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Show I The Masonic Public Library. By the Doliteness of Mr. C. Diebl, the accomplished grand secretary ol, the grand lodge F. and A. M. fif Utah, we had the pleasure yesterday of viewing tho nucleus of what is hoped will in the near future become be-come a grand publio library, Irom ', which our citizens will be able to obtain ob-tain uaelul know led to and agreeable inlormation that will prove valuable to themselves and the community at large. The Masonic fraternity of Salt Lake city, comprising many ol our most intelligent and worthy citizens, have long had under consideration tho establishment of a publio library that should in some meattum supply tbe immediate wants of the community, com-munity, while being bed upn a sell"-supporting system that woulil also enable tbe management to iucreaje tho number ol volumes as rapidly as the demand would warrant. With this view subscriptions were solicited from citizens to furnish the original capital necessary to make a start, and $2,500 was obtained in sums varying from $5 to 400, tbe latter lubscription being made by the Walker Brothers. " This sum proved sufficient by a judicious expenditure and by voluntary contributions from other sources to secure an accumula lion of about 2,000 volumes, aud it ii not an exaggeration to Buy that a library of this magnitude has scarcely ever been gathered with better result in regard to merit, variety, usefulness and popularity. Tbe library and reading room occupies occu-pies a large part of tbe second story of the First National bank building, ia central, light, airy and commodious. It is comfortably aud neatly furnished with tables, bookcases, etc., and will bt a very pleasaut place in which to spend an evening. The room will be opened to subscriber from the 1st ol September, duiing the hours of 2 to 4 o'clock p.m., when books can be taken out. On tbe 1st of October and thereafter it will be open every day of he week, from 10 o'clock in tbe forenoon fore-noon to 10 o'clock in tbe evening. On next Monday and thereafter for a few days tbe grand librarian, Mr. C. Diehl, will be in attendance from 2 till 4 o'clock, aud will be glad to meet all ladies and gentlemen interested in ' the project, and receive thtir subscriptions. sub-scriptions. There bas been eome miuunder-stasding miuunder-stasding in reference to this iuatitu- tion. The title of "Masonic library" 1 has led many to think that its benefits ( were to be confined to Free Masons and their families. We are happy . to correct this impression. The j library will be a public one, under the , immediate control of the Masouic i grand lodge of Utah, subject of course j to a Bmall subscription fee, without I which it would be impossible to sustain sus-tain the expense of such an institu- , tion. The fee for annual member- ship will be five dollars, and twenty 1 five dollars for life membership. The 1 original subscribers to tbe library , fuijd will either he constituted lite t members or receive from the grand 1 librarian a receipt for an annual sub scription to tbe library and reading , room. Tbe annual subscription has been fixed at a moderate Bum, and it is difficult to imagine a more profit able or agreeable investment for any intelligent person to make.- The rule will allow subscriber to retain books oue or two weeks at their pleasure, pleas-ure, and a small forfeit will be imposed im-posed for any delay in returning them. The reading tables will be supplied wilb the leading newspapers and pe riodicalB, aud lovers of chess will have the opportunity to gratify their propensities pro-pensities in this regard. In a hasty glance at the volumes on the shelves we no'.iced leading works of history, science, art and pure literature, representing many o! the authors most approved in the present and last centuries. There are books of reference, cyclopedias, etc., and the modern scientific works, such as Huxley's, Tyndall's, Darwin's, etc., occupy a prominent place. The leading English, French, German and American novelists are represented, and there is a well-selected well-selected library devoted to mines aud mining. The art department embraces em-braces tbe splendid quarto publica tions containing elegant Bteel plates of the paintings and statuary in tbe different art galleries of Europe, Bound volumes of the Aldine are aleo comprised in this collection. Two cabinets are filled with the records and proceedings of the grand Masonic lodges throughout the Unitud Staten and other nouutnea, and some very curious literature pertaiaiog to this order. This is probably one of the most complete Masonic libraries to be found in the country, Grand Secretary Diehl having spared no ptina to perfect per-fect it. The Maaouic library will make a successful opening so far as the tllurU of its projectors go. Its coutiuuauce and future growth will depend upon the appreciation and patronage ul tbe public, which we have no reason to doubt. The prevaleuce and general distribution of good books in this uge, showing t ie great progress made in1 useful knowledge and tbe advance in the sciences of civilization is one ol the best indications of the truth bo tersely whispered by Gallileo in presence pres-ence cf the inquisitors who bad forced him to recent his great discovery ol the rotation of the earth: "It all 1 1 moves." Those who fail to move with tbe progress of the world will be left behind in the race. |
