Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-28
MONEY TO BUY BOOKS.
Henry Phipps, Jr., Offers $4,000 TO
Stock the Carnegie Library
WITH VOLUMES FOR REFERENCE.
he Asks That the Eeading Rooms be Open
Sundays at His Expense.
THANKSGIVING TENDER TO ALLEGHENY

Henry Phipps, Jr., has generously come
to the front with Thanksgiving offering to
the people of Allegheny.
Iu an open letter 10 Adam Ammon, Chair
man OF Councils Committee on the Carnegie
Free Library, Mr.. Phipps agrees to furnish
$40, 900 for the purchase of books for scien-
tifc reference for the library, and names
three friends, Messrs. John A. Brashear,
John Walker and w. Lucien Scaife, who
shall make the selection. He also asks to
be allowed to pay the expense OF keeping
the reading room opsn nine hours each Sun
day for the period of three years.
An effort was made last evening to see Mr..
Phipps in regard to his generous gift, but he
was not In the city, having gone to Murray
Hill to visit friends. Nor could any OF his
immediate friends be found.
EXTRA REASON FOR THANKS.
Librarian Stevenson was also out of the
city, and. therefore. could not be inter-
viewed. The same answer was received at
every place visited. "Out OF the city for
Thanksgiving. The librarian perhaps did
not know of his reason for thanks.
There is little doubt that the generous
offer of Mr.. Phipps will be accepted by the
committee, especially as Council has shown
no desire to close the rooms on Sunday.
The valuable addition to the library will
doubtless be made as soon as the selection
can be made and the books purchased. The
selection is in the hands Of gentlemen who
know what is most needed in the line of
scientific reference.
The full text of Mr.. Phipps' letter fol-
lows:
MR.. PHIPPS' GENEROUS OFFER.
Adam Ammon, Esq, Chairman Council Com
mttec Carnegie Free Library Allegheny:
DEAR SIR-With the consent of your COM
mittee 1 will provide $4,000 for furnishing a
department of the Carnegie Library with SCI
ertifc books for reference and distribution,
and desire that the selections be made by my
friends Messrs. John A. Brashear, John
Walker and w. Lucien Scaife. Before pur-
chasing the books the list will be submitted to
you and the librarian for approval:
81 also o,S,;i,. ask as favor .hla that may
to defray the cost of keeping the library open
on Sundays from to 10 p. NJ, and allow me to
say that i'll my opinion this step is of great im-
portance and the good it may do can hardly he
overestimated. On Sunday evenings the temp
tations are the most dangerous to young men
and time hangs most heavily on their hands,
Many with whom have talked on the subject
concur with me i'll the belief that the library
open for nine hours on Sunday will outweigh
in good more than any two days of the week.
AS the library was built for the welfare of
the community, surely it IS advisable to throw
wide its doors on the day when the people have
the most leisure and experience the greatest
difficulty in pleasantly and profitably employ
ing their time. To you these arguments are
unnecessary, and they should be so to all right
thinking men who have given the subject con-
sideration. 1t will be admitted that the lbrar-
ian and his assistants ought not to be asked to
work seven days of the week. Six days are
sufficiently arduous and 1t is my wish that only
those be employed who are not fully engaged
during the week, and that preference be given
to women.
Trusting that the foregoing may meet with
the appropal and support of yourself and conf
mittee, l am respectfully yours.
HENRY PHIPPS, JR.
ALLEGHENY Noyember q, 1890.