Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-18

A selves as rapidly as they would IKE
them to. The old saying that the
world was not made in minute from geo.
logical viewpoint is not disputable, and the
Good Book places six days as the time In wnlch
the earth was completed. So that II Things 40
not come our way with the speed OF talEng
meteorite we must bide our time and walt
especially when there is nothing we can 10 W
remedy the situation.
When the writer the other day looked up
toward the top of the Public Library BulluiIg
and read the words Science, Poetry, Hlstory
and then went inside to see that most pro-
ficient and accommodating woman, MISS Patten'
the curator of the Washington section tne
thought came to him of the many years
the people of the District of Columbia mad 10
wait before they finally convinced Congress thaC
the city needed and was entitled TO a puphc
library where Washngtonians, old and young,
could be accommodated with reading matter
free of cost.
Washington from the founding OF the city
has been a cultivated and literary center, but
not always by any means has the opportunity
been general for the obtaining OF such nlor-
nation as is to be found in well stocked
library The well-to-do or rich, provided them
selves with their own private library, ana they
freely exchanged books among themselves, OUT
the middle and poor classes OF residents VINO
could not afford the price of book or mem
hershin fee in one of the few early circulating
Nbraries-and really the ones who needed gooo
books most-simply had to take whatever came
to hand and be thankful for it at that.
The need for free library facilities was
realized here at a very early date, when an
effort in a way, was made to give this service
to the public but the conditions for many years
were such that its use was confined TO such
residents as might well have done without the
service afforded, and the people who needed
free library-or those who could not afford to
pay the tariff, so to speak-were entirely
neglected.
AS an example the Washington Library, the
first library established here after the Capital
site had been selected, subscription affair,
as we find by notice to the subscribers in the
Washington Gazette of January 18, 1877, in
which the subscribers were informed that their
last years subscriptions were then due
TWO classes of people, it seems were espe-
cially helpful to the Republic in its early
days; namely the printers and the surveyors;
and in the forming of this library Nicholas
King the District surveyor at that time, was
the moving factor. This pioneer in library work
was born in England and came to this country
in 1896, and must have Immediately attached
himself to the surveying department OF the
city, for his record tells us that he took Office
September "a, 1896, and resigned September
H. 1897, manifesty for the purpose Of be-
coming librarian Of the library company,
with which we find his name associated and
Of which he was probably the founder.
Nicholas King, the son of Robert King,
whom have a record, the two others be-
ing Robert King jr, and Jane, daughter,
who married John Lenthall, selected by Latrobe
In the construction Of the Capitol as clerk Of
the works or superintendent and who was
killed when q brick vault in the Supreme
Court room fell in on September 19, 1908.
daughter of Mrs. Lenthall, Elizabeth Jane
married william J. Stone. The son, Robert
King jr, was in the District surveying depart
ment from August 81, 1900, to August Is, 1901
nnRe r0F%t nifr
created by law Nicholas King, the librarian,
was the first to be appointed to that office,
serving from June /, 1903, to May, 1872. He
was succeeded by his brother Robert, jr, who
held the Office from May 81, 1913, to March a.
1915. Robert King, ST., after his work here had
ended returned to England, where he died.
However, two Of the children, Nicholas King
and Jane King, Who as stated, married John
Lenthall, remained in Washington and were of
its foremost citizens.
Jane Lenthall upon the death of her husband
In 1903 was left widow with three children
John, who became a constructor in the United
States Navy; Mary King, unmarried, and
Elizabeth Jane, who married William James
Stone, who was born in London, England but
who came to this country in childhood and
became an engraver of distinction.
THE writer has but slight, though fond
recollection of the Stone family because of
their early ownership of the Stone property
winch once Included the site OF the Central
High School and the area of Columbia Heights
which in its undeveloped state he remembers
well. Particularly that part of the estate
which was heavily wooded and which bordered
Florida avenue between the Garfield Hospital
property and Fourteenth street, for here in his
childhood days he gathered hickory nuts and
persimmons-when the caretaker not in
sight.
Many will recall the old Stone mansion which
until recent years stood at the northeast corner
OF Clifton and Thirteenth streets. William j.
Stone bought this property from the Holneads