344 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [VoL. IV. 



The next entry is 15th August, 181 5. What a different state of affairs 

 from that of 18 12, when war had been declared and Brock was marching 

 to Detroit ; or from 181 3, when an enemy held the town ; or 18 14, when 

 the rubbish of bricks was being taken to build Fort Mississagua ! But with 

 intrepid courage our trustees meet and make arrangements for the work 

 of the library going on as usual. The trustees were John Symington, 

 George Young, James Crooks, John Burns, George Reid, Andrew Heron. 

 Notwithstanding all the losses incurred by the townspeople, the charges 

 are made somewhat higher, each proprietor to pay $2.50. Shares to be 

 sold at $9, and non-proprietors $4 a year, or $1.50 a quarter, or $1 a 

 month. At a meeting, 22nd January, 18 16, books admitted, 882 to 93 



Annual meeting. No. 15, August 15th, 1816. "Resolved that John 

 Wray be librarian and clerk." 



Quarterly meeting, 9th October, 1816. Books admitted, 901 to 909. 



Annual meeting, No. 16. August 15th, 1817. " Resolved, that the 

 meeting being thin that no new trustees shall be chosen, and shall remain 

 to act as last year. Shares to be sold at $10." Tiiere seems to have 

 been some difficulty about books circulating too much, as witness the 

 next : " Resolved, that an)- proprietor or other person who receives books 

 out of the library and allows any person to take them out of his house 

 shall for every offence pay to the librarian £i currency." 



Annual meeting. No. 17, August 15, 1818. "Resolved, that the 

 meeting being thinly attended no new trustees shall be chosen. All 

 regulations remain as last year." 



At a meeting of the trustees, held on ist March, 1820, present John 

 Burns, George Young, James Crooks and And. Heron, " Resolved, that 

 whereas Andrew Heron offered to take charge of the books belonging to 

 the library, that the books shall be transmitted to his house with all 

 convenient speed, and shall there be inspected by Andrew Heron and 

 James Crooks as soon as can be conveniently done." 



Here is the record of the last meeting of the trustees of this library. 

 "" Whereas the Niagara library has been greatly wasted, first by being 

 plundered by the army of the United States, and has since been greatly 

 neglected, very few of the proprietors having paid their quota to sup[)ort 

 the same, we, whose names are hereunto subscribed, hereby relinquish 

 our claims on the same to Andrew Heron (who has now opened a library 

 of his own for the use of the public) in consideration of his allowing us 

 the use of his library for three years ; this he engages to do to all those 

 who have paid up their yearly contributions to the year 1817 inclusive ; 

 to those who have not paid to that period he will allow according to 



