The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-07
HOPE FOR LIBRARY
ENCOURAGED By MEETING AT THE
CITY EXCHANGE.
CITY AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
WILL PROBABLY ACT IN UNISON
AND IN HARMONY.

Col. George A. Mercer and Other
Members of the Historical SOcie-
ty's Committee Met the Committee
of the Whole OF the City Council.
Discussion of Ways and Means
for Tal<ing Advantage of Any
Offer MIR. Carnegie Might Make for
Free Public Library for savan-
nah-COI. Mercer Submitted a
Plan, Did Nr. George j. Bald
win-MayOr Myers, Col. Mercer ana
Mr.. Baldwin a Committee to Get
Facts and Lay Before Mr.. Car
negie.
The conference between the Commit
tee of the Whole of the City Council
and the committee appointed from the
Georgia Historical Society, held yester-
day at the City Exchange, was of a
nature to foster the hopes of those who
want to see Savannah avail itself of
the apparent opportunity that is open
for it to be made beneficiary of the
philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie. Sew
eral who attended the conference said
that they were well pleased with the
trend of ideas, and all these seem to
point toward unanimity between the
city and the Historical Society.
Il feel very greatly encouraged over
the outlook" said Mr.. George j. Bald
win, a member of the Historical So
ciety Committee. TT would seem that
we will be able to accomplish what
we wish, as all at the conference ap-
peared to be of a. single opinion. They
wanted to have the library, and con-
CURED in the plan suggested for go
ing about securing it,
Mayor Myers presided over the joint
meeting, which was attended by a
number of the board of aldermen and
by the following committee from the
Historical Society: Col. George A.
Mercer, chairman; Mr.. George j.
Baldwin, Judge I. NJ. Norwood, Mr..
Otis Ashmore and Mr.. NJ. NJ. Parks.
About an hour was spent in the dis
cussion of library matters. Col. Mercer
was the chief speaker, and the views
he expressed were accepted by prac-
tically the entire meeting, in their
more important points. Col. Mercer's S
position was that which has been out
lined in interviews in the Morning
News.
Col Mercer who is president of the
Historical Society, acquainted the
meeting with the conditions under
which the society holds Hodgson Hall.
The lot south of Hodgson Hall, ad-
joining the lot on which the building
stands, might be used as the site for
the proposed library, he said, provided
a satisfactory agreement between the
city and the Historical Society for the
management of the library could be
reached. Representation on the board
of managers might readily be allowed
the city in recognition of it's expected
annual appropriation for the mainten-
ance of the Institution.
There was some discussion following
Col. MERGERS talk. Mr.. Baldwin sub
mitted plan for the establishment and
government of the library that was
talked over freely, and matters were
brought to a focus by a motion by
Judge Norwood, for the appointment
of a committee of three, which should
get all facts together, state the con-
ditions and place the whole matter be-
fore Mr.. Carnegie by letter. This COM
mittee consists of Mayor Myers, Col .
Mercer and Mr. Baldwin, who will
proceed in the matter at once.
But little consideration was given the
amount that Mr.. Carnegie might be in
duced to donate. Mayor Myers stated
that it could not be said what annual
appropriation the city might make for
library. The amount Mr. Carnegie
gives will be ten times the amount OF
the city's annual appropriation, what
ever that may be.
Aldermen and Historical Society
members agreed that the only way in
which there could be a. satisfactory
library established and conducted
would be through the city and the so
ciety working in harmony. This har-
mony existed at the meeting, and there
is no reason to believe that it will be
destroyed.