Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-06-15
4 FREE LIBRARY ASSURED
1t VIII Be Instituted January
LIST, 1894.
Mr.. BANCROFT'S GENEROSITY
Tho Credit of the Change Due
to His Efforts.
Tho Wilmington Institute Library will
Practically Become ~ Free Library on
January tst, is8i--subscriptions Will
Run ON and Tickets Issued for the Last
Time ON July list ScXt.

The stockholders of the Institute Library
met last Monday and transacted the most
important business of that old corporation
since its establishment in the last quarter
of the past century. What was done was
to vote that it shall be Free Library.
This new condition Of things will actually
take effect on January LIST, 1894. On that
day and after there will be no payment
made for the advantage of taking books
from the library and the institution will
III all respects be free.
AS Mayor Wiley stated in his address
this extremely gratifying condition OF
things is due TO the 9 aniable per
tlnacity and excellent Judgment of one
man, William =. Bancroft"
When President William p. Taylor
called the meeting to order Monday the
following were noticed present: William
7. Bancroft, Daniel W. Taylor, Wilmer
Palmer, Enos l.. Doan Mayor Wiley. j.
Newln Gawthrop Thomas h Porter,
Charles Baird, George II, Brown, Lundy
q. Kent, Rev Moses Heath. Frederic
Robinson, Rev. II. Ashton Henry, Walter
bush, John !. Resell, William i. Taylor,
Joseph A. Richardson, George II. Bates, g.
Warner Smith, Robert Adair, Mahlon
VI. Child, s. Redmond Smith, DIR. W. Il.
Bullock. Thomas j. Lawson, William
Stimmell, A. IL. Berlin, Mark NJ. Clcaver.
Isaac I. johnson was the first speaker.
lie referred to the general facts regarding
the enactment passed at the recent session
of the Legislature Of the arrangement by
which City Council will make an annual
| payment of $1,000, ana told of the accept
auCe of the enactment in all its provisions
| by City Council. The meeting last night
was for the purpose Of formally accepting
| the legislative act
Secretary Robinson read the act and
| then MIR. johnson read a set of resolutions
| or u h. l,,,l # ha
mington Institute accepted the act, the re-
| cprding Of the acceptance in the recorder $
| office in the county building, and.lastly an
| instruction 10 the executive committee to
| hold ali election for 10 officers to succeed
| the present board.
The secretary read Il statement from the
| minutes indicating that the interest on the
mortgages will be met by contribution and
the debt discharged. Incident to discus.
sion upon the manner Of carrying out the
proposed method of making the library a
free onC,it was gathered from MIR. Bancroft
who smoke in reply to certain questions
that the plan is as follows The institute
mortgages Will be purchased from The
present holders lit was subsequently,
learned thai the purchaser will be Mr.
Bancroft himself,l aud the interest ap
piled to the needs of the library. The
stockholders will be asked to assign theil
stock to trustee, who will be pledge
always to vote in the interest Of the lie,
library. Those who assign their stock val
not have 10 pay any subscription to tn
library, Mr., Bancroft assumes that ant
pays 1t over to the treasurer OF the library
Just as the present stockholders do now b,
their half yearly ticket subscriptions
which money pays for library expenses
Those stockholders who do not assign thei
stock will pay their semi-annual subscrip
tons AS usual But it is not suspects
that there will be very long survival o
this class.
With the assigned stock the vote of tn
trustee to whom it is assigned will Away
be pledged for tree library, II il be no
the 5000 annual payment by Council. o
course Immediately ceases. should tn
enterprise fail the stock will revert TO til
stockholders who assigned.
!, Mayor Wiley was the last speaker TO
loving the acceptance Of the resolutions
He said that the credit of Wilmngto
having u free library is dne to the effort
Of William l.. bancroft. Great rs TIN
: work is, now that il is accomplished
could never have been done without HI
c (Alr Bancroft'sJ amiable pertinacity an
e Judgment.
=. Isaac T. johnson stated that the pros
. poets are that the tree library will be opc
. January LIST, 1874. He invited the stool
; holders to aid in making the opening
i the library a success. tie also though
$ the new board should so into office ;
i early as possible He reminded thu'
( present that the half yearly dues shou
+ be paid on July lst
1 Ii was stated Monday night that the pu
I chase by Mr.. Bancroft OF the lnstitu
u mortgages means their discharge by III
II gentleman in other words the CauCclir
of the Institute debt.
!, The meeting adjourned ut . o'clock.