, 1874-01-25

best libraries in the world aud that that fund
E1l be properly managed by its present exeellent
| doubt. ~'A =" ~
| What would you say if it should be proposed
| legitimate purpose, and use it
Fon TIE ERECTION OF scHoo1. Bunpsus
and the payment OF salaries OF teachers in tha
! public schools Yet that would be quito a.
| proper and justi6able as to divert tha Schooi
fund property from its Legitimate purpose and
convey It ito the Public Library"
And With equal propriety might the rent paid
by TIE TRIBUNE Company to the Board Of Edn-
cation M 9 1or the use Of the ground upon which
USE Building, is situated, be diverted from its
legitimate purpose and object, and handed over
to tho Directors OF the Public Library, OF some
other worthy institution.
1ou state that " the exchange 1E.s authorized
By Congress and the Secretary OF the Trensury,
on the ground that the Custom-H Houae aito was
to be devoted to the use Of public library" In
tho proposition to tho Secretary OF the Treasury,
Lercinbefore referred to. it Was stated that tho
property on which stand the burnt walls OF the
late Pos.-Oficc and Cuatou-House ''eould be
made useful By the City Of Chicago as the site of
its Public Library, being OF suitable area and
location for said purpose"
That proposition was n1ade about the month
OF January, 1873, and I have yet to 1sarn that
any member Of the Board Of Education, or any
member Of tho Directory Of the Public Library,
entartains
ANY DIFFERENT OPINION
than that it could DO made useful a. the site Of
tho Public Library. The Directory Of the Ii
hrary was so strongly Of that opinion that 4
Committee Of tho Directors OF the Library Of
fered to Committee Of tho Board Of Education
rental Of IS, 900 per annum for the two upper
Custom House bmldiane) TIL the year 1850, aad
further that they would advance to the Board Of
Education the suna Of $4,000 toward the OK
pense Of fitting up the bnilding !" which offer
W was on tho 18th day Of November, 1873 (not
Board OF Education, and it WAS then declared as
the sense OF tho Board that the Board OF Educa-
t1on and the Public Library shall occupy the
building when fitted up, jointly or otherwise, III
Board pay such annual rental for the portion &C.
cupied by the Library as may be equitable and
just. Nothing more than is
EQUITABLE AND Just"
has ever been expected or deaired by the Board
Of Education.
You state that you "question very much
whether it [the exchange OF tha Post Office
lot for the Brideweli lott would ever
hnss been hat So ,snad had it been
be made to the Board of Education, to be held
by that body as other school property, as T.
source Of revenue" Why not TIC two
pieces ct property wore OF equal value, accord
ing to the decision OF five gentlemen OF high
character and standing in this community, who
were appointed to appraise the value Of tho
respective pieces Of property. On the part of
TUE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT,
the Hon Thos. Drummond, United Statcs Cncnis
Judge, and tho Hou. Norman B. Judd, United
States Collector Of Customs, &C.. were ap-
pointed; and, on the part OF Chicago the Hon
Thomas Aoyne, President Of the Directors OF
the Public Library, and the Hon. Edwin Il.
Education, we're appointed aud those four gen.
tlemen agreed upon the Hon. John @. Rogers, Cir
cult judge Of Cook County, III the fifth person;
and these five gentlemen unanimously agreed,
decided, and reported that the property proposed
to be exchanged for the old Post Office lot was
Of equal value with tho Post~Ofice lot and the
burnt wallis thereon standing.
In the said proposition to the Secretary Of the
Treasury it WAS stated that Whereas, it il u:l~
stood e1d believed that the Government Of tho
United States contemplate erecting
BONDED WAREHOUSE
at suitable place in the port OF Chicago at somo
future t1me not long distant; aod whereas, tho
School-Fund OF the City OF Chicago owns the
south half Of Block 81, School Section, being 1881
feet On Fifth avenue and $50 feet on potIS street
to tho South Branch Of the Chicago River, a:ad
with q frontage of 200 feet On geld river, and
containing about q, $50 square foot, Tho said
half Of Block 81, it is believed by the UNDER
signed, would furnish the Government ample
space for bonded warehouse, and ia most cou-
vaniently, centrally, and eligibly located for
such purpose. being aituated on = naTigable
bridge at the south front OF the said lot, and dis
tant but one Or two blocks On either side from
several trunk lines Of railway leading to the sea-
board and interior Of the country" That Was,
suppose, tue inducement to the Government to
make the exchange, and not its consideration
for the Public Libra y, or any other institution.
Il the Library was tho
MOTIVE ARGUMENT AND POWER,
why did not tho Government convey tho prop
erty to the Library Fund, without requiring
property Of equal value, belonging tothe School
Fund, therefor?
And in the said proposition to the Secretary Of
the Treasury, it was stnted that, the under
signed respectfully submit for your consiae1a-
tion the proposition to exchange the one piece Of
property for the other as Of equal ralue.' 70
that proposition you will find the signature OF
James ". Shcahnn, Esq, then aud now one Of
the staff Of THE TRIBUNE. and then and
now ono of the Directors Of the Public Library.
Yours, etc, N1LzIAx q. E.sd,
President Of the Board OF Education.
CHICAGO, Jan. ~. 1874.