The Savannah morning news., 1902-01-07
CAN'T USE THE HALL
NO PUBLIC LIBRARY IN HISTORI-
CAL SOCIETY BUILDING.
TRUST DEED WON'T PERMIT 1T
CAN'T BE TRANSFERRED TO ANY
PERSON OR CORPORATION.

Reading of the Deed at Meeting OF
the Society Settles This Question.
Lot Adjoining the Present Build
ing Might he Used-This Is Held
by the Society in Fee SimpIe-Gift
of This Lot to BE Suggested 10
city COunciI-JOint Meeting OF
Council with Committee of the
Society to BE Requested-Dehnite
Oner Then to Be Submitted to Mr..
Carnegie.
Hodgson Hall. the library building of
the Georgia Historical Society, will not
he used for the purposes of the pro-
posed Carnegie public library. 1t is
possible. however, that the society will
donate the lot it owns Immediately ad-
joining that on which Hodgson Hall
IS situated for this purpose.
This statement sums up briefly the
conclusions reached at a meeting of the
society held last night, at which Pres
ident George A. Mercer presided. The
president read to the meeting the let
ter he received on Saturday last from
Mayor Myers, in which the latter asked
for information as to the possible use
of Hodgson Hall for the Carnegie
library.
This letter was published in the
Morning News. It refers to a COM
munication received from Mr.. Car
negie's secretary on this subject, in
which the secretary asks if the sug-
gested use of Hodgson Hall would nor
be possible. The question was settled
by the terms of the trust deed by which
the property is held, which provide it
shall always be used by the Georgia
Historical Society, to carry out the
purposes for which the society was
originally organized.
The legal title to the property is not
in the society at all, but in the present
representatives of the estate of the
late Gen. Alexander r. Lawton. who
hold it as trustees. The building was
in process of construction when Mrs.
Margaret Telfair Hodgson died and her
residuary legatee, Miss Mary Telfair
completed the building from the resid-
uary estate, and then decided it to Gen.
Lawton in trust for the society.
1t is very evident from the terms of
this deed" said Col Mercer, that this
property cannot be sold or given away
by this society for any purpose,
though see no reason why the society
should not establish here a free pub
lie library, If it so desired. However,
think it would be very unfortunate
if this should be done and the society
diverted in any manner from it's orig
tnal purpose-the collection, preserva-
ton and publication of historical rec
ords of the colony and state of Geor-
gia-
1T has occurred to me. though, that
a solution of this question may be
~ r.. ~
ciety to trustees of the lot which adj
joins this, which is held by the society
in fee simple and which it is in 40 po-
sition to dispose of as it pleases. If
Mr.. Carnegie is willing to give $50. 600
for the erection of a library building
and the city to give $1,000 year for
the library's support, a well equipped
free library would result"
Col. Mercer suggested that the His
torical Society could afford to donate
a large number of books to form the
nucleus of the new collection and that
II there were a residue from the build
ing fund this might also be devoted to
the purchase of books. The annual APP
preparation from the city would be
sufficient to pay the expenses of the
conduct of the library and leave a
considerable fund for additions to its
shelves.
The plan suggested by Col. Mercer
and good judgment of Judge r. NJ.
Norwood, Mr.. NJ. NJ. Parks, Mr.. Will
liam Harden and Mr.. Otis Ashmore, all
of whom heartily favor the establish
ment of free public library in Sa-
vannah. and all of whom thought ev-
cry member of the society should do
everything possible to see that one
was established. Mr.. Ashmore said
it would be a good idea for the chair
man to suggest to the Mayor a joint
meeting of the City Council and the
Board of Managers of the society, at
which matters might be discussed and
definite proposition framed for sub
mission to Mr.. Carnegie. His plan
contemplated that the society give the
lot. the city an annual appropriation,
and Mr.. Carnegie the money for the
building.
All of those who spoke on the sub
ject agreed il was altogether advisable
TO keep the library out of politics and
that If it were to be managed by po-
ltical appointees, in accordance with
political customs, it would be very
much better to have no library at all.
Judge Norwood moved that the chair
man write such a letetr as had been
suggested to Mayor Myers, informing
him that the terms of the trust on
which Hodgson Hall was held would
not permit it's transfer. but that the
adjoining lot might be used for the
The chairman is to suggest In this let
ter a conference between Council and
committee of the society, at which
the matter of free library shall be
discussed and a proposition framed
for submission to Mr.. Carnegie
This motion was unanimously passed
and Col. Mercer will write the letter
to the Mayor to-day. The committee
to confer with Council consists of Col.
George A. Mercer. chairman; Judge
IT. NJ. Norwood Mr.. Otis Ashmore,
Mr.. M. NJ. Parks and DIR. r. j. Num-
The committee will meet with Council
or a committee from that body at such
time as the Mayor shall designate.
On the motion of Mr.. Ashmore a
committee of three. with the president
as chairman, was named 70 prepare
resolutions. for submission at the next
meeting. upon the death of Judge Rob
ert Falligant, for many years an Off
Ger of the society. The committee con-
sists of Col. George A Mercer Mr..
Otis Ashmore and Judge T. M. Nor
wood.
A meeting Of the board Of managers
was held after the general meeting, at
which number of matters connected
with the Telfair Academy were dis
cussec. 1t was determined to request
the City Council to pave State street
between Barnard and jefferson, as the
dust from the street drifts through the
windows and does much damage to
Vnlua1 HE xvnrLo ~