Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-06-04

hseu Tor snle-Opinions by Prom
inent Attorneys on the Matter.
should the County Purchaser
--sJI ~ 4
JS.
The failure of the bar Of Fort Worth
TO meet Its payments on subscriptions
to the supreme court library fund has
resulted in the New York publishing
house from which TIL books were pur-
chased taking posse o. of them. The
library, which is in court Of civil
appeals. cost between 5 80 and slt 900.
between $1,000 and $4,000 0. 'ch amount
has been paid. Enough ,.ney had
been subscribed by member SJhe bar
TO pay the fun amount, but /. Sqilure
OF the attorneys to meet their p nents
mas resulted In the foreclosure of n
chattle mortgage for $4,000 and an adj
Nertisement Offering the library for sale.
President Jennings Of the Library as
soclation when seen by "A Gazette re-
porter last evening, said: Yes sir,
they nave taken possession OF the
books, but under the provisions of the
chattle mortgages ten days notice must
pc given Eefore the sale which they are
advertising for June 10. The books
cost Sll 600, and we are to lose them
for debt of $1,000, The library was
bought after having received bids from
an publishing houses in the land, and
the books were selected with the great
est OF care. Their values have greatIv
advanced, too, since their purchase, and
To-Day the library could not be dupli-
Gated for anything like the first cost
When we lose our library, with IL will
go the court of appeals, which we had
hurd struggle to secure. This court
Is worth more than a railroad TO the
city, not only In the dignity ana in
iluence II contributes. but in the law
yers ana lltigants It brings 10 Fort
Worth from all parts of Northern and
western Texas. We secured this court
on a promise to the legislature that IL
would be furnished with n library and
| court rooms, and failure to perform
our part would give to Fort Worth a
very uuenviable advertisement. In our
new 100000 courthouse plomises have
been made for court of appeals, its
library etc. and under the clrcum-
stances 1t looks like shame to lose the
court"
Hon. a. NJ. Carter. when Interviewed
strongly favored retaining the library
Unless we do" said Mr.. Carter. I'VE
lose our court of civil appeals. and II
would be acting in bad faith with the
~ lFl II BO. AZ 10 the
legality OF the county purchasing IL
the question has never been raised. and
IL might be considered beyond it's iurIs-
dictlon. But there are hundreds OF
things county can do for public good
and this IL one of them. The LAWYERS
ought to pay for IL, but they cannot.
never saw bar suffer more from hard
Times than Fort Worth's, and while
they are willing to do what they can.
i doubt II over $1,000 more could be
| raised from that source. There are
iiVe courts of civil appeals In Texas.
ana the next legislature Will probably
| do away with two of them and dispose
of the poorest equipped ones first. We
| nave now the best court OF civil appeals
IN Texas, but without n library II would
| be the poorest and the first one TO 20 -
Judge Cummings said: The library
is simply public necessity. II is as
| essential to the ends OF Justice as the
| courts themselves without tools no
carpenter could build, and the hooks are
the tools wherein lies the plastic force
or law. II Is not so much In knowing
what the law Is as In being able to put
| your finger ON the spot where IL Is laid
down. You cannot do this without the
books. So much for the necessity. The
bargain comes next. II Is a splendid
Investment. There are $40. 900 worth OF
| books-SiO0J paid on them-the balance
can be had for $4,000. The bar has paid
that much alieady. They are donating
1t to the public. Those who have paid
need the books least because they have
libraries OF their own. It is for the
| public, mind you, and let no man shake
his wild and woolly locks at us and saw
1t is for class. II is for Tarrant coun-
ty. Any citizen has the right OF investi-
cation there. A librarian win be
furnished by the court Of civll appeals
free of cost, and the library once es-
tabllshed by the county gets the aid
that comes from the state annually OF
| $500 or more. The state contributes
this TO all such libraries. The county
has built splendid oourthouse-a
splendid library room in It. and It Is as
important as a town clock or water
works for the building. electric lights to
| light II, or any other adjunct to the
main enterprise. The books can be had
on what time the county wants II she
wants IT, with interest of per cent.
/ have n good working library and sell
| dom have use for II. so II Is not for my
self | am urging this"
Robert H. Milam-The court Of civil
appeals is one of the foremost instltu-
lions of Fort Worth and should be re-
| talned at all costs. 1t Is Incumbent on
every practicing attorney in the city to
exert himself In behalf of the library
ana see tnut IL Is not sou. Inc session
OF the court Is almost continuous and
| its Importance to the city cannot be
overestimated,
Hon. $. ]. Iiunter-I think the COM
missloners' court should buy the library
for the county for use OF the courts.
| They have an elegant library room In
the new courthouse ana have perfect
| right to buy books to put In It. This
| would be a good scheme for the county,
and am In favor Of their taking the
entire library for the amount OF the
debt They could charge library fees
that the lawyers would be bound to
| pay. and make 10 per cent, on the in
/ vestment. besides keeping the court
| here. which IL Of inestlmablo value to
! Fort worth and Tarrant county. The
| lawyers are unable to pay this debt
and unless somebody who has money
Will buy the library we surely win have
| TO lose the court
| II. NJ. Chnpman-The library ought to
/ be kept here by all means. but ms
| have been absent from the city and
| have not attended recent meetings u
/ the association am not prepared to
suggest a method.
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