The Savannah morning news., 1903-01-30
FOR FREE LIBRARY
BOTH CITY AND HISTORICAL soCI-
ETY. FAVOR PLAN.
ITS ESTABLISHMENT ASSURED
JOINT COMMITTEES NET LAST
NIGHT AT DE SOTO.

Discussed Ways and Menns-Matter
Will>be Referred TO city Attorney.
/ IL There Is no Legal Reason
Against Il, IL viii be Referred TO
COuncil-Win Come Uu at Meeting
ON Wednesday Night - Library
Committee Will Consult Wishes of
Society Members-PInn il 10 Have
City Appropriate $500 Annually.
Savannah will have a free library
for whites in the near future.
This was to all intents and purposes
settled at a joint meeting of special
committees from City Council
and from the Georgia Historical Socie-
ty last night at the De Soto. The MEM
bers of the committees were unani-
mOusly in favor of a free library, and
there was little discussion on the ques-
ton of its need and ACCESSIBILITY, the
discussion being limited to ways and
means of bringing about the end which
for some time has been devoutly
sought.
While nothing definite was decided
in this connection, the propositions
submitted by the gentlemen OF the one
committee met the approval of the
other, and there is no doubt but that
at the next meeting of the commit
tees definite action will be taken in
the matter. No date was set for this
meeting. it being the sense of the joint
meeting that 1t be held as soon as the
plans outlined may be executed.
The meeting was held in the rooms
of Mayor Myers, whose indispositlon
prevented his leaving his room. The
committee representing Council was
composed of Mayor Myers, Alderman
James NJ. Dixon and Alderman D.. r.
Thomas; and the Historical Society
was represented by Capt. H. c. Cum
ningham, Mr.. George ]. Baldwin and
Judge Pope Barrow. The meeting was
called at $50 o'clock and for nearly
two hours plans were discussed.
Historical sOcfety's Plan.
. The plan submitted by the commit
tee from the Historical Society was
that the city appropriate $500 to-
ward the maintenance of the library;
the society in return to continue the
work which they have in the past. to
add yearly to the number of books and
shelves of the society. OF the amount
appropriated by the city, the society
will probably be required to expend
about half for new books each year.
The committee of Council will refer
the matter to the city attorney to de-
terinine whether there is any legal
reason why the city cannot make the
appropriation and assist in the MAIN
tenance of the library as now out
Mv,A ta % "a nj OF
ney will be secured at once so that the
matter may be submitted to the con-
sideration of Council at it's next meet
ing, on Wednesday. In the meantime
| the committee from the society will
discuss the matter with the members
of the society to ascertain their pleas
ure.
There are other matters concerning
the name, management. etc, which
will come up at the next meeting of
the committees. 1t was not hoped to
accomplish more than to ascertain the
opinion of the members of the COM
mttees last night though more than
this was done in discussing ways and
means for the accomplishment of the
end in view.
Unit for the Library.
In speaking of the matter after the
meeting last night, Alderman Dixon
said: I'VE are unit for the library.
The question now to be considered is
the most feasible way of obtaining it,
] think we are on the right road, and
that in a short time Savannah will
have a free library that will compare
favorably with any in the South BY
the adoption of the present plan we
would have the advantage of the
splendid rhetorical collectiop-some-
thir~ which few of the other libraries
have.
"I can see no objection to the plan
as now outlined, and I don't think
there is any legal reason why the
library may not be established. 1t is
infinitely preferable to the Carnegie
plan, since in this instance we get a
Savannah free library, whereas, after
complying with the many stipulatlons
embodied in the Carnegie offer, we
would, after all, not have library
which Savannah could call her own.
and one the like of which there are