New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-06
THE SOCIETY OF MECHANICS
ITS WEALTH AND PROSPERITY.
THE GOOD WORK WHICH 1T DOES IN THIS
c1TY-rTs CIRCULATING LIBRARY

THE GOOD WORK WHICH 1T DOES IN THIS
c1rY-rTs CIRCULATING LIBRARY
- a stranger should ask you about free read
,rg room in New-York or a free circulating library
the first impulse to answer him. perhaps "0"''
be TO point 10 Cooper Union There Is ho"eHe',
another place just as accessible ana cos'.e 10'N
as little TO its friends though not on so large d
scale about which there is not so much Know =.
os ought n he This Is the General Society OF
Mechanics and Tradesmen at NO Is west OH
feminist II does not look pretentous lloi" 81.
outside nor does it when you go H. Dut "'eie =,
an air Of business and comfort ana the sur
ings are so homelke that the first ume you pay
a visit TO the buiinlhs - 0ei'" NV
last 49, ,,s,
Whom the writer walked in there one DAY Ias'
week 10 take a look at the handsome Droh%e '"'
lot which has been erected in commemorate" Va
the twenty-five founders he saw thousahus VI
volumes with their white coverings in rows OF
III -. eholvas hut there was no sign Of dust
an any Of these volumes. for the most OF them
have been well and variously handled every Gay
throughout the year , . 49,
..What keeps this place going? ne salu u o"e
n, the officials II never troubled myseH mu0n
about that" he answered shaking his head' out
be,ieve they own considerable property Later
in the day ex-Mayor Hewitt who Is one ol 'ne
members furnished the information when ne S"'u
that the "unearned Increment when ueNeiopeu
the value of the real estate which the SOcie'S o"
financial
said Mr.. Hewitt that the twenty-five men whose
names are here carved in enduring form wouid
have been able between them In 1885, when the So
ciety was founded, to raise $1,000 in actual money
on the spot yet now suppose we are worm "DOu'
NOOOOO0" Mr. Hewitt said that he came "CiOS
some old lines recently that proved now Sca'o t
money was in those bygone days; on cash vi
cash whv hast thou deserted the standard OF ilO-
er,v," There IS one matter in connection win the
Society of which the ex-Mayor boosted ana winch
was applauded to the echo
During more than 100 years OF Us existence
said he while there have been many FRAUDS anu
scandals in almost all other organizations IN TINS
CITY no one can point to a single scandal or plo'
upon its history. and in that 1t is unique
When YOU see 100 or more of the members TO-
gether a good proportion of the 90 VINO COdHrUS q
the organization they are OF such phHsque
Of such height that If the name OF me s2Se b
should be changed to the man Slup ualymiIton the
by no means misnomer John /" ndl IN ~ foi
president. towers high up over I M Wrlght the
LOWS, wn'iv With his rinrng Voice his sivery hair
and his elastic step could never be taken IUr az ' a
piig55iro father The members of the society, with
few exceptions. have worked their way mo pos,
specia advantages to start with Indeed, some Of
them badly handicapped in entering me rae
for life But they are proud rather than ashalne5
20 refer to them. Mr. Hewitt, for instance, in his
recent speech' said that when he was a boy the
question of getting pair OF Shoes l0r one U %
~ serious concern Il know" said he, that upon
one occasion the almoner Of this Society came 10
INV mothers house and brought shoes ana suppose
wore the shoes" This announcement was ap-
plauded by all those present and the ex,Mayor )
features settled down into satisfied smile. . J.,
The society was founded in l7S ana incorporates
in 1872 From its original purpose benevolenGe; "a Il
has broadened its scope as us income peai' ~
In 1920 1t founded the Mechanics school ana the
Apprentices Library; in 1893 Il started an instrnc-
tive course of lectures; in 1856 II added readng
rooms TO its library. and in 1889 Instituted free free
scholarships in the New-York Trades SchooI. Inc
INDECENT members and the needy widows ana or
phan children of deceased members receive an
nuities regularly So 49,, ~ On
600 volumes. circulating quarter OF mill9h OF
books annually. Thirty thousand persons visited
the reading rooms last year g.
The evening classes of the school furnish free
instruction TO young men in free hand, mecnani-
cal. machinery and architectural drawing eaoinet
decorations and clay modelling, thus materially as
ssting them in their daily avocatons. To young
women, free instruction in stenography ana type.
writing is given. Each winter free course OF
lectures on popular subjects is given while to en-
courage young in acquiring practical knoWl-
edge OF some useful trade. the society maintains
free scholarships in the New-York Trades school.
The names OF the officers are: John i. Hamilton
president; Warren A. Conover. vice-presidenI
George F. Hoe. second vice-presdent; Richard T.
Davies, treasurer, and Stephen NJ Wright secre-