The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-12-30
M. L.. A.
Opening of the New Rooms i'm Earring
ton Block.

The PRESS of yesterday contained an &C.
count of the new block just erected by 1. P.
Harrington, Esq. The rooms of the Mercantile
Library Association there described were dedi-
Gated with appropriate exercises last evening"
AT seven o'clock the rooms were thrown open
to the reception of the public, but owing to the
severe storm there was not a large number
present. Those who did avail themselves of
the opportunity were delighted with the new
quarters the association has taken. In the Ii
brary room is hung portraits of the past Presi-
dents of the association, also of j. G. Proctor,
the Treasurer for several years. The carpets
for these rooms came from the we'll known
house of Marrett, Bailey 81 Co, and are very
fine indeed.
Chambers band was located in the corridor
and furnished fine music during the hours of
reception. At 8 o'clock the company gathered
in the association hall and the opening exer-
cises took place. President Charles w. Rob-
erts presided, and at the opening made a few
remarks appropriate to the occasion, and in
closing presented the rooms to the association
in behalf of the committee. He introduced
Mr.. M. D. Coolidge as the historian of the
evening. The following is brief sketch of
the history of the association:
Early in the fall of 1851 the first movement
was made towards the establishment of the
Mercantile Library Association. Some of the
young mercantile men met in the counting
room of Henry Bailey & Co. the auctiOneers on
Exchange street, for consultation. commit
tee was appointed to canvass the city and they
secured the names of about sixty men who
were anxious to form an association. A public
meeting was held Wednesday evening, Oct. Is,
inf no ror1 IN, tho
building occupying the site of our present post
office. Remarks were made at the meeting by
Mr.. John Neal, Neal Dow, Jedediah Jewett,
j. @. Noyes, W. S. Dana, M. NJ. Butler, L. r.
Hayes, and John T. Hull At meeting held
October % of the same year a constitution and
bylaws was adopted. AT meeting held
October Goth the Mercantile Library Associa-
ton was fully organized and its first board of
officers was as follows: President, I. r.
Hayes; vice-President, Henry Fox; Cores
ponding Secretary, Franklin Fox; Recording
Secretary, j. S. Marrett; Treasurer, f. Swift;
Directors j. T. Hull, E. Corey, L G. Lougee,
G. Fl. Haskell and o. M. Marrett; Trustees, T.
G. Hersey, w. S. Dana, L. r. Jones, j. r.
Lufkin and Jedediah Jewett.
Rooms were secured in the third story of the
Free street block, over the store of FL. j. Libby
& Co. They consisted of one room for the
business meetings and reading room and the
other for library. These rooms were formal
ly opened on the 18th Of December, 1851, just
25 years ago. The exercises were very inter-
esting and remarks were made by President
Hayes, Major Neal Dow, Phineas Barnes,
John Neal, =. +. Shepley. J. B. Brown, G.
Q. Harmon, John A. Poor Charles Holden. j.
B. Cahoon and T. Q. Jersey. At the opening
of these rooms the association had $50 mem ers
and had but 30 volumes in the library 1t was
incorporated IN 1852 with power to hold proper
ty to the amount of $4,000. In 1858 the first
removal was made to larger and more conven-
lent quarters on-the second floor of the same
block. The next move was to the Fox block
corner of Middle and Exchange streets, where
they used the second floor. having large read
ing room. legislative hall and a library room
Another move was made to second floor of
the First National Bank building, corner OF
Middle and Plum streets. Here it remained
until totally destroyed by the fire of 66. 1t
was re-established the same fall on Market
ing, occupying quarters vacated by the City
Government. The next move was to the
corner of Temple and Congress streets, where
they remained until the removal to the present
quarters. The object of the association, "The
promotion and diffusion of knowledge has
been attained in different ways Suitable
literary entertainments have been kept up
during the winter months. They have also
established reading room, which is we'll sup
piled with the leading papers, periodicals and
magazines of the day. They also have estab-
lished and maintained an annual course of
lectures and entertainments A great number
OF the best writer's and speakers have been
brought here By them. The course was first
established in the winter of '52-'53. For a
number of years Lancaster Hall was used,
afterwards Deering Hall, and finally City Hall.
For many years the course consisted of ten
lectures, but afterwards the number was re-
duced to eight and readings, and fioally music
were introduced. The average price paid for
some years was $4,000, while more were paid
$4,000. For the past few years the average
cost per entertainment has been 1925.
The nucleus of the library was formed from
donations, Mr.. J. 81. Williams being the first
donor, giving 25 volumes At the formal
opening, % years ago, the first cash contribu-
ton was presented by j. b. Brown. During
the first Is years of the association library Of
over 5000 volumes was gathered This was all
once began to gather another to take its place.
With generous donations from the Mercantile
Library Associations in New York and Boston,
and with the Insurance on the old, it formed
the nucleus of the present collection, which at
this time amounts to a little over 5000 Volumes
Its first excursion was at the opening of the
Atlantic q st. Lawrence railroad. Since that
time they have had many other successful ex-
cursoDs, the one the present year extending to
the Centennial
Mr.. George G. Burgess, the poet of the even
ing was next introduced and he gave very
humorous reason, set to rhyme, why he did not
write poem as he was asked to do. All who
heard it were certain that he we'll fulfilled his
task as the poem was an excellent production
Ex.President q. Ell. Haskell, one of the origin
al members, was the first speaker He referred
to the fact that it was just Is years since the
first rooms of the association were formally
opened. His remarks were well received.
Short addresses were also made by Ex-Pfe ST.
dents 7. G. Hersey, G. E. Jose, Thomas E.
Twitchell. c. Fl. Fling, James Bailey and H.
f. Kurdish. They all spoke of the steady
growth of the association since its organization
and of its present hopeful outlook. 1t is GER
tain that no one can visit their present conven-
lent rooms without feeling that the members
of the association have every reason to feel
proud of their success.