The morning call., 1893-08-21
BERKELEY.

An exciting session of the Board of
Trustees in committee of the whole was
held last Saturday evening to consider
the question of the establishment of a free
public library. 1t was exciting inasmuch
as the method Of Trustee Whitney's op-
position drew forth some plain speech on
the other side A petition for the library's
establishment signed by 261 citizens was
presented aud was met by a remonsIrance
10 the proposition with 400 signatures.
During the past week Trustee Whiting has
been vigorously soliciting signatures to
the opposition and he felt quite gleeful
over the balance in weight in favor of his
petition. The Holmes Library is at pres
ent tie only town library aud is supported
by private subscription. Its board of
trustees offer To give lis 600 books and $50
magazines and pamphlets to the town.
Judge Severns presented the case of the
OPPOSITION, stating ii as an iniustice to tax
people for its support who did not want
the library ana who would not use it: that
it was scheme of the Holmes Library to
give their white elephant TO the town :;
that il would increase the office holders,
being growing source of expense, and
that it was luxury which should give way
to the necessities OF protecting and lighting
the town.
Mr.. Bishop spoke Indignantly of trus-
tee who would so lower his dignity as 10
solicit signatures against measure he
should act upon as an unbiased judge. He
was sure that Judge Severns was ashamed
OF MS SDeech against the measure; out
the Judge had been for years always in
opposition to measures of progress AS
for the trustees of the Holmes Library,
they were there 10 fight for the interests of
the children of the town. The expense
could not keep on growing. as charged, a
by statute the extreme limit of library tax
| mill Gnllar &-5Q0 nm,
Berkelev's 81 800. 600 of taxable property.
The board of the Holmes Library would
guarantee TO run the Public Library on
much less-for S2400 a year, with libraries
IN Lorin. Berkeley and West Berkeley.
This would mean tax of 80 cents a year
on man owning $1,000 assessed value of
property.
Mr. Whiting thought it was an outrage
to force library upon people who did
not want it, that it would merely furnish
nCvels for an idle class to amuse them
selves with.
Mr.. Payne pointed out the fact that
nearly every little t9wn in the East main
tanned its public library; that it was sup
Elementary to the schools and was one Of
the factors that caused q man TO select a
town for his residence. Berkeley. he
SAID, had always acted on the penny-wiSe-
-pound-foolish doctrine of conserva-
tlsm, and while the people pointed to the
well-cleaned, well-lighted, well-prOtected
city of Alameda, with its fine schools and
It's public library, costing 1t $500 month,
many avoided the ill-lighted, dusty, un-
prot ected city of Berkeley, Kept back from
all progress by its narrow policy. He was
sure that looked at from purely financial
standpoint the library would be a wise In
vestment in the end.
Trustee Whiting moved for an indefinite
postpOnemen.. bnt Trustees Preble, Steu-
benrauch and Underwood carried a mo-
ton to postpone the matter for Two weeks.
The case now will be a balancing of pc
titions. but those advoca ting the measure
express no fear but what they can get a
majority of the taxpayers.
VIII Break the Record.
Clinton Morse, '94, popularity known as
Brick" the universty'S best all-round
athlete. has been training during the sum-
mer on the pnle vault, for distance, and
Saturday last succeeded in breaking the
worlds record. The greatest recorded
jump yet made is % feet AZ inches.
Morse made Saturday % feet Inches. In
order TO make an otficial record the Pacific
Coast Amateur Athletic Association will
hold special field day on Friday after
nnOn, August %, at the university cinder-
track. A nlmDer of well-known athletes
will enter with Morse in his attempt to
break officially The worlds recerd A
large attendance of ladies and gentlemen
is expected at the exciting event.
Mail Direct. ~-ss-
Postmaster Mccarthy has succeeded in
getting daily mail service direct to Lorin
and Peralta. Previously the mail went
from Berkeley to San Francisco and then
back to Lorin and Peralta.