Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-22
OUR MAIL POUCH.
Mr.. Carnegie's Gifts aud Their DispOsitIOu-
Suggestion as to the Location Of the
sOu;hsIde Branch LibraFy--How Best TO

Mr.. Carnegie's Gifts aud Their Disposition
Suggestion as to the Location Of the
sOu;hside Branch LibrnFy--How Best 10
Accommodate the Citizeus,
To the Editor OF The Dispatcr:
With other good Pfttsbureers 1 appreciate
fully the generous proposal Of Mr.. Carnegie
generally. but, as Southsider, particularly the
good sense of so dividing up his gift that the
fullest benefit may come to all sections by the
scheme of three or four branches. And just
here, let me say kindly to those who would
sneer at and detract from the motives of Mr.
Carnegie, that this in itself should be an answer
to such nonsense. The erection Of these sew
eral branches will necessarily cause some or
much dlminution of fhe magniheenee of the
central building scheme. 1t cannot be nearly
SO imposing and monumental in character as it
would be If the donor, desirous only Of vain
glorious effect should eonfine his outlay to one
edifee And certainly it must be admitted that
the subdivision plan promises the best practi-
cal working result You ask for expression of
opinion as to the best site, ETC.. and as this is
in line with Carnegie's well-known liking for
discussion, let me suggest few Thoughts.
Mr.. West hits the nail on the head when
claiming that goodly share of the city is
"Southside," and from the nature of things.
with unlimited room On our hill-tJps and our
large manufacturing river frontage. there is no
reason to believe we shall not always held this
relative place in the whole And on this South
side-that Is, and the larger one that Is to be-a
central location Is desired. member OF the
Councilmanic Library Committee has suggested
recently that point somewhere about Twelfth
street would be about right for the Southside
branch. Let US see. Excluding the West End
and Mt Washington from consideration 1nas-
much as no possible proper location over here
would be of such easy and pleasant
access to those people as the central
building and from the fact their pro-
spective growth could in no wise change
this condition of things) the town proper com
mences about Eighth street. Below it has no
width, and no population to speak Of, and, in
deed. promises, in the march of railway snd
other Improvement, to have less, 1t extends
at present TO Thirtieth street. with room for
several more squares eastward on the bottom
land. The hilltop portion we may consider
commences on the west at Eleventh and
Twelfth Streets and its denizens reach work
and business at that point. Eastward that
rapidly filling district is served by the Twenty
third street plane, while the proposed Twenty
eighth street one will serve the residents
toward Thirtieth street.
This is the Southside; and a moments
thought and a glance at any map will show
that a library would be sadly out OF central
Taking the 'lay of the land" for it,
this will be found somewhere about
Eighteenth and Twenty-second streets,
and, of course. on Carson. Only upon
SOn6 DOTLlOn Oh GnlS nOD46 dN0uurf WIN AeS OV
feet between buildings and l5 feet OF sidewalk,
would full justice be done the imposing type of
building we are given to understand Mr.. Carne-
gle desires to erect for branches. At Twenty
first street we have another 81 feet street. inter-
secting Carson, and this would be q factor of
Importance. Morever. three of the corners
there are unincumbered practically at pres
ent. In the near future we sEall have bridge
at Twenty-frst or TWenty-seeond streets con-
Meeting us with Soho, and thus that portion Of
the city would be within a few minutes walk OF
the location proposed. And beyond all. Mr..
Carnegie, who may be reasonably expected to
take some hand in so important and far-reaeh-
ing matter, could not be expected TO look
with any favor on the planting of his building
on any back street, or other out of the way OF
undignified location, much less allow it to go to
a hilltop.
In conclusion, fellow Southslders. let rs ac-
cepE our share Of the profered gift gratefully,
help it all we may by an intelligent interest,
and derive all the benefit we can from it. All
this will be refutation of the old city's cloudy
idea we are only good to get trade and votes
FROM and will be declaration that IN the dig
nifed treatment of Mr.. Carnegie's generous
proposal, we of the SOuthside can and will keep
up with the procession. LIBRARY.
SoUrHsIDE, February Il.