The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-11
man ". T. Dabney on Tuesday night. It

reads ag follows: II 3ls 81
An ordinance to provide for the es-s
Establishment and maintenance OF a free
public library in the city Of Richmond.
! and to levy q tax for that purpose. "a
Whereas, the Council Of the city Of
Richmond has, by formal resolution ap-
proved May 10. 1901, accepted the very
generous offer Of Mr.. Andrew Carnegie
OF a gift OF 100000 to be used in the cree
ton Of public library building upon a
site to be furnished in this city; and
Whereas, the Legislature Of the State
of Virginia, by an act approved May
20. 1903 (acts 1902-3-4. p. 43D, has author.
lied the cities and incorporated towns to
establish and maintain free public
libraries; and 4;5
Whereas, It is deemed desirable. ad-
risable and timely that the privileges
OF this statute be made available, and
that such a free public library be estab-
lislled In the city Of Richmond; therefore,
Be It ordained by the Council OF the
& city OF Richmond: ,a n @$ s3
# i. That the Mayor OF the city OF Rich
mond, under the provision of the said
act Of the General Assembly of Virginia.
be- and he is hercbySauthorlzed and in-5
structed 10 appoint nine citizens Of tho
city OF Richmond, who shall constitute;
the ..board OF directors of the public
library OF the city OF Richmond" and
whose terms of Office shall begin on jan
uary i. 1906. y a
2.That q tax OF two cents on every
one hundred dollars or real and personal
property in the city OF Richmond shall
be annually levied, the proceeds Of which
levy shall be for the purpose Of cquip-3
ing, maintaining and extending the. free.
public library hereby established, and
shall be SO applied
\ 8. All ordinances, parts OF ordinances,
resolutions and parts of. resolutions in
3 nfict herewith e.aand the same are
/. hereby, repealed.
a, This ordinance shall be in force from
Its passag e. ss{ ~ s
Bit Of History.
The city. BY aresolution a Of the Council
May 10. 1901, accepted Mr.. Carnegie Of
fer and appointed trustees to receive the
money. 563 81 8ls3iiis $ II 3,s5
The Council afterwards refused to ap-t
propriate the Necessary money for main
tenance. and so the plan fell through,
Now. however, It rs proposed 70 use US the
P;ltteson statute, under which, BY q
small tax, that win not be felt by any
citizen Of the city. the maintenance Of
the library is assured.
On March s. 1900. Hon. S. s. p. Pate
son. member OF the House of Represent
a tives from Richmond, had this act
passed. Section 1913 a.
THE Council OF each incorporated city
or town shall have power to csta blish
and maintain a publlciliblary and reading
4 room for the use and benefit Of the inha b.
Sitants Of such city or town. and may
levy a tax, not to exceed one mill on
the dollar annually, on all the taxable
property In said city or town. such tax
to be levied and collected IN like manner
with other general taxes OF said city,
and to be known as the. library fund. =
81 The sta tute goes on to set out how the
trustees shall be appointed and how the
library; shall be managed and maintained.
but on the portion above quoted will the
battle be fought for the Carnegie Library.
Mr., Patteson. in talking to The Times
Dispatch man about the statute, said
that no had given two weeks OF stren-7
uous work to that statute and had read
carefully every statute bearing on the
,ubject that was In force in other States \
His aim was to get the library scheme
out Of the hands OF politicians and at
the Same time place every town In the
State in a position to have a llbraryHa t
practically no cost to its Inhabitants.
a. The plan, as set out in the Patteson
statute, was first tried in Liverpool. Eng.
In 1852. and there are now In England
4. ZOO, 900 books owned by libraries opcr-
ated under this plan.t S5
The subcommittee of the Richmond
Education Association hope to raise a
fund with which to purchase a site for
the library. This will enable the trustees
Of the Carnegie fund to expend the en-
tire 100000 on building. and so Rich
nond will have n library OF which slie
may we'll feel proud, s#