Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1914-09-10
LIBRARY
OPENING
Ready For a Book Reception
On Tuesday September
Fifteenth.
THE BOARD ISSUES ADDRESS.
Gives Outline Sketch Of The
Movement Carried To
Success.
To the Citizens of Hopkinsville.

About two years ago, Andrew Car
negie donated to the City of Hop
kinsville the sum of Fifteen Thous-
and Dollars to build and equip free
Public Library for the use of its citi-
zens and Mr.. Chas. M. Meacham,
your then Mayor, appointed the un-
'dersigned as the Board of Directors
of the HOpkinsville Public Library
and our appointments were confirm
ed byyour City Council, and it was d.
rected to erect and equip a Library
Building out of this princely gift
from Mr.. Carnegie on a portion of
Peace Park. After many delays in
obtaining satisfactory plans of a
building suitable for the purpose for
which the donation was made, and
one that could be constructed within
the limits of the donation, and after
widely advertising for bids on the
construction of same, and having
bidders here from Nashville, Evans
vile and one or two other places,
the contract was let to Forbes Man.
ufacturing Company, which was the
lowest and best bidder. Then there
being some question as to the right
to put Library Building on Peace
Park without conflict of the terms of
the will of Mr. John c. Latham, in
giving the Park, to the City, a suit
was brought, enjoining us from
erecting the building on Peace Park
and both our Circuit Court and Court
of Appeals decided that same could
not be built on Peace Park. Then
Mayor Meacham took options on ev
cry available lot close in the center
of the City and the City Council, at
ter considering price and location
unanimously directed him to purch-
ase from the lst. Presbyterian
Church its lot on the corner of Sth
and Liberty Streets. The lot il Of
fered fronted 70 feet on Liberty
street, and extended back 100 feet,
with 9Th street, and dirt was broken
for your Library Building in Deem
Der 1913, and your Board considers
it fortunate that the Courts decis-
ion was unfavorable to the building
of the Library on the Latham lot,
for your Library Building is now as
near the center of population as it
could be placed, is convenient to the
New Postoffice Building, to the
Churches and Hotels down town,
and when the City finances will per-
NIT, we are satisfied your City Coun-
ell will improve Sth Street, and it
will be only a short time before the
surrounding property owners will
find it profitable to improve their
properties.
We are glad to report to you that
the building is practically completed
and W II soon be ready for the use of
the public. We have better start
in the matter Of books than mos.
Libraries. by reason of the generos.
ity Of those who have had in charge
Public Library in Hopkinsville for
seventeen yesr5. Their gift of
nearly five thousand volumes, in
GLIDING the Perry gift. and the J ohm
c. Latham donation. makes a fine
nucleus for a Library. This collec.
tion of books has already been de.
lvered to the new Public Library.
but we need many more books to
make it meet the requirements of
our reading public, and we urge
you. one and all. TO accept the invi-
tation extended to you to come and
inspect the Library Tuesday. Sept.
18Th. from 2 p. m. to 8 d. m. and il
you have a book or set Of books that