The Penn's Grove record., 1882-03-04
A Princely Offer.

Mr.. Enoch Pratt, a wealthy citizen
of Baltimore, has made the following
offer to the authorities of that city:
BALTIMORE.-To the Honorable the
Mayor and City Council of Baltimore
l have for some years contemplated
establishing a free circulating library
for the benefit of our whole city, and,
in pursuance of this plan, / have
entered into a contract to erect q fire.
proof building on my Mulberry street
lot capable of holding 200, 900 volumes,
my purpose being to have branches
connected with it in the four quarters
of the city under the same manage
ment. The excavation for the founda-
ton has been commenced, and the
building will be well advanced this
year and completed in the summer of
1883. 1t will cost. when ready for
occupancy, about two hundred and
twenty-1vethousand dollars (S225, OOO),
and upon its completion I propose to
NCCA ~ W ~ Guy 4At llllG W all Two
books and property is to be vested in
the city, and l will pay to your honor
able body upon its completion the ad-
ditional sum of eight hundred and
thirty-three thousand three hundred
and thirty-three and a third dollars
1888, 3333), making u million fifty
eight thousand three hundred thirty
three and one-third dollars, provided
the city will grant and create an annu-
ity of fifty thousand dollars $3.50, O0O)
per annum forever, payable quarterly,
to the board of trustees for the support
and maintenance of the library and its
branches.
/ propose that a board of nine trus-
tees be incorporated for the manage
ment Of 1.-The Pratt Free Library OF
the City of BALTIMORE the board to
be selected by myself from our best
citizens, and all vacancies which shall
occur shall be filed by the board.
The articles Of incorporation will con.
tain a provision that no trustee or
officer shall be appointed or removed
on religious or political grounds. The
tf-eiees are to receive from the city
the qoasferly payments, and to expend
it at their discretion for the purposes
of the library.
1t is believed that this annual cum
will afford a sufficient fund for the
purchase of books for establishing the
branches, and for the general manage
ment.
The trustees will be required to make
an annual report to the Mayor and
City Council of the proceedings and of
the condition of the library, and the
report will contain a full account of
The money received and expended.
This plan is suggested not without
due consideration of the power of the
city to carry it out. The city is OK.
presAly authorized by its charter to
accept trusts " for any general corpora
Iion purpose "or for the general
purposes of education " and although
its power of creating debts is limited
by the Constitution of the State, vet,
AS the property of the Library il to
belong to the city, and as it will re-
9, i've a sum of money to be disposed of
as it pleases, with the engagement only
to pay an annual sum for the support
of its W institution, il is believed
That such a transaction will not In.
volve the creation of d debt within
the meaning of the constitutional pro-
hibition.
suggest that if the money to be paid
by me as above stated we're added to
the sinking fund and the interest care
fully funded it would i'll no very long
time pay off the debt of the city but
this is intended only as a suggestion,
and the disposal of the money is left to
your honorable body.
If, however, your honorable body
should, on mature consideration, be of
the opinion that the annual payments
as proposed would involve the creation
Of a debt, authority for that may be
obtained by complying with the pro-
visions Of the Constitution that 10,
the debt may be created by the city,
provided it be authorized by an act Of
the General Assembly of Maryland
and by an ordinance of the Mayor and
City Council of Baltimore, submitted
to the legal voters of the city of Balti-
more, at such time and place az NAV
be fixed by said ordinance, and ap-
proved by a majority of the votes cast
at such time and place. / cannot but
think that such an authority from the
General Assembly and from the Mayor
aud City Council of Baltimore and
from a majority of the legal voters OF
the city would be cheerfully given.
The plan proposed for the support
and management of the library is the
result of long and careful consideration.
and, l am satisfied, is well adapted to
promote the great object in view, the
free circulation of the books of a large
and ever growing library among the
people Of the whole city.
j trust that it will receive the ap-
proval of your honorable body and Of
the citizens of Baltimore.
ENoCH PRATT.
The largest deposits of anthracite
coal IN the world are in Pennsylvania.
Toe largest lake in the world 10 Lake
Superior, being 430 miles long and