Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-13

leSS III w dSHlDS lun- Ine DOdrd OIL trade
should unhesitatingly approve and recom-
mend to Congress the relief asked for By
the assessor and collector.
Mercantile interests.
From the report of the committee on mer-
camille interests We are informed that
greater commercial prosperity prevails and
better labor conditions exist than ever be-
lore in the history of Washington, clearly
indicating that the District of Columbia is
experiencing the good times that are re-
ported throughout the country. The COM
mittee has endeavored to bring about bet
ter transportation rates from Virginia
! West Virginia and Maryland during the
busy purchasing season. Fake sales and
mock auctions have received and will re-
ceive the attention of the committee. look
ing toward their complete discontinuance
as conducive to the best interests of the
city and legitimate mercantile traffic. The
committee recommends, in place of the
personal tax as now imposed a tax of 81
per thousand on the gross business of mer-
chants, which will insure all merchants
paving taxes instead of only a portion,
which is manifestly unjust.
Insurance.
The committee on insurance recommends
renewed efforts to secure the passage of
the insurance bill OH of R. No 92S3) to
regulate insurance business of every char
acter in the District of Columbia This is
and approved by the board of trade, ex-
cept section IL, an amendment which Is
disapproved as unnecessary.
1t Is desirable and important that this
bill, or the code in which 1t is embodied,
should become law and secure better in
surance methods and greater protection
alike to the insured and the companies do
ing insurance business
Public Library.
The committee Public Library present
an interesting report on the present condi-
ton and bright prospects for a public
library for the city of Washington, the
same being made possible by the generous
donation of Mr.. Andrew Carnegie.
The contract entered into for the con-
struction amounts to s277,OOO exclusive of
the foundations, commissions and miscella-
neous expenses, which the balance of the
donation will hardly meet, and for which
additional provision will have to be made.
The building is to be completed, under con-
tract. March /, 1902. 1t is hoped that it
will be open for use by the 30th of June Of
that year.
The building occupies 17,307 Of the $780,
800 square feet in Mt. Vernon Square, and
the grounds left will be laid out and beau
tilted, which, with the classic white marble
building, will make the square very attrac-
tive. The capacity of the library will be
2S3 go volumes. The number now in the
library is 1S,940, and while 1t is not to be
expected that the shelves will be entirely
)! filled at an early date. it will be impera-
tive to add many thousand books at once
to the present number For this purpose
the trustees have approved an estimate Of
an appropriation of $4,000, and the commit
tee expresses the opinion that this amount
is the minimum the exigencies require and
ask the support of the board of trade to
this recommendation.
1t is suggested that the board of trade
use Its influence in obtaining legislation for
transferring twenty or thirty thousand
volumes that may properly be spared from
libraries of certain departments of the gov
eminent, and also duplicate volumes in the
Library of Congress.
The committee appeal to public-spirited
citizens to make contributions of books,
whether in good condition or worn, which
can be repaired. For these and books now
in circulation needing repair, an appropria-
ton of $4,000 will be asked In this way
volumes restored win be in condition to
enter upon new fields for use.
The library the past year has been open
from am. to 10 pm. To show how the
people of the District avail themselves of
its privileges 1t is stated that the total
number of registered borrowers was 10, 459.
average, S.5S5; an average monthly circu-
lation of 10219, and a daily average of 400.
For the whole year the total number was
(Continusd on Twelfth Page1