Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-12
An Affecting Scene in the Ii
brary Reading Room.
WILL THE HALL BE SOLD?
A Committee Appointed to Raise
$4,000 to Pay the Debt.
DONATIONS AND LOANS WANTED.

that was MANIFESTED al the neeIlng OF InOSe
interested in the mercantile library yester-
day there is not the slightest probability
that the property will be sold on December
2 for the Judgment of $4,000. A meeting
was held yesterday afternoon in the reading
room of the association for the purpose of
taking steps toward standing of the sale of
the property, which is billed for December
2 There was a large crowd of men and
women present The former represented
all branches of business and the profess
ions, with sprinkling of clergymen, who
lent ministerial air to the gathering.
The meeting was called to order at $50
O'Clock by w. E. Schmertz, President of the
Chamber of Commerce. Captain William
McClelland, the well-known attorney, acted
as Secretary. The call for the meeting was
read by President Schmertz, who stated the
object Of the gathering. James +. Hudson,
a member of the Board of Directors OF the
Library Association, made detailed state
ment Of the difficulties which the company
was irving to overcome. He gave in plain,
practical way the history of the organiza-
ton from the date of its charter.
THE FINANCIAL STANDING.
He read a statement of the financial con-
dition of the company, which had been
carefully itemized. The statement showed
the liabilities of the company to be $685.
643 60. This was divided as follows:
Capital stock (SlO per share, SlO4, 142 90; mort
gage to Shields estate, $50, 600 90; mortgage to
West Penn Hospital. 100000 90; mortgage to
+. r. Brunot So, 900 90; interest due on Brunot
mortgage, SS2S56 90; profit and loss, s666l Co.
The following are the assets:
Real estate, ss2, 900; construction, 25522l q;
cash on hand, SIC 422 80.
Total, S3OS, ,643 60.
Mr.. Hudson also read statement of the
work of the library, which showed that the
institution compared favorably with any
thing of its kind in the country. The circu-
lation of the books in 1888 was 15, 900. The
number of persons using the library and
reading rooms on ordinary days was 125 to
$50. and on Saturdays 200 to $50. The total
number ofsvolumes now in the library is 20,-
OOO The attendance in the rooms is in
creasing monthly. Last week the average
was considerably above that of last year.
Mr.. Hudson offered two plans to raise
the money. He said they only wanted
$50. 200. as the other $4,000 can be paid
from funds in the hands of the hail COM
pany. One plan was to solicit from the
wealthy men of the city donations to the
amount of $50, 900. The other was to borrow
the money by subscriptions provided the
requisite amount is not donated.
CALLING ON THE RICH.
The wealthy people of the city are to be
asked to purchase the building and hold it
for the library, as it is doubtful whether the
$4,000 can be raised. Some real estate
agents say the building is worth S325, 600,
and standing bid of $500, 900 has been
offered for it in case sale is to be made.
President Schmertz said he saw no reason
why the property should be sold. This was
an extraordinary transaction in an associa-
tion where the income was $1,000 over and
above the expenses. He suggested that the
matter be placed in the hands of a number
of business men to straighten the difficulty.
Mr.. Schmertz had to leave the meeting, and
James B. Scott took the chair. Rev. NJ. B.
Riddle, D. D., of the Western Theological
Seminary, who has been a member of the
association since 1S49, delivered a speech, in
which he was moved to tears at the prospect
Of the library being left without home.
THE OLD DOCTOR CRIED.
He said he began to go to the old Pitts
burg library when a young lad, and had
been kept poor by trying to get and give
others a book education. He spoke of the
famous Watkinson library in Hartford,
Conn, to which people travel from New
York to secure works of reference. He said,
III the Pittsburg library dies, the Lord
have mercy on Pittsburg." He worked him
self up to such pitch at the idea of Pitts
burg allowing the library to go TO the wall
that his voice faltered and he shook his fist
in James B. Scott's face. Mr.. Scott laugh
ingly drew back his chair out of arms reach,
when the old professor jocularly remarked,
'0h, don't want to hit you, but l do want
to hit those whom you represent"
The doctor said there was too much atten-
ton paid in this city to natural gas, coal
and manufactures. He said when the Pan
Americans came here, the Pittsburg COM
mittee took them around and showed them
what the muscle could do, but they paid no
attention TO the brain. He said that when
he goes East and talks to college professors
and presidents he does not want to talk
natural gas. He would like to tell them
something about the literary advantages,
but il the Library Hall property was sold
it would be a death blow to the mental de-
velopment of the common people.
A MOVE BACKWARD.
He said the sale of the property would be
a movement backward in civilization. He
concluded his address by hoping that the
owners of the "unconsecrated wealth. would
come forward and save the library from the
fate which now hangs over it.
Rev. j. g. Goettman, of Allegheny, said
be believed in an institution like the mer-
camille library, as it helps to save Young
men from running into saloons aDd other
places, where a great many would other
wise spend their time. He said it was a
disgrace that the wealthy people of the city
did not take hold of the institution and
save it. He told a story that while travel
ing about Is years ago. he registered his
name at a hotel as being from Allegheny
City. The clerk asked him where Allie
gheny was? Since then he has always given
his place of residence as Pittsburg He
said if the Library Hall property was sold
be would feel so ashamed of the rich people
that he would never again claim Pittsburg
as his home.
NO GREAT DIFFICULTY.
James W. Mcfarland said if the same
trouble menaced any business man or firm
ne would never go into bankruptcy He
said there should be no difficulty raising
the $50, 900.
Major 7. Brent Swearingen said the tax
last year on the property was 81, 200. They
would have been assessed twice this amount |
if part of the building had not been occu-
pied by The library, and under a special act |
was not liable to taxation. Attorneys had |
given opinions on the matter that all of the |
building would be exempt only for State |
purposes,
Rev. David Jones, pastor of the First |
NJ. 2. Church, said it would be terrible |
calamity if the property was sold. Hun |
dreds OF people have not the means to pur- |
chase books and papers which they now get |
at the library The intelligence of the
9Orking classes, he said, was what made
Iis city what it was If the source of this
Intelligence was killed it would, in many |
ways, kill the prosperity of the city. In |
telllgence among the DOOR, he said, must /
keep pace with wealth. If this is not done |
wealth will be q curse. He concluded BY
saving that if the people Of Pittsburg al