Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-04-30
STATE HOUSE.
vina|haven'S New Public
Library Building.
Commissioner Thomas J. Lyons
Talks Of New Structure.
Boston and Maine Wants to Build
Side Track at Portland.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
Next Meeting Of Governor and Council.
Tuesday, May 7. at 10 A. M,

Next Meeting of Governor and Council.
Tuesday, May 7. at 10 A. M.
Inc town of Vinalhaven will dedicate
Us new public library sometime DIR
ing the coming month of MAY. Gov
ernor Cobb will be invited and will No
DOUBT deliver an address along educa
| tIonal lines, and State Librarian r,m-
cry and the officers of the libraries in
adjoining towns will also be invited
Hon. Thomas J. Lyons. commissioner
"i industrial and labor statistics, who
was librarian of the Vinalhaven public
| library from its organization until
March OF the present year and who is
alSo a member of the building COM
mittee OF the new library, in speaking
Monday morning of the work which
hdd been completed, made the follow
lnG Interesting statement:
| indlhaVen is proud, and justly so
OF her free public library, and there are
few II any, in the State that have a
better collection, the number of VOL
umes being considered. The library.
| the first public one in Knox county.
was established in 1888, and from moth
ing has grown to its present standing
| of $500 volumes. The town has always
tprovided literally for the support Of
the library but the great want was
for suitable place in which it could
| be housed.
| During the winter of 1905 it Oc-
Cured to some OF the citizens that an
appeal to Andrew Carnegie might
bring good results, and the matter was
| laid before the town at the annual
meeting held in March. 1906. the result
being that committee was appointed
| with instructions to write to Mr.
| Carnegie. and ask him for $1,000. the
| money to be expended for q building
| for the public library. The commit
| tee lost no time in communicating
/ with Mr.. Carnegie and in a short time
a favorable answer was received. a
special town meeting was then called
for the purpose of accepting or reject
| ing tho gift and the town voted to ac-
cent. and also to raise 800 with which
| to purchase A lot. Work was COM
IN need in August. and the new library
is the result.
"The building is - feet. s inches by
2S feet. 8 inches. one story high, and
the rooms are l. feet, inches from
floor to ceiling. The material used in
the construction of the building is
granite the body of the walls being Of
paving blocks made from .'Jonesboro
red granite. the trimmings being OF ma
tive light granite. The entrance pro-
iec.s feet from face of building. the
steps leading to entrance being OF llGht
granite. The porch is Surmounted by
an arch, spIinGinG at each side from 4
polished column of red granite the
cap over ali being of hammered light
granite and bearing the words Pub
lie Library The basement walls are
Of granite. the basement extending the
full size Of the building. a furnace
will supply the heat and gas Will be
used for lighting purposes.
'rhc total cost Of the building IN
GLIDING heating apparatus. is S'2~- All
Of which was given ny Mr. Carnegie.
In connection with the proposition of
acceIting Il library from Mr. Carnegie
| WHY is it that more of our towns do not
take advantage of the opportunity 50
generously tcndcrcd% There is an
ide1 prevailing to some extent that the
conditions cxactcd by Mr.. Carn"ei"
,rn sucb as to mako the acceptance Of
tho gift prohibitive on the part of some
who otherwise would he glad to accept
II This may be true but only to this
extent. Mr.. Carnegie requires that as
!, condition. of his gift, the town VIII
furnish lot Tor building, and raise an
nualIy for all time. ten per cent. OF tue
amount of his gift. said amount 70 De
iexpcnded for support of the library
This is the rule, but evidently is not a
hard ana fast one, for there are IN
stances notably that of Freeport. where
Sc 800 was given upon the condition
,h,t The town raise $500 annually. AT
Eir,Ib,yon the cost of building eX-
coedcd the appropriation by 500. MI
coS,ooia was asked for the additional
am,Int and it was given without any
;ncreased appropriation being required
of the town.
Another idea that prevails some
what is that Mr.. Carnegie desiShateS
Tho kind of a building that must Dc
huilt. the material that is to be useu
i'm it's construction. and insists that hIs
name be placed in conspicuous place
upou the building. Making II q
monument as it were to prepetuate MS
memory and to advertise his phlian-
tbropv generally speaking from tne
experience Of one who has done pusl-
ness with Mr.. Carnegie. and as one Oh
| n
one of his libraries in charge the iue,
| * decidedly a wrong one. and IS baseu
altogether upon superstition in the m
| stance cited the recipiantS were leI'
free to erect such a building anu VI
, such material and design as the9
themselves thought proper. ana as
before stated the only conditions ex-
acted are. that his gift shall be ex-
pended in the erection of a oulldins
for a public library. and that tne
; town shall raise certain amount VI
money annually for its support
Public libraries are as much par'
of our educational system. as are oui
public schools. and where they are ho'
conducted as such they are more OF
luxury than necessity. The puoil'
. library is the poor mans university
and gives the opportunity that mas
\ otherwise been denied. Every towr
should. and can have library III tn'
|