DIVISION THREE — BRAINS. 205 



nomenal rise, the School Trustees subdivided their central five acres into 

 city lots and sold them at auction. [For particulars of this event see chapter 

 9]. The Ivibrary lot had 17 years of its leasehold yet to run,* and hence 

 the society was allowed to bid it in for $170 — and within a year thereafter 

 they sold it for $10,000, not including the building, it being removed to a 

 small lot on Dayton street for which they paid $1,496 cash. And this year 

 the first classified catalogue of the I^ibrary was issued. 



From the annual report of the Library trustees, made in December of 

 this year, I quote here a few points : 



"Taking charge of its affairs in January 1886, we tound the Library 

 out of debt but with only $23.30 in the treasury, and no assured income 

 from any source. A series of entertainments was at once inaugurated, with 

 the following results : 



In January [1886] a parlor theatrical given by Dr. W. F. 



Channing and family yielded net to the library $ 65 00 



In February, Mrs. S. E. Merritt's concert at Williams Hall 160 00 

 In March, the net receipts from the floral and citrus fair in 



Williams' Hall were 477 05 



Total $702 05 



The funds thus obtained, together with the monthly dues from sub- 

 scribers, have paid the monthly expenses ever since, besides enabling us to 

 add by purchase over 300 volumes to our collection of books. We have now 

 on our shelves about 1,700 volumes, and their use is steadily increasing 

 with their number. 



About six months ago, by the aid of both of our enterprising local news- 

 papers, we asked for offers of lots for future use of the library. Four excel- 

 lent offers were made to us — all without price. They were as follows : 



1 . From Messrs. Painter & Thomas, a lot on the corner of Fair Oaks 

 Avenue and the new extension of the same. We deemed this too far from 

 the center of the town, [junction of Fair Oaks and Lincoln Avenue]. 



2. From Dr. E. S. Carr, a lot on the east side of Pasadena Avenue 

 north of Colorado street. This also we feared would be liable to the same 

 objection. 



3. From E. C. Webster, of the free privilege of building above the 

 one-story walls he proposed erecting on two lots [50x100 feet], on the south 

 side of Colorado street, opposite the Exchange Block [Carlton hotel]. 



4. Offer made by Charles Legge, who after frequent consultations with 

 our Committee in charge of this matter, has executed in favor of our Society 

 a heavy bond for the conveyance to it, on or before January i, 1888, of that 

 centrally located and spacious lot fronting 100 feet on the east side of the 

 new Raymond Avenue by 150 feet on the south line of Walnut street ; pro- 

 vided, that meantime our Society shall have erected thereon, and paid for, 

 without incurring any debt, a brick or stone building, to cost not less than 

 $25,000 ; and that the property shall not be alienated, or incumbered, or 

 used for other than library purposes during the life of the grantor. 



* When the railroad was built it took a strip 15 feet wide by 306 feet long off from this lot and never 

 paid a cent for it. The whole right-of-way through the city was donated, the people were so anxious to 

 ■ get their first railroad. 



