The Washington times., 1895-05-30
FREE LIBRARY WILL GROW
Board of Trade Plan Is COnsid-
cred Somewhat Too Slow.
MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION
1t Is Now Hoped ThattheLibrary VIII
Be Open for Readers by the Fall.
At Least So 900 Year Can Be Col,
lected at Present-MoniedM Men VIII
Not Let 1t Fail.

The establishment OF free public
library was brought up at the meeting or
the washington Library Association last
night and it is now hoped that the
library viii be open for readers by the re-
turn of cool weather next fall. It was
the last meeting of the association till
that time.
Gen. A. w GreeIy, chief of the Signal
Service, reported from the committee on
public library that there are $40 800 sub
scribed for five years use, making 81, 100
a year OF this. it may be taken for granted,
at least So 900 q year can be collected.
He thought it best to begin to do something
before smaller su descriptions are asked
for. These smaller subscribers would do
most to support the library when once it
was started He spoke of the meeting at
which MI W. A. De Caindry was ap-
pointed trustee. That gentleman has re-
ceived $500 already, and the amount is in
bank
IN A BIG HURRY.
His meeting with gentlemen of the board
oftrade developed the fact that they wanted
to start out full -fledged with a fine library.
They wanted to raise 500 900 first and
then go to Congress and ask for building.
They had not yet, however, secured sub
scriptions for dollar. He told them he
thought "a bird in the hand is worth two
in the bush,' but they did not seem much
impressed by this homely maxim.
The committee met on Tuesday and de-
termined that the thing to do was to pre-
pare articles of Incorporation and open
modest library at the earliest opportunity.
This would certainly be as early as next
autumn.
The board of trade had been informed
that as soon as their committee could raise
the large sum proposed and secure the aid
lof Congress the library association would
gladly join in their efforts and add the
| library in existence to that established
by the board OF trade.
Gen Greedy said there were only about
sixty names OH the committees list OF
subscribers. Heclfelt sure that four or
five thousand. persons of moderate means
would subscribe from 81 to So for the
support of the library when started.
WOULDN'T LET 1T FAIL.
If this did not prove to be true he
thought there were persons Of means
here who would not see such movement
| fail 1
| Upon motion of B. Pickman Mann a
| hearty approval was voted for the COM
mittee's action looking toward the early
establishment of the library
Prof. Farquhar, of the Patent Office,
| reported on the subject of exchange of
| duplicate books In the Patent Office,
| he said, there are of duplicates that can be
| spared about 1000 volumes Gen. Greely
said the War Department library has
! probably 1000 such books. Some OF
these, it is hoped, can be obtained as
nucleus for the proposed free library
Prof J. Howard Gore made an address
| in the Plantin-M -Moretius Museum at An
| twerp, which he visited with the govern
| ment commissioner at the Antwerp ex-
| position last summer.
| Mr.. Fassig, Of the Weather Bureau,
made a report from the committee on
! union list of periodicals..