The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-03-03
LAY SPECIAL LEVY
FOR THE LIBRARY
Pattteson Law Will Per
nit This to be Done.
CITIZENS ARE FOR IT.
The Proposition of Mr.. Carnegie At
tracts Much Attention.
ACTION OF COLLEGE FACULTY.
They Adopt Resolution Expressing Thanks
to Mr.. Carnegie and Urging the
City council 10 Accept
His Offer-The Views OF
Citizens-Q Question
ACTION OF COLLEGE FACULTY.

Sentiment is overwhelmingly in favor
of accepting the proposition of Mr. An
drew Carnegie to give 100000 to the city
of Richmond for a public library. All
classes Of citizens LOOK upon it most faV-
oraby, and many Of them want the CITY
Council to take up the matter at once,
inquire into the details, so over tho field
and devise ways and means by which
the $4,000 a year for maintenance, equip
ment and buying books may be provided
This seems to be the problem to be
solved by the City Council, and various
plans have been suggested, one to curtaii
appropriations that are made annually
to charitable and other institutions, and
to shave appropriations to the DEPART
ments of the city.
Through the efforts of Hon. S. S. P.
Patteson, member of the House of Dele
gates for Richmond, a bill was passed
at the last regular session Of the Legs
aturc and approved on March ., 1900,
which provides for just such emergencies.
The act provides that the Council of
each incorporated city and town shall
have power to establish and maintain a
public library and readinE-room for the
use and benefit of the inha bitants of such
city or town, and may levy a tax not to
exceed one mill on the dollar annually on
all taxable property in the city or town,
such tax to be levied and collected III
like manner with other general taxes Of
said city. and to be known as the library
fund.
MAYOR TO APPOINT \ BOARD.
The bill also provides that in cases
where a city establishes library under
the provisions of the law. the Mavor.
che
appoint a board of nine directors, to be
chosen from the citizens at large, with
reference to their fitness, and not more
than one members of the Council shall
be at any time on the board, and he shall
be the chairman of the Finance Commit
tee of the Council and the city superln-
tendent of public schools shall be mem
ber of the board They shall hold office,
e-thirC for one year. one-thlrd Tor Two
wears and one-third for three years from
the date OF appointment, and annually
the Mayor shall appoint three directors
to take the place of those retiring, ana
no director shall receive compensation as
such The directors are to organize and
eject one of their number president ana
such other officers as they may deem
necessary, and to adopt bylaws, rules
and regulations for their own guidance
and for the government of the library.
They shall have exclusive control of the
expenditure of all money collected TO the
credit of the library fund, and OF the
construction of buildings. care and Gus
tcdv of the ground rooms. or buildings,
leased or set apart for that purpose. All
funds are to be turned over to the treas
urer of the city to the credit OF the no
rary fund and shall be kept separate
and apart from other money OF the city,
) and drawn upon by the proper officer
of the city upon authenticated vouchers
Of the library board
The board shall have power TO appoint
the librarians and assistants and fix their
compensa ton and shall have power TO
remove them. All Libraries established
,,nder this act shall be forever free to the
inhabitants subject, of course, to proper
rules and regulations. Detailed annual
reports are to be made by the board.
CITY CAN AFFORD TO ACCEPT.
Nothing for a. long time has occasioncd
so much comment among the people as
fhe gift proposed by Mr.. Carnegie, and It
number of business men, including seE-
eral large Taxpayers, said in CONVERSE
ton with a Times representative that the
city could we'll afford to accept the oiIer
and that the bulk of those who would
come under the additional assessment as
provided for in Mr.. Patteson'S bill, Would
be glad to contribute that much toward
securing the necessary amount TO meet
Mr. Carnegies in his proposition
Commonwe 's-.tttorncy d. c. Rich
ardson said last night that he was most
emphatically in favor of taking Mr.. Car
ne-ie l,p, and he thought little difficulty
would be experienced in raising the money
required by the city.
THE details of the matter require con-
cideration, of course. said Mr. Rtchard-
son, but when it appears that i large
portion of that $4,000 annually would go
out for salary and wages to the people
employed at the library, it doesn't seem
such a large sum after ALL We should
certainly take up Mr.. CarneSie's offer
if it is feasible, and it seems SO TO me.
Hon. John E. Epps said he would GER
taiuly vote in favor of the proposition
were he {. member of the City Council
for the establishment of a public library
here could but be a lasting benefit to all
the citizens and a consummation devout-
5ly to be desired.
Many mem bers of the City Council We're
seen by a Times man in reference to the
proposed library. and without single eS-
ception they favored such a proposition
in the general sense. They preferred TO
look further into the details. however. be
fore expressing themselves as to what ac
ton they would take on the proposition
when it came before them in the Council.
VIEWS OF PRESIDING OFFICERS.
President Ebel. of the Common Council,
felt that he could support the general
proposition, for. he believed the good
resulting would be felt in all future gen
erations. because the institution would
be permanent one.
1.-The details of the proposition are
rather meagre,'' he said. ''and require
the most careful consideration. The
MAJ gnitude of the proposition is such that
no man can say off-hand what he would
do when it came to the point. But on
general principles am in. favor Of it.
for it is for the good Of the whole people,
President Turpin, of the Board of Alder
men, said he was certainly in favor of