El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-12-29
LIBRARIES IN NEW JERSEY.
Growth of the Movement For Free
Circulation Of Books.

SUCuidIiOh VI oOoho.
The lethargic and Indifferent action
of the past fifteen years. which mark
ed the beginning and the struggle of
the free-library movement in New
Jersey, has given place to general ac-
tivity on the part of the friends of free
libraries. The erection of new build
ings and the current expenditure of a
million and a half of dollars ar evil
dences that New Jersey will enter the
twentieth century with a progression
that will compare favorably with hat
of other states which have been max
ing. quick strides in the same direc-
ton.
Within a few years some twenty
municipalities have decided to be tax
ed for the support of free libraries.
The state has equipped forty-eight
travelling libraries and has created a
state library commission to encourage
the creation of small libraries in rural
communities. The expenditures for a
new library in Newark and another in
Jersey City amount to 500, 900. New
buildings are also being secured in
Trenton, Orange. East Orange, Mad
ison, Peterson. Passaic City, Bloom
field and Hackensack.
Sixteen years ago Frank p. Hill in
augurated the first free library in con-
nection with the Paterson library. In
recent years others have come forward
with generous gifts. Andrew Carnegie
gave East Orange $50, 900; William
M. Johnson of Bergen, now first as
sistant postmaster general of the
United States. gave $50, 900 for the new
free library in H~ackensack: Congress-
man Charles Nelson Fowler of Union
county is to erect a new building. com
pletely equipped, for Elizabeth; the
family OF the late DR.. William Strick-
Ter has given Orange a hundred thous-
and dollar library building: Mrs. Mary
E. Ryle continues her generosity to
the Paterson library, now being ex-
tended; J. N. Jarvie is preparing to
help Bloomfield. and d. w. Ills has en-
dowed the Madison library.
The Newark library will be ready
for occupancy about February. The
total cost will be $500. 900. The library
has always exceeded the other library
ventures in the state. having about
20. 900 volumes. This number is to be
greatly increased when the new build
ing is occupied. 1t will be filled
with pictures. all originals. and by ar
fists of national and some of world
Wild reputatio. There will be hun
dreds. possibly several thousands. of
them. and they will be in oils, in pen
in water colorS. Inc in all
the mediums used by the artists of to-
day. The pictures are to be loaned
by Charles Scribner's Sons & Co. of
New York for an indefinite period.
The progress of the free library
in Persey City has been
phenomenal. For some time the sue
cess of the enterprise was Handicapped
by the limited conditions under which
the library was operated. 1t a been
to occupy the basement of the
Bank building, which is in the
section and away from the
This defect of locality
was partly remedied by the distribut-
ing stations in siXten parts of h city.
The cost of the new Jersey City library
will be $3.50 600 when it is occupied.
which will be in a few weeks. They
lave a handsomebuilding of Connecti-
cut granite and bun brick. 1t is a
building covering al area of
by 1873 feet, in the residential part
Of the city
Trenton has laid the foundation for
its new free library. 1t was only last
ear that the city voted to accept the
free library act The ost for the
building and ground will be 800 .O00.
It will stand On historic ground, the
site of the III Trenton academy hav-
ing been chosen. h Trenton libra
~ trustees have available a rather pc
culiar bequest. 1t is the gift of Charles
skeleton. who was a shoemaker, who
served two terms in congress. He was
nominated on the democratic ticket
md did not have the least idea of be-
elected. but during the last two
of the campaign he drift was to
MIN. He showed his gratitude by
several properties in trust for
4 free Library. but stipulated that the
money should not be expended for any
works of fiction. The new trustees
ire going to use it for books of refer
ence.
Ferdinand Roetling Of the company
which buflt the Brooklyn bridge is
going to give a library OF selected
books Of a grouping similar to that
which won h prize at the Chicago
The Oldest library in the state is
hat of Burlington City, which four
years ceased it's corporate inter
est and became a free library. support
I'd by municipal appropriation. This
library comes down from colonial
times and its charter which still hangs
in the building. bears the seal of
George n.
There are se~venty-seven Libraries in
New Jersey, nearly all of them So
jailed FREQ libraries many of them
suDDOrtod NV dues and Sub~ScriDtiOnS-