The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-05-24

Ihe Free Public Library.
A perusal Of the long and interest
ing article on the Free Public Library
on our first page today will amply re-
pay the reader. It will satisfy him
that Ii the opening of the institution
has been a long time coming, the time
has been profltably employed.
The collection Of books which will
be made available to every citizen
abontthe end of this month is very
respectable one. 1t may be small in
comparison with that which Newark
possesses, but 10, 900 volumes is a good
II library, and in city which has
never before enjoyed such treat it
may well look as big, in the publiceye,
as the stored treasury Of Alexandria's
papyrus rolls
f is strange that city Of the popu-
lation, wealth and intelligence of Jer-
sey City should have lacked a public
library for SO many years It is a
proof of the dependence on New York
which has so long been drawback.
The opening at this time of the new
library may fairly be regarded as a
sign oil the energence of the city from
this dependence, and, apart from its
positive advantages, the event must
on this account bring satisfaction to
every citizen.
With newspapers such as are now
published within her boundaries,
with her schools improving rapidly
through the liberality of recent APP
preparations, and with this library as
q general fund of instruction, Jersey
City may begin to claim that she is
on par with any place of her size ia
the country in the matter OF educa-
tional and intellectual advantages.
IT is not improper to say a word
here IN favor Of those who have
Iabored strenuousIy to hasten the
realization Of the Library project. 1t
Is only few months since such ffnan-
ciaI security was obtained as justified
the Trustees in advancing with the
work. But, once started, they did all
that energy and devotion could do to
compensate for the delay. In their
efforts they have been ably sec
ended by Mr.. Coles, the Lii
brarian, Miss Burdick, the expert
cataIoguer, and their entire corps
Of assistants. Work has begun at the
Library rooms every morning at eight
o'clock, and 1t has continued all day,
six days a week, for the past three
months There have been no holt
days and no half holidays; there has
been no idling, and no half-hearted
work. The whole enterprise has been
conducted with enthusiasm, and the
amount Of work done has been mar
yeIlous.
Few people have any idea of the
labor of eataloguing fifteen thousand
books. In al Interview in THE
JERSEY CRY News three or four
weeks ago Miss Burdick gave some
idea of the process. 1t is not too high
figure to say that for the number of
volumes stated nearly ninety thou
sand separate entries had to be made.
every book being classified under sun
dry heads for convenience of search
ing, and besides requiring several
entries for the internal administra-
ton Of the Library.
The most thoughtless will realize
that this is a herculean task, and the
only wonder is that the work is SO far
advanced as the Librarian reports it. i
Well. the Library is all but ready at
last. II will be interesting to watch
the avidity with which the people
viii avail themselves of its treasures.
II must be painful to some OF those
who sigh after the good old times and
their blue old laws to learn that in
those days OF virtue penalties were
established for failure or refusal to
sell liquors
FATHER WILLIAM stood on his
head again last evening. He re-
printed this pleasant allusion to his
"afternoon publication" which APP
peared originally in the Jamesburg
ddvanee, the organ OF the State Re-
form School,
When little Charley Kroekei comes out OF his
retirement at Trenton he should b. Immediately
secured by me Jersey City soswRak Office, az he
Y Jlsf the sort Of gentleman 10 make things
lively in thar model noraireform establishment
We think he could give the enterpriSing editors
Of that Journal some points that would astonish
them, and not over exest himself either.
4 MAN was arrested in Boston Fri
day night for kissing his wife, man
recently got into trouble in this town
for kissing somebody eise's wife; and
another was sued for breach Of prom
i8e for kissing woman who wasn't