The Portland daily press., 1888-08-28

stating the purpose Tor which 1t was called,
and said that as there were number of in
terested parties present 1t might please the
Council to hear them. Judge Webb was
called upon and was the first speaker in be-
half of the library.
Judge Webb said he had not come tell the
City Council about their duty, or to inspire
the council to zeal in behalf of the welfare of
the citizens of Portland. 1 am aware, he
said, OF your present financial condition and
the wisdom of proceeding cautiously. /
propose TO state certain facts, and others
Will follow me with arguments. 1t will he
remembered that prior to the year 1866 the
city mad library creditable to it in view of
us SIZE ana condition. But 1t was private
eral USE, That library was totally DESTROY
ed, and there was left but the Mechanics
library and the Mercantile Library Associa-
uon. A meeting was held to re-establish the
library, nut by the blowing down of the
walls OF this building, hope was DESTROYED.
Judge. Webb then spoke to considerable
length about the establishing of the Portland
Institute and Public Library, the beginning
OF the library and its sources of income he
said that the collection of public documents
now in the possession of the library is hard
ly surpassed by any in the country. There
are now some &c, 800 volumes in the library.
and there are very few of these that can be
considered otherwise than of real and sub
fed that their room was wanted, and lust at
this time Mr.. Baxter, with liberality I'M
precedented in this locality, has Completed q
building for the Maine Historical Society
ana the library. :, he has not conveyed the
building to the library. but / have letter
from him In which he states his Intention of
so doing.
Judge Webb here read short letter from
Mr.. Baxter, dated August 18th, in which
Mr.. Baxter stated that he was willing to con-
" hn I'm In
the Maine Historical Society as soon as the
papers could be made out, and also that he
had made provisions in his will that in the
event OF his death the building should be
completed for the purpose for which it was
designed.
Judge Webb said: st will REQUIRE a large
expense TO remove the books to the new
building. Many new shelves will be needed.
There are large items of expense that
the directors know Of no way to meet. The
building must be lighted, warmed and cared
for. The directors have been unwilling to
reject the offer of Mr.. Bakers because they
were unable to meet the expense When we
make 1t free library we enlarge ten fold the
use and ten fold the value of the library to
the community. 1t has been said that if
this is made free public library it will de-
stroy all the private libraries. That is
mistake The class of books called for at
these private libraries are not such as we
have cared to purchase"
Judge, Webb said that he hoped the mat
ter would receive due consideration and
some settlement he made before the council
dissolved.
Alderman Smith said he was in favor of
appointing committee of conference to con-
Ter with the trustees of the library upon the
matter and see what could be done
Hon. Charles F. Libby was here called up.
on but he preferred to have Mr.. E. A. Moves,
who had been connected with the library
longer than he had, address the council.
Mr.. Noyes said: There are a few things
want to speak about, having been connect
ed with the library some twenty years. The
library was among the early ones incorpora-
ted In the United States, and it is now much
behind many of the libraries established
within the last ten years. The small town
and the city appropriates $1,000 fol its sup
port. The city of Lawrence appropriates
$1,000 for its library; Taunton appropri-
ates 5000; Newton, $500; Springfield $15,-
600; Worcester $4,000. etc. When we start
ed out it was new thing. As time went on
and people found what it was for, very few
works OF fiction, except standard works.
have been purchased. The class OF
people that visits the library consists
Largely OF teachers M and pupils in our public
their wants, and to limit our expenditure to
the purchase of books wanted by them.
The frst year there were delivered 5000 vol.
umes. over 10000 volumes were delivered to
readers Tys In the library rooms last year.
While we would like to furnish room for ali
we have been obliged to deny certain classes.
We have sent small boys to the Fraternity
rooms. We asked $1,000 for a gallery and
cases, 800 Tor newspaper cases and $110O
for lanitor's salary and heating. Fifty
carry us through to next April"
Hon. Charles +. Libby was called upon
and said in substance: 81 am here simply
as one OF the trustees of the institution. /
believe that no institution is of greater
public benefit was very much surprised
that the matter of appropriating a sum to
the library met the fate it did. As one of
the committee in behalf of the library can
only say that l was ready at any time to
respond to call Of the chairman, and was
Council at any time" Mr.. Libby stated that
he had asked the Mayor several times when
the committee could be heard on the matter.
and that he replied that the time had not
yet come but was coming He was also in
con, NJ na with Judge Webb and urged
appear before the City Council. He had
thought that from what would be received
from the lease Of the Portland & Ogdensburg
railroad Ir provision pTS could be made for the
library That Institution should be main
tained as cities of the size of Portland are
maintaining their Libraries. at is, In NV
Judgment a matter of the highest import
ance, and II you, gentlemen, can see a way
OF putting. the institution in way to do
more good, TRUST. If the matter has been
cheerfully be done.'
Councilman Crockett said chat he was in
favor OF the motion made by Alderman
Smith, that committee of conference be
appointed. He said that he was willing to
appropriate the sum if it could be raised. but
under the circumstances he could not see
from what source the money was forthcom-
ing. Then, too, there were other things to
be considered. "The streets of the city are
In deplorable condition, absolutely danger
really be appropriated for them, although il
was thought at the first of the season that
the appropriation for streets was sufficient.
There could BIO proftably spent 100000 on
streets. Inc schools ss are another thing to be
considered. They are in such condition
that, the State Board of Health has adyer-
tlsed us, and do not doubt that they are
right; $4,000 ought to be sput out on our
schools; $4,000 should be spent on the high
school: BY Judicious management for FIVE
the library all 1t wants. This is only a part
OF the story; there is much more that might
be stated"
In response to some question asked him as
10 why the library committee was not given
Mayor Chapman said: "As you all know. /
am very much interested in the library The
APPROPRIATION can be made now as well as
ever II can. The Mayor stated that ON ac-
count of the manner in which the order an
propriating $4,000 for the Public Library was
first received, and also on account Of the
matter of the Ogdensburg lease and other
business he had deemed it best not to grant a
hearing to the committee too hastily.
Judge Webb said that he thought the sug-
gestion OF the alderman from five concern
ing committee of conference, was a good
one, and suggested that Mr. Baxter be in
cluded in the library committee that should
meet for conference.
Alderman Cunningham said that he voted
against the appropriation, and that in his
judgment it was owing to the negligence and
carelessness of the trustees Of the library
that the hearing was not granted before.
"Our taxes" he said, ''are all levied, the APP
preparations are now all made and the mat
ter Of appropriating to the library puts us in
a difficult situation. l would suggest that
tne matter be left to the finance committee
ana Jet them do what they can about il"
Judge Webb said: Before Mr.. Baxter
G %en. 70 Europe he made known to the presi-
e snnh u tne library his intention to erect
finn af ptsliulng: He provided for the cree
S Slun VI tne building in his will. which was
Lawn ia W. Dy the president of the library and
tne Guy sollcitor 1t was at their suggestion
inat pupllc celebration was held at the
laying OF the cornerstone. Mr. Rartar de-
he