New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-24
FOB A GOOD CITY LIBKAhY
n1scPEDITABI.E CONDITION OF THE
PRESENT COLLECTION.

REPORT OF COMMITTEE TO THE MAYoR-DE-
pIoRAB1E STATE OF THE CITY RECORDS
IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS.
,,- o,r,,o recentIv appointed General James
Grant Wilson. Edward F. De Lancey, Charles -
Todd William l.. Stone and Isaac Townsend smith
a committee to consider the condition or the lily
Library with a view to its reorganization anu iii
provement. , ~
follows:
your Honor: Your committee appointed to con-
slider the condition of the City Library Win we"
20 the advisabty OF preserving the ancient city
records by printing copying respectfully report;
That they n nd the eH CHIEF city Of the Union
AT ali comparable the reference libraries OF othes
cities of the first class about us. We recommends
tbat # be reorganzed as the Library Of Municipal
Records and Reference. to contain the following
T. Ordinances and proceedings OF the Common
Council and an all ether e,y for their subject
NewYorT state documents 80 iar as and
histories of every considerable city In the United
states and Europe. so far as procuranie. h,sor,os
especially those relating to New-York and adjacent
s. Standard works OF history and geography.
newspaper files statistics OF commerce. shipping
a library established on this plan would be abso.
lutey unique so far as we are aware. and wcum
field not c5 now Sy amy MUST BE- %
gradual growth but beginning coulo Dc Haue
with 5000 s .,,, -. orro,rtuent o,
be vested in to s sonsSt Of arts ne
dent of the New-York Genealogical and Biographi-
cal Society and the Senior Justice or me 6ng
office during life or good behavior, Unless incapac'-
We further recommend that IN the proposed new new
CITY Hall a room capable OF holding at least 1900
volumes be provided for the City Library
We find that the records OF the city are IN a de-
criminal Indifference and carelessness regarding
these invaluable archives could have obtained. For
years they kept In wooden cupboards In the
office of the City Clerk at length iron safes were
procured in which the earlier record: were placed;
Il is doubtful II these hreproof. Since 1850
these records have been printed those not printed.
volumes OF proceedings OF the Burgomaster and
Schepens under Dutch rule. and seventy-hve vol
umes OF proceedings OF the Common Council under
the English rule Many OF the originals are in BID
suit involving an East River ferry franchise and
would recommend that reward Of SEQ be offe is
Gr the s series Mere neve pned owing to
the failure OF the New-York Printing Company.
then the city printers The proceedings OF an re
informed were printed for the same reason
These records give minute details OF the founding
parks and ferries of police, excise, customs and So
cal regulation, and contain thousand items OF
of New-York and 10 the Nation at large. They are
IN an exposed condition, and should be printed or
your Honors guidance. we secured estimates from
two reliable city printing houses and find that the
would aggregate s2Oo 900 exclusive Of copying. etc We
found that to make three typewriter copies OF
and onehaf cent ADDITIONAL for each COPY would
cost approximately 5000 We recommend that
one for the City Library for the Tllden Pub
lie Library and TO be at the disposal of the Com
print them, it can be done from these copies Re-
spectfuIy submitted