The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-05-15
THE CITY LIBRARY.
Meeting Of Citizens to Promote
the Project
spsecnEs N IT'S Behalf.
Ss1ee yseshs Gives Lawyers aiss-
A1xssssss - ysdgss msnssra So
Barrie. and Othess.

A cjfisens meeting. under the auspices Of
IT, fedipe Of ~ Yssaer Public Library As
sociatlon. sAs held iast evening at Ply
mouth Congregational church. The ladies
vhoes eniiGhtened philsnshrophy have in
ausurated ths movement for the estab-
Iishmsns d . free public library In this
city. piaced upon the programmes Of the
eyanine msn Who uttsfed strong words In
behaif a their COURSE
Seats on ~ platform were occupied BY
Judes {. H. Hanford. Judge Thomas
Burke. CoiOnsl j. G. Haines. Judge Orange
Jacobs and r B. Alberfson. In the alb
sencs cf Judge Etruve. Who was expected
20 preside. Judge c. H. Hanford occupied
the chair.
Ho stated the object for which the
meeting had been called Seventeen
years seo. be said. Dexter Horton
made liberal contribution toward pub
lie library. A nucleus Of library was
provided and nourished for time and the
young city was proud Of It. But As the
city began 70 grow and other things d.
verted the interest Of the citizens from the
library. il suffered from neglect until now
not one OF its volumes could Be found. A
few public spirited ladies who feel the need
Of establishing . library that viii be q
credit 70 the city have initiated . movement
that must b supported II our city
Is to grow and become the metropolis that
Ne believe It destined to make. In the
history Of every city intellectual and men
tai development goes hand In hand with
commercial end material progress
Judge Burke was the first speaker intro
duced by the chairman. He began by say
ing that II WAS evident that great deal Of
missionary work will be necessary in order
to accomplish the great work undertaken By
the ladies' They must not expect to accom-
plish this great object xithoutiong. earnest.
disinteressed labor The judge dwelt with
feeling eloquenee upon the city's rcspon-
sib:lity In providing such an institution Tor
the culture OF our youth. What provision
have We made. he asked. for the young
man or young woman who Is thirstlng
for knowiedgc7 We send them adrift. sub
ject 10 every tide and current OF passion. in
all the temptations Of city of over 5000
inhabitants. Al eyes are upon the city OF
Seattle. THIS very night In hun
sireds OF Eastern homes prepsr-
ations are being made by sons and
daughters TO come TO Seattle. When they
forsaks the safeguards of their homes for
our city. have not the mothers right TO
ask Of us, what safeguards have you
thrown about them for their moral pgotec-
ton. and what provision have you made
for their instruction. entertainment or
amusement aside from the saloon and
gambling table? 1t was . disgrace,
shame, that We have provided moth
ing but temptation for the hundreds of
our young people. For the good
name Of tho city we must not
relax until free public library il estab-
lished. Every person with dollar worth
Of property In Seattle Is interested. Six
days OF the week our young men have no
place to 90 70 for amusement or recreation
hut the saloon. Let us recognise our re-
sponsibility and supplement- our schools
with . free pubic library that shall be
credit 10 our city.
Colonel j. G. Haines WAS NEXT intro
duced. He reinforced Judge Burke's
charges II thu city's responsibility in the
matter, and made strong appeal TO the
pride Of our citizens. We have here. he
stated. = city Of 90. 900 inhabitants without
public library. Public libraries were re-
garded in history a. barometers Of civilza-
tioI. Is this city doing its share in the
progress OF the times9 We point with
pride to our school buildings. the ho-
tells We are building. the shipping in
onr bag. our streets and street railways.
and our population. II railroad subsidy
is wanted. wc open our pockets and raise
Il. In 1885 the public libraries Of the
United States contained II 900 600 volumes
lone volume for every two and one-half
persons Our city Of 5000 people should
have TO be up TO the average. 10000 vol
nmcs In its public library. We have not a
book, nor place for man 70 read one,
except In his private library. II is almost
. crime. with all our boasted advance, to al
Tow this state Of things 20 exist Not long ago
a railroad corporation asked for terminal
facilities In south Seattle. Ten thousand
dollars was wanted TO purchase one piece
property. IL was raised in day. Money
should be given rs readily for the public
library, Ia view Of the vast good that it
would accomplish.
The young men who come here to make
their fortunes are men OF courage and
spirit, and the very exuberance of spirits
that brings them here leads them to seek
recreation and the employment of their
faculties. What place Of resort have they
here outside OF the saloon and
gamb.iughouse or variety theates? The
state also owes duty 10 every citizen In
Illinois tax OF mills was levied for pub
lie libraries, and the following year 5000
volumes were added 20 the libraries OF the
state.
Il r. Albertsnn was next introduced.
As citizen of Seattle. he had often had
occasion Go bash with shame when asked
by strangers, w here is your litraryg' The
public school = not sufficient for The cui-
ture OF youth. IL should be supplemented
BY the public library. a little knowledge
is q dangerous thing" knowledge &C.
auired in schools should be fed that il
might rebound TO the credit aud not d.
recsed 10 evil. IL would be a disgrace ia
the manhood of Seattle II the citizens ol
this city did not respond la the call of the
ladies ana cooperate with them in this
wogs.
Judge Jacobs said he came TO be lis.
saaer. an eleaaens listener. sooker-on In
Venice. lie safd he had listened 10 the re-
marks oi previous speakers and he came "a
the conclusion that whenever q lawyes
attempts 10 quote scripture he generally
makes a mistake. daughter he zd-
dressed tie gent eusa Of that profession so
staav their tshles little mere. he didn't
attempt to make any quotations himself
fI.aughtev.l Il DONE think, ~ he continued
.sthAs any arguments are necessary with
che people ef Seattle 50 convince them ol
tke Importance ~ o. the benefit.
~ he derived from tbs establish.
nasns OF TIRE library. Ne ar,
grrasnss are necessary. You aeed expead
no e,oaaenee IN showing The beneficial r~-
suits az establishing sarh an Institution
eBssthrvn. 1 believe that Is the proper
word al this gosnS tIzgghsert -tas onis ar.