Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-01-24

cess, badly lighted, cold and cherries in
winter. and 20 crowded that 1t Is frequent
~ diqcult to hnd book. A further OBJ
lection TO the condition OF things IL that
OF necessity u Is quasi museum room,
and when one visits 1t for the purpose Of
consulting authorities be is subject to all
sorts Of interruptions from tourists.
Should the new building be erected there
is hardly doubt that in consideration of
the libraYy's being under proper restric-
tions thrown open TO the public, the city
would, as informally suggested By the
Mayor, be willing to contribute to its an
nual maintenance.
There is already In hand and in sight.
enough money to the credit Of the library
building fund to put very handsome and
commodious structure under roof, at least,
and as it would take several years to CON-
plete 1t, the cost of interior finishing
would be q comparatively small annual
charge upon. the Commonwealth. The
way to erect the building II to begin, and
the sooner we begin the less risk will we
run Of having the treasures the Capitol
contains swept out of existence.
The act OF March 10. 1884, providing for
the sale OF certain State property for the
purpose of accommodating fund for the
library building. also contemplates that the
building shall accommodate the basement
and certain other State Offices. the Supreme
Court of Appeals and law library and the
Southern Historical Society. In this con-
nection we unite with Mr.. HKsRY in ex-
pressing the hope that quarters be pro-
vided in the new building for the Virginia
Historical Society. AT the last of the two
general meetings of this society one of its
prominent members stated that IL was
practically bankrupt. No ono was surprised
at the statement. and the reason for such
condition is not far to seek. Circumstances
have conspired to render the library of this
organization practically useless also. For
years the rooms of the society have been
in an upper story Of the Westmoreland-
Club house. While the society owes much
TO the club. and there is no more hospita-
bic social organization in the country than
the Westmoreland. many members OF the
society, who are not members of the club,
feel that they are intruding whenever they
visit the society.rooms. Others never
visit them and consequently reap no bene-
fits from their membership. Nor is that
all numbers of persons are deferred from
joining the society for the reason that they
would not feel at ease in availing them
selves of its books and manuscripts so long
as the existing state of affairs obtained. IL
is therefore hard to keep up interest in tho
society save with very few, and still harder
TO secure it adequate support. This is no
fault of the members of the club, who
strive in every way possible to make tho
society's visitors at home, but the view in
dicated is a natural one none the less.
With the State Library. the archives ofthe
Land Office, the Southern Historical Socie-
ty archives, and the library and papers
of the Virginia Historical Society all in
one building. and available for public re-
ference, Richmond would become resor.
for scholars from all over the country.
The membership of both the Virginia
and the Southern Historical Societies
would be increased. their spheres of use
fulness largely extended. and stimulus
given generally to reading, research. and
literary pursuits. In these aspects alone
the matter of the early erection of the
building is worthy of serious considera-
ton, to say nothing on the score of safety
Of the historical material now in danger
of being lost. The new building would
make the State Library and the two socie-
ties named what they ought to be, and
that is public educators.