Waterbury Democrat., 1901-04-29
AGENTS BRONSON LIBRARY.
Will Endeavor to Have Bond of the
 Treasurer Reduced.


 Will Endeavor to Have Bond of the
 Treasurer Reduced. The board of agents of the Bronson library fund held a meeting at the Ii-
 Besides Chairman John O'Neill there
 were present James c. Whiting, F. J.
 Kingsbury, B. H. Fitzpatrick, s. w..
 Kellogg, B. F. Riordan, E. A. Smith,
 P. E. Maltby, H. A. PIatt and Martin
 Scully
 The resignation of F. J.. Kingsbury as treasurer for the institution to take effect not later than September l, was read and accepted
 The following resolution, submitted
 by General Kellogg, was unanimous- ly adopted:
 Resolved. That the board of agents or the Silas Bronson library hereby Tor the resignation of Hon F. J.
 Alngsbury as treasurer of the library fund, which has been received MT
 hlngsbury has been continuously the
 treasurer of this board since its first organization.
 Thirty-two years ago this spring the
 board Of agents received from the ex- ecutors of Silas Bronson's will the legacy left by him amounting only to SlSS,0OO, $12,O00 having been deducted rom the $2OO,000 for the war legacy tax of { per cent That Is the only amount the library has received by way of gift or legacy until the gener- ous gift by Caroline A. Platt of S2O.- GOO q short time ago. The amounts received from the city of Waterbury the last few years are simply pay ments on the purchase by the city Of the old library building at the corner or Leavenworth and West Main streets
 The principal of the fund received has therefore been only $20S, ,000 From the income of the fund, besides paying the salaries of the librarian and assist ants, and the annual expenses of rum ming the library, there has been paid TOT the new library building and for furnishing the same, including insur- ance, $65,137; for books and binding during the existence of the library over $llO,O0O; by the report of the treasur- CT of October Il, 1900, the principal fund in his hands, consisting chiefly of notes secured by mortgage, was $242, SS7.61, making an amount of $417,- O24.61. If to this sum should be add ed the amount of the annual expenses of the library for more than thirty years, now over SS,000 annually. be- sides books, we should get an ade- quate idea of the amount of income that has been secured by the treasurer upon the original legacy of $18S,O re- sceived. Not dollar has even been lost from the fund during it's exist ence. It could have been only by the able and careful management of the fund by ours treasurer that this grati- lying result has been secured. The city of Waterbury in this and coming generations owe him their hearty gratitude. While we as a board deep 1y regret the loss of his services as treasurer, we have the consolation that he will still remain with us as one oi our number, and that we shall still have the benefit of his counsel in the management of the affairs of the 1i- brary.
 The board then indulged in chat ov- CT the appointment of a successor to Mir Kingsbury and the opinion appear ed to be general that it was hardship upon any man to furnish a bond of $2OO,OOO for an office that pays only $500 a year. It was also stated that there was no need of having such a large bond and that 1t would be wise ] to petition the general assembly to re- duce the amount to $50, ,00O This seem- ed to meet with the approval of all and vote was passed requesting the board of aldermen to secure the pas- sage of such a measure at the present session of the legislature A commit tee consisting of John ONeill. General Kellogg and E. A. Smith was appoint ed to appear before the aldermen and explain why the agents deserved to have the amount of the bond reduced.
 While this matter was being discus sed MT Kingsbury remarked that not long since he had received notice from the mayor to renew his bond for $25O,0OO. "If the legislature has fixed the bond at $2OO0OO what right has the mayor to increase it?y asked MT Smith. MT O'Neill stated that some mistake might have occurred about the amount of the bond, but that a similar notice had been sent to all officials for renewals of their bonds. w It was decided to defer action on the election of a treasurer until some fu- ture session.
 The librarian, Miss Helen Sperrv. submitted several recomm endations re- garding changes in the library rules. One was to change the present reading room and make it popular reference library, by putting into public use all books, magazines and cyclopedias that the people would like to have. The newspapers now on file in the reading room be put on the floor overhead. An other had reference to cards, that is people who lose cards should wait three days for renewals or pay for them at the rate of three cents each And again: Book borrowers who do not re turn books on the expiration of the limit, will have to pay for the trouble in sending for the books Until they pay the messenger fees. they will be debarred from drawing books. This Is most important, rule. A fine of two cents q day will be imposed on book borrowers who keep books long CT than the prescribed time. The old rule provided for a fine of one cent day for the first week of overtime and two cents day thereafter
 The above mentioned recommends lions were adopted together with one for authority to remove some large works from the second to the first floor and to put up suitable shelf for same. The recommendations of the librarian that non-reSidentS be allowed to bor-