnto through
The alcoyos, near enough to TIN books to road
slio backA seems to overv ono, who speaks OF II,
ns tho premium plan fur giving satisfaction to
alt.
Itia ut grcat disadvantage tLat ono aelocts
books without hebg ablo 10 know moro about
them tllan what tho catalogue Bays. IA =
general thing, tho books eoak aso books Tint
hRyo rever read or ECON. Tho title looks attrac-
i've but when tho book is brought, a glance Gbows
INC tlat it is not whst l want. For
tstnnee: I soIect d book on sia,n hoping 10
got a recent work Oh that interesting country.
Tho book is brought to me, and proves to 10
eome little, barron treatise Of thirty wears ago.
quite worthlcss Gould have soon even the
lack OF tho book hs it stood OIL the SHELL
should not haTe troubled the Library employees
about 1t.
Quo other point should DO considered, in a
IL adopted. More than one-half of tho
book-borrowers are Juveniles, Now, believe
in 'ttho rights Of boys " an much a. my one, bnt
it should DO recognized that tho time Of child
ron Is not 80 valuabo as that Of business md
laooring mcn. At present We havo two depart
mouts--male and female. Why not baYe third
for the juveniles? Or, lot boyB be served first,
in the business hours Of tho day, and 1nen havo
precedence after business hours2 A change,
radical aud Immediate CHANGE OF systsm is, gen.
tlomen of tho Library, imporativoly demanded.
- Hog pen il none too ba1 term for that
place Iabt Saturday oyening. Tho stencil Of bad
ventilation and the scramble at tho trfugl,s was
suggestive OF all Of that. ALpEuARAN.
THE COUNTY JAIL.
TO The Editor Of The Chicago TRIBUNE:
CHICAGO, Jan. 1.-During tho past few days
Beveral scraps haYc appeared In tho various city
papers. written apparently for tho purpose Of
caating dlacredit on tue management OF the gen.
tleuan who superintends tho Jail affairs. ANY
ons acquainted with tho existing state OF the Jail
Affairs can easily perceive that tue writer's have
been influenced by "party sentiment" or by
personal prejudice or maloyo1ence. Ths aLato-
inentB which have boon made arc utterly falso in
many respects, md, even though true, should
nut In any way lead tho public To
form wot.e estimate Of tho Character
and efficiency Of the present officers OF the
Jail department than Of its former ones. II tile
good will and respect OF the prisoners be critic
ZION Of this 1t Is fact that bo weli aubstan~
tlatcd; nor il it the undue kindness or leuouoy
Of tho olicors that havo given tino 10 these feel-
ings, for whllo they aro as stern and unyielding,
and it may be aail oven leBs considerate, than
the old officers. t!oy manifest such kinanoes and
amiabity in their doaliugs with tho prisoners
that thcy have succoeded ia gaining tho respect
aud cstcem OF all. lave said that they were
less consfdorato, and by this moan tllst they do
not .ETant the prisoners the same uumbor OF
privileges which they formerly enjoyed. Tho
purchase Of bcor, for instance, has been pronib-
tied, Whereas before eyery prisoner had tho
privilege OF sending for it whenever ho pleased,
The former Jailofs mads money OIL thi8 busi-
nesB, but whalOser beer has been allowed tho
prisoners by Mr.. Hand wan invariably purchased
by an errana-ooy, who occasionally made money
by visits to thp JAIL The drinking mud purchase Of
bcsr in tho ContY Jail ID no innovation, and ainco
no abuses result from the practice. there III no
ransom why the unfortunatea tIlero confined
should bo deprived OF this to tlem small luxury,
Az regards tho food which Ia served ont to tile
prisoners, it Is acknowledged not cnly to bo
equal but evan superior to tito food giyon by tho
former JallorH The truth Ut all that / have said
can bo easiIy ascertainel By inquring Of any
prisoner ever contina4 in tho Jail. Il should not
surprise any one however, II among 224 prison
ers, coniinod for diherent crimes, there ba found
= fen who arc utterly incapable Of apprecisting
tho kinlneAa shown them BY their keepers.
7. 13LEHNEAuAssETr