Daily globe., 1882-10-07
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
The Directors of the st. Paul Library Re-
solve to Tarn Their Property Over to the
New Organization.


The stockholders of the st. Paul Library
association held a meeting in the library
rooms last evening, to take action on the
proposed transfer of the books and other
property of the association as a nucleus
for public library, to be under the
control and management of a
board of directors named by the mayor
and to be supported by tax levy, as is the
city government and other public bodies.
In the absence of the president, Vice Pres
ident Flandreau presided.
To bring the matter before the meeting
Mr.. Charles N. Bell, chairman of the COM
mittee appointed to confer with the coun-
Gil in reference to such proposed
transfer, stated the action
taken by the committee, which resulted in
the council agreeing to accept the transfer
and in making provision for its support,
by providing for tax levy of one-eighth
of mill, which would produce upon the
present valuation about $4,000 annually.
In further preparation for the proposed
transfer, Mr.. Bell stated that Mayor Rice
had named board of directors of nine
members to take charge of and manage
the property on behalf of the city. This
board had already organized by the cleo
ton of proper officers, and had
also made some progress in
amending the bylaws and regulations
of the library to conform to the proposal
new order of things. The present meet
ing was to definitely determine if the
transfer should be made, and if so, upon
what terms and with what restrictions.
Knox Taylor, to test the sense of the
stockholders present, moved that the books
and other property of the st. Paul library
association be turned over to the board of
directors of the proposed new public H.
brary, as named by the mayor.
A general interchange of views followed,
in which the prevailing sentiment was
that the st. Paul library association should
retain its corporate existence, so that in
case the city should ever become hostile to
the public library, and neglect to provide
for its support; the association could re-
sumo it's trust, which right
should be retained in the lease or agree
monC OF transfer,
Mr.. Chas. E. Otis, one of the new city
directors suggested that probably the bet
ter way would be to authorize the board of
directors of the old association to make
the transfer, with such restrictions as
might be advisable to secure the library to
the public as contemplated by the present
associations.
Acting on this suggestion, Mr.. Bell Of
fered the following resolution, which was
adopted without dissenting voice:
RESOLVED, That the directors of the st.
Paul library association are hereby author
lied and directed to donate all the books
and property of this association, save its
record books, to the board of directors of
the st. Paul Public ibery, upon such
terms as the directors of this association
may deem proper, and the officers of said
association are hereby authorized to exc
cute such deed or agreement as will carry
out the interest of this resolution.
In answer to q question Mr.. Otis stated
that there would be no money under the
tax levy applicable to the uses Of the IL
brary until next March, but the new board
vas prepared upon the transfer being
made, to secure the needed funds until
such tax levy became available.
Incidentally it was stated during the
general convention, relative to the matter,
that the present indebtedness of the IL
brary was about $500.
The present library association grew out
of the st. Paul mercantile library associa-
ton, which was organized in
1857, and retained an existence until
1868, when it was merged
into the present body. It was stated last
evening of the fifteen presidents of the as
sociation of its nineteen years of existence
all were still alive and residents of St
Paul, and that among the seventy five
members comprising its board of direc-
! ton, there had been but four deaths, viz