The morning call., 1893-12-12
ON A SUGGESTION.
The Mercantile Library
and It's Affairs.
SHALL IT BE A NUCLEUS :?
Ii Might Become an Artistic and
Social Center.
SOME OPINIONS PRO AND CON.
The Idea of Enhancing the Usefulness
OF the Association Generally
Welcomed.
SHALL IT BE A NUCLEUS :?
SOME OPINIONS PRO AND CON.

The situation in which the Mercantile
Library fads itself at the close Of the
official year is the subject of wide consid-
Grafton. The membership, which ap-
proaches the 1000 mark. includes some of
the most prominent ladies and gentlemen
in the city, and many Of them have been
connected with the library association
since its organization. Naturally, there
fore, the deslinies of the magnificent
building and collection of books touch
the Intelligence and feeling of the men,
beTs very closely.
The situation of the library is briefly
this: It's revenue is not at present suf-
hcient to meet expenses and pay interest
on $4,000 mortgage upon its building at
the corner of Van Ness and Golden Gate
avenues, which is conceded to contain the
most magnificent library hall in the United
States. In few months, under the pres
ent circumstances, the limit to which the
trustees are allowed to go in borrowing
funds for interest will be reached. Then
the mortgage may be foreclosed and the
association turned into the streets with its
rare books and the proceeds of forced
sale OF the building, less the amount Of
the mortgage and its attendant expenses.
No veteran member or tablished San
franciscan can regard such contingency
with Indifference. The library has been
rescued from former slippery places and
set upon lis feet by loyal friends; it can
reckon the strength of me-honored
lublic appreciation of strength among its
valuable assets. Now that, owing 20 un-
foreseen pressure, it is again in a critical
position, It's friends are rallying to its as
sistance with plans of practical assistance.
The plans for relieving the situation
rave, so far, taken three different lines.
One is an heroic suggestion for the appear
ance OF liberal man with a big pocket
book, or rather of a hundred of them,
each prepared to donate $1,000 for the
liquidation of the associations indie bted-
ness. The second plan involves the SELL
Ing Of the library building, aud the renting
with the proceeds of downtown quarters,
or even the present quarters. The third is
of general nature. and includes a variety
OF schemes for increasing the attractlveness
of the present location. 1t is in pursuance
OF the third line of action that the quar-
terly dues were recently reduced to 81 80.
and this policy OF making the best of the
'bird IN hand" seems to be the one which
IS deemed most feasible at present.
Still more far seeing than making the
library attractive" Is the suggestion that
1t be made more important and usefnl.
Such suggestion made edit0rislly in THE
CALL on Sunday has attracted general at
tentiOn- 1t may be briefly recapitulated
by the following extract:
But it seems that plan might be devised bv
which the chief attraction of the lIbrary-lts
splendid room might be turred to account
Their is no such room anywhere In San Fran
cisco. There is no such library hail i'll the
United states. IU Is centrally located and easy
or access. suppose the subscribers TO the Mer.
camille were invited 20 form among themselves
a society or club for social, literary musical
aud artistic purposes They could give assem-
blles in their hall which would probably be-
come The most fashionable in the city. They
could give concerts, lectures and exhibitions OF
pictures. Iney could charge round sum for
membership in such a society and the income
so derived would supply fund for the pur-
chase OF books aud the encouragement Of music
aud art. Would not the body eventually be-
come the real center of social life In this city I?
The suggestion included the setting
apart OF the library hall one night a week
for lecture, concert, dance OF picture
show; the cooperation of persons of So
cial standing and literary and artistic re-
pute"; an infusion of femininity into the
management, and final pleasant hint
that 1850 members of the club at $50 each"
would furnish $4,000 year to the library
income without increasing its expen ses
incidentally it was indicated that such a
club might supersede the present organi-
cations which cherish pretensions to be
the only true and original Jacobs" in
which case the estimated numb Der of appli-
cants for membership would be exceeded.
A tour among some 0f those most inter-
ested Ill the library showed that the sug-
gestion had fallen upon good ground and
is likely TO Dear fruit in due season. Its
details are not IN every case accepted, nor,
probably, was the article written on the
lr0nclad lines of a club constitution. But
bOth members of the board of trustees
and subscrl 5ers have evidently hailed the
article as welcOmely as Congress greets a
definite motion raising direct issue in a
tangled discussion. One or two tvpical
opinions will fairly indicate the "Dros and
cons" elected by The CALLS suggestions
Librarian Coleman preferred TO speak
OF the proposition from strictly practical
aspect of the space demanded in the
library hall. He said that an area of
100x50 feet could. roughly, be furnished for
the purposes of a lecture. picture show,
dance or concert. There Were however
fixture difficulties in the way, and the
acoustic properties of the hall were an
unknown quantity. Certain lecturers that
he could name would doubtless draw a
large crowd. and the bookcases could be
rallied OF for safety and convenience. He
believed that satisfactory arrangements
could be made TO meet the plan of converting
the library hall into place of reunion once
week If the trustees thought it desirable
But the rights of tie reading public would
jiave TO be restricted, and other means cf
relief might he considered more efficacious
Trustee DR.. e. I. Deane represents the
syirit of progress in the board, and it was
at his motion that the recent reduction of
dues was adopted. He said yesterday that
THE CALLS article had been of the great
est interest.
while as yet unable to see how the
plan proposed is to be exactly executed "
seid he. II, personally, am in favor of any
project whereby the library may be lifted
from its present preca rous condition. !
am not in favor of sitting supiney by to
await the inevitable crash that policy of
mastery inactivity entails. | would
rather sell out and rent the present loca-
ton from the purchaser or move down.
town. If il were possible to carry out
such an idea as THE CALL suggests ]
would endeavor to help 1t through to a