New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-02

..i John Jacob Astor. do make this additional cod
cil to my last will. bearing date the fourth day OF
July in the year Of our Lord 1885:
Desiring to render a public benefit to the city OF
New-york and to contribute to the advancement OF
useful knowledge and the general good Of society,
do by this codic out Of pyybc
The amount to be Settled. applied and disposed
"FIrst-In the erection of suitable building for
'second"in furnishing and supplying the same
from time to time with books. maps. charts, models
daTmE and oiher hnss to library
for general use. upon the most ample scale anu
"Third"in maintaining and uPhodIng the build
ngs and other property and In deirayng inc hece nd
OF the accommodation of persons consulting the
library The said shall be payable, one-third
in the year after my decease one,third IN ths year ear
fo..owing. and the residue In equal sums In the
fourth and hh years after my gecsds e reason
able hours and times. for general use free OF ex-
such control and regulations as the trustees may
from time to time exercise and establish for gen.
The codic further directs that "the affairs OF
the Institution shall be conducted and directed by
from the different liberal professions and employ
ments Of life and the classes Of educated men en-
continuance in Office. and the Chancellor Of the
state OF NewYork during his continuance In Once
number OF trustees occurring by death h rfsgnaG Sd
by persons appointed by the remaining trustees
THE ORIGINAL TRUSTEES.
The document after giving some other directions
as to the administration OF the funds reads: And
a mark Of my respect to the following gentle
men. name them to be the first trustees; that Is
to say. the Mayor Of the city OF New-York and the
to thcr oce " wash H 'n living william B.
Astor. Daniel Lord. jr... James g King, Joseph g.
Samuel y. Rugsies and Samuel Ward IT,"
The document is dated August p 1889 ..o
he ffFna uh IAhn
goo to establish a public library. said man or
"a great evolution has taken place In the pubic
or circulating library. At that time most OF the
Important public libraries OF the world Were brare;
superintendent chosen by Mr. Astor from his con:
library they were to manage is good evidence OF
his intent In the first report Of the trustees 10
the legislature. after the original building was
IN respect to the fundamental policy OF making
library the trustees entirely concur in the view;
presented by Mr. Cogswel in his report hereto
to the library with confidence when they are sure
not only that 1t has all the books that are wanted
Reference to the history o, the institution de-
yns Wa a ' As %o son Of the OF o%ne Wa
elected president OF the board and gave upward Of
sboaG on an sspTess stipulation that the library
Rsgulatitn No. !. adopted November 30. 1853. reads
n a lending library Admission be free to all
persons OF more than fourteen years Of age who do
CONDITIONS WERE MADE
The ninth annual report OF the trustees contains
the following passage:
Mr. Aston stated tina, the donations BY him made
and intended to be hereafter made were on
the understanding tha, Il was the settled and un-
ch1ng"ahe basis Of aiminst, ring the library that
lis contents should remain in the library rooms. for
use by readers there and should not be lent out or
allowed 10 be taken from the rooms. and he re-
gue.tei that the views Of the Board be fully and
freely expressed. II thereupon resolved. That
The settled and interchangeable plan or administering
the library IL the one above expressed and under
stood by Mr Asior and that the donations in
money. land and otherwise received from Mr. Aston.
AMI q be- hereafter received from him ana from
Other friends OF learning. are received and Will be-
administered according 10 such plan. and not other
After his death his SON. the late John Jacob As,or
who long administered the funds OF the library as
treasurer OF ne Hoard gave from time 20 time up
To illustrate further that the plan OF the Aston
regarded settled and that there disagree
mont on that score among the members OF Its board
the following extract from the report ~ Superin-
tcndcni Cogswcn. mads on January 25 1854. should
BE- rad:
this country which have been formed upon systems.
and here. In ms great city especially. one was
that would enable III" scientific inquirer to track
s p to furnish to ,h meehanr srs and prac
teal Industry IN general the help and guidance re-
N" history. character and style OF the great
masters Of his art: to call up to the student the
thought and provide the best and heaithest in.
tellcctua food for the minds OF all ages and classes
THE IDEA or THE FOUNDER.
III this IL the character OF the Aston Library. II
Is such n the founder intended to establish
Not book bought for II during his lifetime
that was not OF this description and every that
was bought had his sanction. Can any one sup
pose that such books Audubons Birds OF
America, Montfoucon's Antiquities Dumonts
GgnTs de RrS, The WrnEs Of the Fathers
ond and third editions Of Erasmus's Greek Tesla
the Society Of Arts and the Parliamentary Jour
mas rsr, Mere to make part OF popular library ,
ton should be fixed at It's beginning. Every meas
ground OF rs being a library for reference and
onsNation. and not lending or mscalled
TO the weahcst for the use to which 1t is adapted"
TIE Astor Library people agree that the city needs
the common schools and seek the good OF the great
enlowmen Of at least 10000 but ft the res sH
ence department ~ their opinion. Of such library
mInlsiraon different that reference library is
separate institution
a CORRESPONDENTS SUGGESTIONS
baltimore and Chicago have both reference and
circulating libraries" says a CORE spondent New
York has the Aston and the Tilden trustees may
still do something worth while in the other direction
II the city would furnish land and buildings. as is
done elsewhere and IL done here for the Museums
OF Art and Natural History The fears OF conserva-
tive citizens stand In the way but these fears may
be less after election"
Some people think that the example OF the British
Museum In lighting Its reading room win electric
Light and so enabling those who have already drawn
books 10 pro'ong their use especially in the short
days Of winter. should be followed by the Aston
Library. On the other hand T. Is urged that NO
such accommodation however. nor. indeed anything
but complete change In the character Of the library
would remove the latent discomfort OF those who
really need a different kind OF a library. and who
break In occasional complaints OF the Ast0r
Library for being what II is"
The complaints which have recently appeared in
| tha 1ai n1ng UaTa a fha ACfA ihrar
people believe by personal grudges complaints
their Office are OF rare occurrence.
| STRA VS. BLOWy BY THE OPERATTO VIVID