The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-01-13
WHEELING LIBRARY ASSOCIATION.
Shall IL Wind Up or Take a New Of
Life?-A Turning Point In the Affairs o.
tho Institution.

tho Institution.
now IT wExT ".
Nearly twenty-one years ago the Wheel.
ing Library Association was incorporated
by the Circuit Court Of this county, torthe
purpose OF maintaining a library in this
city and promoting useful knowledge.
Geo. Baird, N. Richardson, D. Bayha,
Chas. Marshall, j. Boone Mcclure, Joseph
seybold, G. W. Russell, A. Loring, J. 6.
Baker, John McCulloch, ]. II. Pendleton
and Geo. W. Sights were the incorpora-
tors. It's first officers were: Alonzo Lor-
ing, President; Nathaniel Richardson,
Vice President; Geo. Baird, Secretary;
W. Brockunier, Treasurer, and Michael
Reilly, John Hall, J. G. Baker, W. J.
Bates, D. Bayha, James Wilson, T. H.
Logan, N. Pigman and Chas. W. Russell,
Directors. It's capital stock was divided
into shares Of $50 each, and the amount
of such stock was not to be less than $S,-
900. nor o than $4,000, and it was au-
thorized to hold land not exceeding one
acre in extent. Under these conditions
the association began business and became
an institution that reflected credit upon
those interested in 1t and the city in which
Il was founded. The selection Of books, as
a rule vas judiciously made, and both
the library and reading room attached
were literally p~atronized by both stock
holders and subscribers under the rules
laid down by the Directors. The rooms
formerly occupied by the Association IN
the Odd Fellows building were among the
most pleasant in the city, and none Of the
city institutions made a better impression
upon visitors or. exerted q better influence
on the community.
now IT WENT DOWN.
Unfortunately the managers OF the Ii
brary paid too little attention to the mat
ter Of securing a regular and steady in
come from all who made use Of 1t. The
plan adopted to meet running expenses
and provide for additions and improve
ments, was to issue fresh stock whenever
money was needed, payable In yearly in
stalments II desired, and as these yearly
instruments amounted to but little more
than the price OF yearly tickets furnished
Ito subscribers, most Of the subscribing
patrons OF the Association took stock
In that way. The result was thai
when the stockholders included nearly
the whole OF those interested in the IL
brary, and their stock was paid up, the as
sociation found itself without the means
OF keeping up the library on the scale
which had been adopted. Lectures and
entertainments we're tried asa means o.
raising funds without any considerable
success, and the association, still finding
It's expenses running beyond its income
moved into It's present quarters in the
Capitol building and instituted q system
OF vigorous retrenchment in expendi
lures in the hope Of making the library
self.sustaining. The salary Of the libra
rian was cut down from $500 to $500 pei
annum, the purchase Of new books una
~terially lessened and the supply Of cur
rent literature in the shape Of magazines
and newspapers considerably decreased
BY the utmost economy the Board Of Di
rectors last year managed to keep the out
lay within the income, the former aggre
eating 5000 9S and the latter 5000 IL, leav'
ing a balance OF s. IA in the Treasurer
hands,