City Reading Room

Messes. Editors : lt has occurred to me that asa temperance meaxurc, the establisment of a Beading Eoom in this city, where young men as well as oíd could find a pofltable way of spending an evening, would be among the most potent preventatives ot dissipation. Mechanica, clerka, and others have no place to go during their leisure hours, after the business of the day is over, excepting brilliard rooms and saloons. We have never had a city readiug room, and I would respectf ully suggest that sume of our good cruaaders should eatablish oue. Every merchant or master merchanic would find it to his account in supporting it froin the advautago it would be to his employés, and the expense would be slight compared with the beneftts to be deiived. A suitable room can be lured at a low rent at the present time, the furniture would cost very little, a student could be engaged to attend the room at a low price, and [ have 110 doubt inany citizens would contribute japers aud journals whicli they could road as well at the reading room as at their homes. An istimate oL the cost of such a room would be ibout as follows : Rent of room per annuran, say $200 to $ÜOO Oost of furmture, table, chaira, etc., say 100 Dost of ten leading newwpapers, part daily and part weekly, 80 Cost of magazines, 100 Cost of attendance, 100 Total, 650 per aiinumu or 660 dollars less the furniture. Then cittizens who do not subscribe to the neocessary fund or furnish papers should pay a oertain amount per annumn; but the room should be free to all young men and strangers. Let some person who wishes to do good take hold of this matter, and I have no doubt it would prove a success, and become one of the permanent institutions of the city.