Mr. Andrew Carnegie,
New York City,
Dear Sir,
We beg, as a self appointed
committee of citizens, to call your attention to Freeport's need of a public
library building. Our present quarters
are a room in the Y.M.C.A. building which the library has outgrown. So far as we can judge there is no prospect
of the city's being able for many years to put up a suitable building for this
purpose although a room intended for the library was provided in the new city
hall building but this room is no larger than the one now outgrown and has
never been finished off as it is manifestly unfitted for the purpose intended. In the opinion of those qualified to judge
the library will never be moved there.
The library consisted on July first last of 16,307 volumes including
many standard reference book and tables are supplied with the leading
periodicals as well as the latest local newspapers. It is kept open every day and every evening
except Sunday and its benefits are shared in by our citizens free of charge of
any kind. According to the last annual
report there 6862 patrons and the circulation for the year was 48,262 volumes.
The library is supported by
taxation under the provisions of the state law and its revenues from the source
last year were about $4,200.00.
The revenues have increased
from year to year with the steady growth of the city. Freeport has a population of 13,250 and
including suburbs of approximately 15,000.
The library is free to suburban residents or, in fact, any residents of
the county who are tax-payers in the city.
If this should appeal to you as a worthy object
we feel certain that we should be able to comply with the two requirements we
see quoted frequently, the furnishing of a site and the continued support of
the library after the erection of the building.
No public action has been taken here in this matter but we are certain
that our citizens would respond very freely to an appeal for funds to purchase
the site and we are just as certain that an ideal site that would meet with the
unanimous approval of our people could be obtained at a right price. We have read with much pleasure of your
munificence in this direction in many places and hope that this presentation of
our case will command itself your careful consideration. We shall be glad to furnish you with any
further information that you may require and to comply with any rules of action
that you may have laid down. As to our
standing in this community you are at liberty to refer to any of Freeport
banks, to Congressman Robert R. Hitt or to any other sources of information
that may be at hand. It may not be amiss
to add that we are business and professional men with no other end to serve
than the good of the city.
An early reply will be
appreciated,
Yours truly,
Oscar E. Heard
Attorney at Law & Sec.
Library Board
C.W. Harden
Wholesale Cigars and Tobacco
C.F. Hildreth
Insurance Loans & Real
Estate
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