Los Angeles herald., 1891-06-18
The Retrenchment Commit
tee and the Library.
Objection to Reducing the Lii
brarian's High Salary.
The Estimate of Money Required by
the Park Commission.
A Spirited Session-The Great Expenses
of the Library Last Year-The Ses-
zion With the Park Com
missioners.

Ii the members OF the council wen
into the retrenchment crusade for the
purpose OF attracting attention, they
certainly should feel proud of theil
success. for within a block of the city
hall yesterday, if one paused near any
group of onversationalists, the words
ECONOMY" "council' and "retrench
ment" would be sure to turn up in the
conversation overheard inside of a few
seconds.
"What has made the council so con
demned economical all of a sudden p
queried one business man OF another ir
the hearing of HERALD reporter yes
terday morning.
"Why," was the reply, II was told in
confidence by Councilman Rees yester
day that the credit of Los Angeles was
so impaired outside OF the city that il
was impossible to sell the city's bonds.
In the east it had been told about that
there had been a boom here and
everybody's ideas were of an inflated
character. 1t has struck the council
men, therefore, that it is necessary to
do something to restore the city's credit,
and the reduction of taxation by cur
failing expenses is the plan fixed upon. -
Yesterday morning the board of IL
brary trustees met the council in dis
cussion in the council chamber There
was a feeling in the air that meant
eight"
Mr.. Bonsall boldly waded into the
discussion by asking the directors how
they could reduce expenses.
Mr.. Howard intimated that it was a
queer time to talk of reducing expenses
when the library had just been made
free, and the demands upon it would be
greater than ever before. Ii the library
was to be kept up to its present standard
OF efficiency, and gradually enlarged and
increased, all right. No material reduc-
ton OF expenses could be thought of. If
the council wanted to impair the eff
cheney and usefulness of the library
they should come right out and say so.
Mr.. Dobinson stated that the library
now handled $4,000 books per month,
and it would probably handle double
that number under the new system. The
library had been made free upon demand
of the people, who objected to being
taxed first and then charged member
ship fee,
Nj. Howard continued: "When we
took hold of the library there were
about 1000 books suitable for circulation.
We now have IL, 900 books for this pur-
pose; 5000 all together. The, law con-
templates the furnishing Of the books
to the people free and we have been at
great pains to educate our staff to meet
the increased circulation"
M, Do,,ealI IaroonIaI 20 Irpnr, Io,.,
much the trustees proposed to spend for
books, they having spent $4,000 dur
ing the past year.
Mr.. Dobinson replied: GAS much as
we can get; there is no limit to this ex-
penditure. The periodicals and maga-
zines cost $500 a year. We take 265
magazines. The library circulation of
San Francisco is smaller than that of
this city, but thirty-two clerks are en-
ployed in the library"
Mr.. Rees here attempted to pour oil
on the angry waters OF discussion. He
did not want to impair the efficiency of
the library, regretted the necessity for
reducing expenses, "but" the people
were comparing the expenses of the
library with those of six years ago, and
much as he regretted it, etc., it was
the people" who were to be satisfied,
not the council. There was an elevator
that would not be necessary but for the
library, and that cost $500 per month,
while six years ago librarian and one
assistant were sufficient, and the libra
rian was satisfied with $75 per month,
while they were paying Miss Kelso $3.50.
He thought the public ought to come to
the rescue. In other cities wealthy citi-
zens come to the rescue and donate to
the public libraries. He would like to
see some of that in this city.
Mr.. Bonsall remarked: "I under
stand these gentlemen are willing to
meet us in our efforts. For instance,
they might forego the $4,000 for new
books-say, take off $40, 900; they could
buy the periodicals and have $500 for
new books"
Mr.. Afford remarked that the salaries
of the library attendants were all too
high, and that as they had been cutting
other salaries it was unfair to let the
library off. Mr.. Bonsall inquired if the
library board thought it was proper to
pay the librarian $500 per year. The
library board promptly rallied to, the
defense of Miss Kelso and talked at
great length of that lady's exceptional
fitness for the work, the good organiza.
LlOn she uaQ 6u6Ct6u VI In6 library
forces, and ending with the sort of threat
that Miss Kelso was wanted to perform
like good Offices for libraries in other
cities at the same salary, and the i'm
preston was given that if the salary was
cut the young woman would resign and
then -.
The council, however, were obdurate
in insisting upon the reduction OF Miss
Kelso's salary to 500 month.
The meeting broke up without any
further conclusion being reached and no
resignation being handed in.
THE COUNCIL AND THE PARKS.
The council met two members of the
park commission in the afternoon
Judge Hutton and Judge Hubbell.
There was no attempt to discuss re-
trenchment made. Councilman Nickel,
with the fate of his predecessor in
his mind, came into the room
with blood in his eye, and when
the conversation had passed the
purely conversational stage he asked
the park commissioners to know whether
they intended to do anything for the
East Side park this year, provided the
council voted an appropriation. Mr..
Hutton replied that for his part he
would vote to use the appropriation in
any way the council-not Ms. Nickel
alone should indicate.
Mr. Nicka1 dac1arad he would not vote |