The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-06-06
LIBRARY BOARD DIVIDED
HAS A LIVELY DISPUTE OVER THE
LENNON & GIBBONS
LEASE
NO DEFINITE ACTION TAKEN
Board to Hold a. Book Reception to
Get Donations for Juvenile
Readers-0fher Business
Considered.

The principal feature of last nights
meeting of the library board was a lively
row over the matter Of a lease given by
the board to Lennon Il Gibbons, a local
firm, for quarters in the new library
building. A difference of opinion has
arisen between the parties to the lease
over it's interpretation and in the board
a division of opinion occurred concerning
the proper methods Of procedure in ar
irving at an adjustment
Arrangements were made by the board
for the book reception, which will pre-
cede the opening of the library and for
the work of moving the library into the
new quarters.
After the reporters had been thrown
out, the board went into executive ses-
sion on the matter of the Lennon & Glib
bons lease. The case presents peculiar
circumstances. When the quarters at
present occupied by the firm were ready
for use, lease, drawn by DIR. Richeson,
of the board, was signed, giving the firm
certain concessions with reference to
! electric lights and power. After the firm
had occupied the quarters for several
months, division of opinion arose be-
| tween the board and the tenants regard
| Ing the lights and electric power furn-
! 1sned by the board for the firms tailoring
| SHOP. Conferences resulted In a propO-
sltlon for settlement which was rejected
by the firm. Last night M. D. Mum re-
| ported to the board that Mr. Lennon. OF
the firm, had been seen and had agreed
personally, though refusing to be bound
to any agreement affecting the firm. to
oil
the trouble. The firm uses about 900 dis
play lights and claims the right under
| the lease to operate these every night in
| the year. The proposition included re.
| endorsement TO the firm for S16S loss suf-
| Tered through recent fire in the tailor
| SHOP, permission to use the display lights
! Us nights in the year, and a clause Civ
| ing the right to use power furnished by
| the library for the electric sign at Ger
tam stipulated rates, when the boards
electric plant is installed. The PROPOSE
| ton included other minor details.
1t developed during the discussion that
| the firm desires IN future to lower the
basement floor in its quarters to give
| more show room. This, in connection
vita the fact that the lease given the
! firm was defective in not specifying the
exact number Of lights and amount of
| power to be furnished; balanced the stu
alton between the 5contending parties.
During the discussion before the board
another division occurred and the mem
! bers split on the question of carving the
matter into the courts. T. L. SchurmeiAr
was III favor Of holding strictly to the
! terms of the lease and fighting the cloth
| ing flrm II necessary. Other members
| favored a more pacific course and CON
| tended for further parley in hope of
settling the difficulty without an omen
! rupture. The fact that on the COM
mencement of legal proceedings the usual
| rents from the firm would cease to come
in was the main argument The matter
was finally left open.
! The board decided to hold a book re-
| ception in the new library quarters on
! the evening Of June Is. The object of
| the reception will be to secure donations
! from the public for the juvenile denart-
ment. list of needed books will be
furnished local firm and those who at
tend will buy books and deposit them
on the library shelves.
The opening of. the library was set for
Monday, June Is, and will be accom-
panied by suitable dedicatory ceremonies
| A delegation representing the Swedish
| organizations of the city was received
| and made the request that the new Ii
brary be furnished with portion of
books printed in the Swedish language
| The request was referred to a commit
| tee
The application of the art school for
quarters in the building was referred to
committee, consisting of Messrs. Mum.
| Auerbach and Foster, for action. The
! report of the Librarian showing the num-
Der of books drawn during the month,
was accepted aid filed. The salary of
Miss Grant, an assistant in the library,
was increased $40 a month A number
of applications fer positions and a large
amount of routine correspondence were
referred to the administration committee
During the time the library is in pro-
cess of being moved, patrons will be al
lowed, through action taken last night,
to draw two books at a time. All fines
will be RENTED during the moving pro-
| cess.