Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-16

gested that the library connected with his
bureau might be used as a nucleus for
public library. All of these things were
cited by The Star to show that the time
was ripe for action. A city of 100000 popu-
laton demanded the library; 5000 school
children demanded the library; $4,000 Dis
trict workngmen demanded the library. 1t
was suggested that the books could be OBJ
tainod from duplicates in the Congressional
Library and in the departmental libraries.
The Star steadfastly contended that literary
starvation in the midst of such plenty was
an unnecessary and a cruel deprivation.
To excite feeling of pride, that acton
might be secured, The Star showed that
London, with its great library of the Brit
ish Museum containing two million books,
had thirty local free libraries and many
special ones. Paris, besides its great ma
tional library had sixty-four public libra
ries, and Berlin had twenty-five, while
Washington had none. No citizen" de-
clared The Star, could erect to himself
nobler memorial" than to supply this need
The Municipal Public Library.
This was the foundation for the present
white marble structure which adorns Mount
Vernon Square. The ashngton Board of
Trade, following the suggestion Of The
Star, took the matter up and appointed
committee on public library. Mr.. Theodore
w. Noyes, associate editor of The Star,
made chairman of this committee. In 1894
the committee made report, through Mr.
Noyes. This report set forth the great need
of the city for a public library, and con-
Guided with the draft of a bill to be in
troduced in Congress for the establishment
of a free and public departmental library
and reading room in the District of Co
lumbia." The library, according to this
bill. was to be located in the new city post
office and was to be managed by a board of
eleven trustees. June 3, 1896. Congress
passed a modified form of this bill, creating
a tax-sustained public library. The institu
ton was to be governed by board of nine
trustees, and was to be located in some
convenient place to be selected by the Dis
trict Commissioners The first appropria-
ton for the library was contained in the
District of Columbia appropriation bill for
1898, and provided for the salaries of a
librarian and two assistant librarians; also
for rent, fuel, etc; in all, Sc, 120. Without
delay the appropriation was utilized and the
library established. The Commissioners APP
pointed the nine trustees. Mr. Noyes was
made one of the number and chosen chair
man of the board, which consisted of S. w.
Woodward, 3. H Warner, J. 3. Larner A.
r. Spofford, ]. r. Dubois, r. R. Perry T.
w. Noyes, C. J. Bell and R. H. Thayer
A modest building at 1926 New York ave-
nue. was recommended by the trustees and
selected by the Commissioners. The books
which constituted this simple beginning were
obtained entirely by private donation and
numbered $1,000 volumes. The largest cash
donations for the purchase of books were
made by Mr.. Crosby S. Moves, 81 900; Wood
ward & Lothrop, 81 900; Mr.. Charles C.
Glover, $3.50: Mr.. John r. Mclean, $3.50, and
Mr. James T. Dubois, who donated the in
terest on 50 600 and agreed to increase the
amount later to $1,000, the fund to be known
as the Henry Pastor Memorial Fund and
to be devoted to the purchase of scientific
periodicals.
Fifteen hundred books were donated from
corporated Washington City Free Library
turned over all of it's books to the new in
stitution. it being by far the largest book
contributor. Thus the first public library of
Washington began it's career with the be-
ginning of the fiscal year 1898, with the
aVoWed purpose on the part of its trustees
to conduct it in accordance with the gen
eral recognition of the important educa-
tional function of free circulating library
and reading room, accessible at hours con-
Venient both for the student in school and