The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-03

ready in possession of the library, corner
OF Greene street, ana complete the
| square, so TO speak. The deed was re-
corded at the city hall this morning and
the property is transferred from Clara A.
Hopkins ct al TO the Providence, Public
Library in consideration OF s10o, etc.
The deed was dated March %, 1926, and
executed Dec. 81, 1895. The two lots
purchased, which are the lower ones In
the diagram, together with 20 feet OF
the width of the third, the balance Of
which was acquired some time ago, make
the additional frontage about 100 feet
and the depth 100 feet and the measure
ments of the completed site are: Wash
ington street, 100 feet; Greene street, III
feet; Fountain street, 1872 feet; back line,
200 feet, or an area of nearly 3S,0O
square feet, which is quite respectable
site. kAsM
The officers and trustees Gre ret icent
| about Givuiging either the cost Of the
land, or the amount of money available
for the new library. The assessors, how
ever, value this land at from 81. 10 TO 81. 10
per foot and the chances are that it is
more valuable even than that.
Other records at the city hall show
that Albert l.. Calder sold the trustees land
on Washington street for s1o 1000; Will
liam BlakeIy conveyed other land for
sl00, etc. and s. L. Greene sold them
part Of the Greene street land.
Just why those in control OF the new
public library fund should be so mum
about their resources and intentions is
not clear 1t is stated that from time to
time fund has accumulated and 1t is
without restrictions of any character.
1t has been decided to build a new library
and the land has been purchased. Stone,
Carpenter * Wilson have made plans
which seem TO meet with the approval
of most Of those interested, but nc action
has been taken on them. II Is stated,
however, that the plans call for the
whole OF the sum available, leaving
nothing on which to ran the library
after II is puilt. This obstacle some of
the trustees propose to get over by ap-
pea,ipg to the city, or, rather, by de-
manding OF the city TO know what 1t
will do about X. One of the trustees,
Gardiner &. Sims, whose talents and
advice have been frequently sought In
matters OF moment, proposes to stop pur-
chasing new and valuable hooks to be
kept in leased building, without any
fire proof vault, and also stop issuing
cards to would-be patrons. Then he
would ask the question above suggested.
Tie says. ana II Is undou btedly true, that
not only is the Snow street library in
! adequate as TO size, protection of books,
| etc., but II is positively unbellthful iof
the librarian and assistants who have
TO breathe the foul atm osphere every day.
President Durfce, most OF the other
officers ana several OF the trustees admit
the necessity for an early move, and in
spite OF their refusal 10 give cut my par
ticulays state that the whole matter
hinges on the sccepiancs OF the plans
mentioned, soino favoring, per hnps, less
costly building now. Icctings have been
held recently and the last one adjourned
subject TO the call OF the chair. which,
II Is expected, will be issued In few
days. when the matter viii L. tinaly
settled and something given out for pub
licstion.
At any rate the completion OF the
acquisition OF Ito new sile is ccnsldsrsd
a favorable sign