The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1913-04-10
SUPPORT !HOWN
FOR LIBRARY
MASS MEETING IS WELL ATTENDED
Citizens Urged to Vote for Charter Amend
t-Quali6catiOnS of Electors
Explained

Ni'NN fANfnAtSh az tAG nideS meeting OF
men and women at the Commercial
club Tuesday night pervades the at
mosphere today. the special election
will result in an amendment to the city
charter. and the city council will be
enabled to proceed to secure a Fsuitable
site for the county library. The as
sembly room of the Commercial club
was we'll filled Tuesday evening when
Mayor Blanchar called the meeting to
order. A limit of ten minutes was
placed on the time to be consumed by
speakers and Secretary Scott, of the
Commercial club, was made referee.
Prof. J. o. Mclaughlin, principal of
the city schools, ard secretary of the
library board, was the first speaker.
Prof. Mclaughlin told in a general
way of the way moneys for libraries
were expended. The success with
which the local institution has already
met is impressive" he said. I'VE
have found that we need books. The
library was opened six and one. half
months ago. During the two weeks of
September 1876 books were distributed.
Now, with the branches established in
the valley, we are distributing each
month 2200 books. There are 977 bor-
rowers in the city now. The money
appropriated by the Carnegie corpora
tion was based on the population.of the
county"
j. E. Robertson, the councilman who
is member of the library board, next
took the floor. 81 believe in library
for the community" said MIR. Robert
son. "Fhe time is ripe for the estab-
fishing of such an institution. And it
appeals to our pride that we should
have commOdious site for the build
ing. The problem as to financing by
the council caused us to devote great
deal of thought as to the best way to
work out means of securing the
money. Some of Us thought that the
more provisions our charter contained
for the issuing of bonds, these bonds
would be just that much less desirable
to purchasers. However,swe have in
cluded a provision in the proposed
amendment to the charter, that the
council can only spend sum not to ex-
ceed 81. 600 for the purchase of library
or park property. When this sum is
exceeded, the matter will again have
to be put up to vote of the people.
Some have been heard to say that the
taxes are high and times are hard, but
the tax, If $4,000 cash were paid for
the lot that it is thought best to buy,
! would be only l9A cents on each $1,000
Of assessed valuation in the city. The
. price of the lot offered the city is con.
= sidered Very reasonable. .
$ Mrs. II. ID. Gould. chairman of the
2 Woman S club committee, told of how
! the women had always desired to Sc
, cure library for the city and how
they had worked to secure the vacated
street property. 'We had two things
in view," she said 1--WE wanted the
library and we wanted to save the
handsome oak trees there. The women
spent $50 last year in improving the
property. We think the time is oppor-
tune to secure the additional property
and to make it beautiful site for our
library. If we do not do this change
may take place in the ownership of the
property.h We may have a Japanese
laundry there, and the oaks may be cut
up into stove wood.
Mrs w. W. Remington stated that
she spoke as newcomer. Hood
River is noted for its beautiful seem
cry. There is no more beautiful place
in .the world for a library" she said,
"and the institution is a gem that has
been offered us. All we have to do is
rear the prongs of setting and secure
II for ourselves" Mrs. w. H. Law
renee called attention to the fact that
we did no need the library for the fc-
tion that we might obtain there. 1--WE
want it for reference books. And fur
thermore we want safe place. When
we send our children for books we want
to know that they will be safe. The
site that is proposed is in a centrally
located in quiet community. If the
library were located on the county
property how do we know but that our
children might in their journeys to and
from the place come in contact with
the men and women called to the court
house to trial or as witnesses? We need
to estabi ish the library here among our
oaks and make it another rich asset for
Hood River county"
Rev. j. K. Hargreaves told the peo-
pie that they would not miss the S4, 900
asked for the site. "We pay the teach
ers of our schools, for we want good
instructors. Well, our librarian is a
professor of reading. Her work is
more important than that of any other
teacher or preacher in the city," he
said. Don't let us have to regret in
after years that we have failed to Sc
cure a suitable place and adequate room
for our library"
Rev. b. A. Warren, rector of the
Episcopal church of The Dalles and
president of the library board there,
and who during his preparation for the
ministry had 10 years of experience as
a librarian, said "Give your public
institutions room to grow. Because we
are small community does not keep
US from needing books any more so
than if we were large center" Mr..
Warren told that the Carnegie corpora
tion had no strings on the site secured
for the building. 81 had always
thought he required that the name
The Carnegie Library be placed
across the front of the building but
was down at Salem recently and | find
that over the door there appears the
name, The Salem Public Library
Mrs. j. +. Ferguson, of 0dell. who
has taken an active part in securing he
branch library at 0dell, told of the
work of the women in that district.
1--WE have ll2 people making use of
our library now, said Mrs. Ferguson.
She told her listeners that the plans to
secure the Oak covered lot were wor-
thy. 1--WE want to make the Hood
River valley the garden spot of Amer
lea. We want to get more tourists.
wonder what the people of southern
California would give to have such nat
ural assets as we are possessed of
here?"
Truman Butler next took the floor
and made the motion that the city take
proper steps to secure library site.