The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-01-12

spondence.
To show the trend, two letters will
suffice:
Ocala, Fla, May 26, 1915.
Mrs. Percival Sneed, Atlanta, Ca:
My Dear Madam-In reply to your
second letter | beg to say that | call
ed meeting of the library board for
this morning Only four of the sew
en- responded to the call. Under our
bylaws five constitute quorum.
Mr. Meffert was busy shipping
farm products to market. Mrs. Smith
was sick and Mrs. Hooker is off on
trip to Michigan
Before going she informed me that
she would cordially endorse any ac-
ton the board might take, but unfor
tunately she did not leave a written
proxy.
| was directed by those present to
quote for your information an ex-
tract from the minutes of our board
on April 6, 1914. The extract follows:
Mr.. Hunter representing the city
council rendered the lot on the north
east corner of Oklawaha avenue-the
proposed civic center lotto the
board as a site for the Carnegie Ii
brary.
Mrs William Hooker made a mo-
ton that the board accept the lot as
rendered by the city council for Ii
brary site Carried"
1t is a matter of fact but not of rec
ord that the motion of Mrs. Hooker
met with unanimous apprival.
On November ,, 1914, the action of
the board of April was re-affirmed.
| am requested also to quote for
your information the following ex-
tract from the minutes of that date:
The president stated that several
regular meetings had been postponed
to await the result of the bond cleo
ton Now, that the matter is set
tied, there are two things to be con-
sidered by the board, viz: Whether
or not to accept the Oklawaha lot for
a site for the library building; sec
Ond, to accept plans for same.
Mr.. Hunter. president of the city
council, stated that the Oklawaha
lot would be preferable. and that he
thought the other buildings could be
financed without bonds by selling 9th
er city property.
Moved and seconded that the Ii
brary be built on the Oklawaha ave-
nue. lot Carried"
To reconsider the action of the
board would require a two-thirds vote,
and | am quite sure that five of the
seven members are opposed to a re-
consideration and still favor the Ok
lawaha avenue lot | am delegated
Nv hn n Ia this
statement TO you. l hope that you
will continue to use your good offices
to the end that We may be able to go
speedily forward in the construction
of the building, as soon our members
will be going away for the the sum
mer. and it may be impossible to Sc
cure a quorum until some time in the
fall
You may take it as conclusive that
the board is practically unanimous in
its findings
Any changes that you may suggest
in the plans will be readily agreed to.
Mr. MacKay, our architect, has said
that from the beginning. He does
not feel embarrassed or displeased
with your suggestions concerning
same. He is anxious to give entire
satisfaction.
| want to again thank you for your
kindly offices. and my associates and
myself are sorry that you could not
have visited us, as it would have been
pleasure to have entertained you,
and we believe that We could have
made your visit very pleasant.
Hoping that you will soon get our
matters Strengthened out and put US
on a good footing with the Carnegie
corporation. l beg 10 remain,
Very truly yours,
FRANK HARRIS, Chairman.
This letter brought forth a reply
which put a quietus on the location
of the lot and removed it as a stun
bling block from our pathway, as will
be seen from the following:
Atlanta. Ga, May Is. 1915.
Mr. Frank Harris. Ocala, Florida;
My Dear Mr.. Harris-I have your
letter of May 10Th in regard to the Ii
brary lot in Ocala. l think there will
be no reason that the action of the
board in this matter should be recon
sidered Since as you say five mem
bers of the board are opposed TO re-
consideration and favor the OkIaWana
avenue lot, it seems to me the thing
to do is to consider the matter of the
lot settled. So in my succeeding
communications we will consider that
this is so. and that having carefully
considered the purpose of the Ocala
library and the makeup of the public
who will use it, i. e, principally the
women and children of your city. that
you have concluded that the lot i9
suitable If this is so. as realize II
is. there could be no reason for an
outsider to dissent have no idea
that the Carnegie corporation will
dissent for as l told you in a former
letter. they are essentially just. have
no wish to interfere except when it
seems that a town is making fatal
mistake. and they adopt the decision
of the local authorities. In this case
the local authorities would be your
library board.
write this letter merely to ac-
knowledge yours of May 26th, and 70
encourage YOU by saving that | think