The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-26
RAILROAD NEWS.
Coffey Leads All Libraries
on Gould System.
Railroad Y. NJ. C. A. Circulated
1913 Volumes During I9O3.
$500 BOOKS OWNED.
Topeka HAY Largely Increase
Its Library.
Room Provided in New Building,
but Few Books.
800 BOOKS OWNED.

Coffeyville, Kan. March 26-It is a
noticeable fact. and one TO which the
city of CoffeyvilIe can point with a
great deal of pardonable pride, that the
Railroad Y. NJ C. A located in Coz
feyville. leads all the Railroad Y. NJ. c.
AS on the entire Gould lines for the
year 1903 in the number of books used
from the library. This is a matter dis
tinctly in favor of Coneyville and ona
which will do much to help her reputa-
ton as city of progress and education
On the Gould lines of railroad, there
are 10 associations, at cities located all
over the country. and many of them
in cities of populations ten times the
size of Coffeyville.
Taking for comparison, the associa-
lions located on the Missouri Pacific
railway, some interesting figures are
obtainable. Coffeyville, with $500 vol
umes in her library, has for the year
1908, a circulation of 1913 volumes; De
Soto, No, with a library of zoos vol
umes, showed a circulation of 5093
umes; Fort Scott, with a library of l.
$50 volumes, had a circulation of 3,207
volumes; Hoisington, with 1878 vol
umes, showed a circulation ofq 5093
books. Kansas City, with her union
station association, and library of
2750 volumes, the only library larger
than CoheyVille's, shows circulation
of 4,676 volumes. North Little Rock,
Ark, library, 142S books, circula ton
2001; Poplar Bluff, Ark, library of L.
So, with a circulation of 5751 books;
Texarkana, with a library the same as
COffeyville, $500 volumes, has a circu-
lation of 4, 436 books. Nevada, Mo-, hes
a library of 1O04 books with a circula-
ton of but 81. The Nevada library was
only established in December, how
ever, which accounts for the light cir
culatiOn.
The remainder of the 10 associations
are located on the Wabash, Texas X
Pacific and International & Great
Northern railways.
One of the needs of the Topeka Rail-
road Y NJ c. A is a library, and within
a short time the officials of the associa-
ton expect to take up the question of
securing one.
At present there are only a few hun
dred books on the shelves of the Rail
road 7. NJ c.. A. here. In the new
building there is provided a handsome
library room where accommod C1s
might be made for a library OF 10000
volumes. The Topeka members of the
association hope to largely increase the
library facilities of the association, and
fill up the new room with books.
1t is quite possible that a donation
for the purpose may be secured either
from the railroad company or from some
wealthy philanthropist interested in the
Railroad Y. NJ. G. A. work. A donation
of $1,000 would do a great deal toward
making the library of the Topeka asso-
citation what it should be.
OF course the railroad men and their
families here in Topeka have the ad-
vantages of the city library of $4,000
volumes. the two state libraries, which
aggregate 100000 volumes, but these do
not take the place of a library at the
Y. NJ c. a. building selected especially
for railroad needs.