The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1900-06-01
OPENING OF
THE LIBRARY
Men, Women and Children ThrOng
the New Building.

James to the Citizens of Madi-
son is Thoroughly Inspected and
Fully Appreciated.
On Wednesday, Memorial Day, the
new public library at Madison was
formally opened to the public.
After eighteen months of anxious
waiting, the people thronged the
building. From early morning until
late in the evening a constant stream
of men, women and children filed
through the open door, admiring,
wondering and commenting on the
beautiful structure, which, through
the generosity of their townsman, D.
Willis James, had become their very
own. And it must have been happy
day for Mr.. James as he watched the
joyous crowd come and reluctantly
depart.
The building is a magnificent stone
structure of the gothic style of archi-
lecture and was built at a cost of
$65, 900. From the outside it has an
imposing appearance and eminently
fits the site on which it stands. The
interior is beautifully decorated after
the modern style, the dark shades of
maroon, olive and chome predominant
ing. The furniture and woodwork is
all in dark oak finish and on the floor
of the reception room and reading
parlor are dark Persian rugs, forming
a most harmonious whole. On the
shelves are d. 500 volumes purchased
at a cost of So, 900.
The books comprise the best in all
schools of literature including fiction,
science, art, history, travel and auto
biography. There are also all the
standard reference works such as cy-
clopedias, dictionaries, concordances
and ALIASES. The newspaper files are
very complete and include the New
York dailies and the leading papers
of New Jersey. The Chronicle can be
consulted here at any time Then
there are several foreign publications
such as the London Graphic and Lon
don Spectator. About 100 books in
italian and one Italian newspaper are
in the library. Other books in French,
German and other foreign languages
are to be added later.
This library is entirely free to citi-
zens of Madison and the surrounding
towns. Anyone can borrow books
here no matter what his age, the only
condition being that the applicant
must be able to sign his name. The
library building will be open Mon
days, Wednesdays and Fridays from
10 a. m. to p. m. and on Tuesdays
and Thursdays from l to 8 p. M.
Saturdays from 10 a. m. to 8 p. M,
legal holidays excepted.
For the present only two persons
will be employed in the library.
These are Miss Bertha Wildman, the
librarian and her assistant, Miss Mar
tha Burnett. The library is con-
trolled by board of trustees as fol-
lows D. Willis James, president !;
DR.. Henry Buttz, of Drew Seminary,
president; DR.. Stuart M. Reed,
secretary; Arthur James, treasurer; ;
Charles Cook, Mrs. E. E. Butler and
Mrs. Augustus Webb, Jr.
The funds for the support of the
library are derived from rent of the
three story brick block on Madison
avenue opposite the library. This
building was erected by Mr.. James,
donor oe the library, at cost of
$50. 600 and is for the express purpose
of supplying the funds to run the
library. The supporting building is
part of the gift to the town and is
under the management of the trustees
of the library. On the first floor are
six roomy stores. On the second is
hall, with fully equipped stage in
which may be held entertainments of
all kinds. The hall will seat roo people
and has gallery occupying part of the
third story. On the second floor are
also banquet rooms, smoking rooms,
dressing rooms and sitting rooms for
ladies and gentlemen. On the third
floor is the kitchen and large hall,
which may be used for dancing or as
a meeting place for organizations of
various kinds. There are also a few
offices in the second and third stories.
Speaking of the purposes of the Ii
brary, Mr.. James said to a reporter
of the Chronicle: sit is our in
tention to make the library as useful
as possible. To that end we contem-
plate having branch offices in some
of the surrounding towns as soon as
we can find means to that end. The
idea is to have a kind of travelling
library so that the books may all be
in use all the time. We may appoint
committees in the various towns sur
rounding Madison, these to take charge
of the work of circulating the books
in their towns and then returning
them to the library.
AT the present time anyone living
in the county may draw a book by
coming after it. But we realize that
many people cannot come and draw
their books. To meet that condition
we propose taking the books to the