The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-19
Negotiations For the Transfer of
the Pioneer Collection.
CHANGE NEAR AT HAND
WILL FORM A NUCLEUS OF TEN
THOUSAND VOLUMES.
Grand Master Cash Approves the
Report of the Masonic Committee
Arrange of Rent Reduced to
$1,000 By the Board of Trade Cor
poration.

Negotiations toward the transfer of
the 10000 and more volumes in the Pho
neer Library associations collection to
the city, as nucleus for the public
library and free reading room, pro-
crossed to such a point yesterday that
it is reasonably certain the desired
change will be made as soon as suit
able quarters are assigned to the new
institution in the joint building. OF
course it will require a little time to
conveniently arrange things after the
books are moved, but the doors should
be thrown open to the public with the
advent of the new year. Only another
step or two remains to be taken until
the new city library will be welcomed
reality, an institution that will at once
become a public utility on progressive
lines.
At yesterdays meeting of the Pioneer
associations directors and a committee
of the city library trustees, progress
was made in the direction of settle
ment of the conditions upon which the
transfer hinges. Another meeting, at
which the remaining question will prob
ably be finally adjusted, will be held
on Monday afternoon in Secretary
APPROVAL OF MASONS' ACTION.
The first matter to receive the at
tention of the meeting was Grand Mas
ter Gash's approval of the report made
by the committee of the Masonic lodges
which had charge of the question of
transferring the grand lodges holdings
in the Pioneer library. From the re-
port it appears that a resolution was
I y ,lo,+od vv1,arahu il creed to turn
over the 500 shares of stock owned by
the grand lodge OF T. and A. NJ. of
Utah to the public library of Salt Lake
City provided the directors OF the said
library first furnish the committee a
receipt or release, releasing the grand
lodge from all liabilities of the present
indebtedness of the Pioneer Library as
sociation.'
THE DEBT OWING FOR RENT.
Then the query arose as to what was
meant by the term present Indebted
ness of the Pioneer Library associa-
! ton" Mr.. c. L. Rood, who was pres
ent by invitation as q representative OF
the board of trade corporation, which
owns the building and rooms occupied
by the library about to cease its OK
istence il name, said the building,
owners believed they were entitled to
s.. 600 for arrears of rent. For so months
the rooms had been occupied without
the payment of any rent. If the rental
agreed upon in the first instance We're
exacted, $4,000 would be the amount
due. but the claim had been reduced
to 81 Geo. for the reason that the stock
holders of the building wished to De
magnanimous, and asked no more than
What was equitable. They were Obliged
to paw assessments on their stock tC
he 1.11iIf
ing elevator service for the library 5
patrons, and rather than compel the
association to move or disperse its col
lection of books, the arrears of rent haC
been permitted to accumulate. Accord
ing to Mr. Rood's calculation, the tota
cost of the books to the city would moi
exceed $780,, while their value at g
low estimate would be $4,000, and prob
ably very much more.
A COMPROMISE SUGGESTED.
Major Hill, of the city library com
mittee. stated that he and his col
leagues IL the board considered $500 g
fair sum to allow for back rent. While
recognizing the service the Board OF
Trade had rendered the public IN per
hitting the Pioneer library doors t6
be kept open without insisting upor
the payment of rent, the city trustees
would reluctantly pay any larger sun
than they already deemed fair anC
just.
Judge Bennett suggested a compro
mise at $7s0, and Major Hill replied
that probably the city trustees WoUdc
consent to stretch a point by agreeing
to pay the compromise sum suggested
for the back rent, if it would be ac
ceptable, and thus settle the condition
precedent to the transfer.
Mr. Rood stated that he was not au
thorized to accede to the compronlis'
point, but he would confer with thu
. Board Of Trade directors, and NEE
with the joint committee at o'c!ocl
on Monday, to which time an adjourn
: ment was taken.
THE NEGOTIATIONS NARROWING
AS the matter now stands, there il
only a difference of $3.50 between tn
creditors OF the Pioneer association ant
, the city trustees, the latter having al
ready consented to discharge the deb
due the librarian for salary. When tn
Pioneer association obtains its releas
of indebtedness, the Masonic gram
lodge Will assign it's control of stock
All the individual shareholders, with
very few exceptions, and these hav
not yet been heard from, have agree
to vote for the formal transfer. Whel
the change is made the shareholder
will have oted unanimously for it o.
the terms proposed by the Masons.
CONDITION OF THE LIBRARY.
Exclusive OF a splendid collection G
magazines and pamphlets, there ar
about 10000 volumes in the Pioneer II
brary. No new books have been place
on the shelves within the past thre
years, but, nevertheless, it is a yer
2 choice and valuable collection. Z
bring the library up to date, a consio
cradle selection of books will have
be ACQUIRED from the tax fund at tn
0 city trustees command The deficienc
f most marked is with respect to refer
ence books on mining and irrigatio
7 subjects, science and kindred topics. l
standard fiction and history, the rane
is excellent and quite complete, but til
e histories are not well adapted to til
: requirements OF the students in tt
e public schools.
t A new catalogue will be one of tt
u early necessities, and, of course, pul
;. chases of new books to fill UP the dt
O ficiencies, as soon as the library bt
O comes the city's property and is give
f desirable quarters in the public builC
t ing.
q Brewers and Matters union GA, wi
3 give q grand ball at the Grand Arm
e hall on December 81. Admission so
for couple.
Five hundred pounds of candy give