Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-30
PLANS REFERENCE
BUREAU FOR CITY
Dana w. Bartlett Wants Reading
Room for Students of Mu-
niCipaI Problems
POINTS OUT MANY BENEFITS
Cost of Experiment Is Saved by
Correct Data Concerning
New Methods
POINTS OUT MANY BENEFITS

Dana w. Bartlett, superintendent Of
Bethlehem institute, is anxious to see
established in Los Angeles a municipal
reference bureau with library and
reading room, in which students in
terested in municipal problems may in
form themselves regarding civic prob
lens and progress. In a statement
given out yesterday Mr.. Bartlett said:
"The census will show that this has
become an urban nation New prob
lens are therefore pressing for solu-
ton. Many organizations, social civic
and militant, are studying, writing and
experimenting to the end that serious
and lasting mistakes may not be made
in the government and administration
of the great cities.
"The newest among these organiza-
tions are bureaus of research and mu-
nicipal reference which collect data
and information on all the various
subjects of municipal activity and mu-
nicipal government, this material to
be for free use by all citizens.
New York, Boston, Baltimore, Phil
adelphia, Cincinnati, Milwaukee ana
other large cities are collecting IN
formation concerning the individual
municipality.
''rhere is a demand for general in
formation, applicable also to the
smaller cities not able to sustain such
a department of research.
PURPOSE OF BUREAU
"The University of Wisconsin has
reau seeking to perform a large serv-
ice for that state, furnishing up-to-
date facts concerning public works,
public utilities and public service
rates, municipal employment, paving,
sewage disposal, water supplies ana
water publication, garbage disposal,
parks and Fairgrounds, housing, street
cleaning, street sprinkling, dust pre-
vention, smoke abatement, city plan-
ming, civic centers, art commissions
care of city trees, schools, charities
and corrections, health and sanitation,
accounting methods, comparative sta
tistics, commission government, nome
rule, civic organizations, etc.
"City officials are coming more ano
more to refer to this bureau for 1nfor-
nation concerning new methods Whlcn
have been tried and proven in other
places, thus saving the cost OF exper-
"This bureau furnishes to students
lists of subjects and material suitable
for orations, theses and debates.
Locally, the Bethlehem institute mas
been doing this work for many years.
College and high school students nave
been able to obtain up-to-date material
on all social and civic subjects. Thou-
sands of books, pamphlets, reports
and clippings have been gathered and
" PafnTanNA.
PUPILS WOULD BENEFIT
"It is hoped that this material may
be the basis of municipal reference
bureau with library and reading room
open for the free use OF pupils IN
high school and college and all stu
dents of municipal problems, the bu-
rean to he located at 618 New High
street. where rooms will be furnished
to men who desire to live in settle
ment where they can keep in close
touch with civic movements.
'tIn addition to the library work,
this bureau will arrange for civic and
social lectures and will be the mead
quarters for the Los Angeles 1910
movement. A series Of conferences
will be held during the year on city
manning. health and sanitation and
child life and education, to which the
various cities of the southwest VIII
be asked to send delegates
"The first conference on city housing
is arranged for November IA, Is and 16.
delegates from all over the state, to
the meeting of California municipal
tiles to be held in San Diego, will be
invited to attend this conference.
"As the superintendent will receive
no salary and no rent need be paid,
it will not cost over $1,000 for the year
80 conduct this municipal reference
bureau and it's conferences.
''Before the bureau can be opened
II is desired to have this amount
n1edged. Those who wish to have a
hart in this work of civic betterment
are asked to send checks or pledges
to Dana W. Bartlett, $40 Vignes
street."