Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-27
Councils Pass the Carnegie
Library Ordinance.
ONLY ONE NAN OBJECTS.
Chief Elliot Asks for a New Location
for the City Poor Farm.
WEBSTER AVENUE IMPROVEMENT

Mr.. Lambie brought the matter befor
Select Council by reporting the amended
ordinance, which gives equal representation
on the Library Board of Trustees to Coun
cilmen and citizens. The ordinance passed
finally by vote of 26 ayes to ] nay. Mr.
King, of the Second ward, cast the negativ,
vote. The ordinance was then sent to Com
mon Council and passed unanimously.
After Councils adjourned Mr.. King wa
asked why he voted against the library
ordinance, and replied:
] am not in favor of accepting gifts of thi!
kind on general principles. think the day fol
public free libraries is past The newspaper:
of the present day. giving as they do the new:
of the whole world every morning, are suff
cient for any man and require all the time he
has to read, if he but reads them thoroughly.
spend three or four hours every day in reading
the newspapers, and could not devote more
time to reading if there were fifty free libra
ries There are other points to consider. The city
could issue a million dollars worth of bonds,
and in the present condition of the money
market could realize large sum on them and
would then not need to agree to pay per
cent perpetually on the whole amount if she
was to decide to build a library of her own and
expend that much money on it. 1t is going to
be big drain on the city to pay that $40 900
every year-for whRtf
SIMPLY POR A MONUMENT.
Why a monument to Andrew Carnegie.
have known Carnegie, perhaps, as long or
longer than any member of these Councils,
and fro m what I know of him think he is 60
ing into this thing good deal on the mouu-
mental plan. The day will probably come
when money will not bring over or 8
per cent in this country, the same as it is in
England now. Then they will find that $4,000
dollar library. and about that time. too, they
will discover that free libraries are not so use
ful and SO popular as they now think they are.
Understand me, am not opposing this thing
actively, and don't expect others to think as
do now; but simply show by my vote that
am opposed to the acceptance of such gifts In
the name Of the philanthropist
Common Councils was graced yesterday
by the presence of seven ladies who were in
terested in the action to be taken on the re-
port of the Board of Viewers on the widen
ing of Bedford avenue. against which re-
monstrance had been filed.
Mr.. Bigham presented the report, and
moved that it be approved, but Mr.. Tag
gart, of the Eleventh ward, moved that the
report be sent back to the board, and on
behalf of the people of the Eighth, Eleventh
and Thirteenth wards, presented the re-
monstrance against the report.
Mr.. Bigham thought it the best plan TO
approve the report, and then if the people
were dissatisfied the matter could be taken
into court. 1t would be useless to 60 before
the board without new points.
A VERY STOUT KICK.
Mr.. McEldowney, of the Thirteenth
ward, thought it peculiar that when large
body of interested citizens think they have
been unjustly treated, and when their rep
resentatives ask that this report be sent
back, that there should be opposition to it.
Webster street, from Fulton street to Rob-
erts street, was a crooked street. The board
had Strengthened one side only, leaving the
other as it is and making an irregular
street, in some places 100 feet wide. The
assessment was from Fulton street to Thirty
third street, and in some cases was greater
than the value of the property. Webster
avenue, at Seventh avenue, was very mar
row. The people above thought if the up
per end was widened, the lower end should
be. They claim also that the property be-
low Fulton street was benefited more than
that above, for if the widening made the
avenue a thoroughfare the lower end would
catch the travel.
Mr.. Angloch, of the Eighth ward, said
that not taxpayer in the Eighth ward,
which extends from Fulton street to Green
street, was in favor of improvement
Mr.. Bigham explained how assessments |
were made and the constitution of the |
board.
Mr.. Taggart complained that the people |
from his ward were treated discourteously |
by the board. They had new evidence to
offer and wanted chance He also wanted
q guarantee of courteous treatment from the |
board.
Mr.. Magee said that the board was ap-
pointed by the courts, and was beyond the
power of Councils. Councils could accept |
or reject any report the board made, but
they could not force the board to change
report.
Mr.. o'Donnell said the interested people
said they had new evidence to offer, and
hey should have a chance. He also re-
part of the board.
MUST COMPLAIN TO COURT.
Mr.. Magee said the attack on the board
was out of place. This Council had no con-
,rol over the board; if the board had done
wrong the place to carry the complaint was
10 the court which appointed them and
,ould remove them. He was opposed to at
.acks of this nature on board not under
Councils control. If the board had acted
let this tact be shown in a
resolution, and he had 10 doubt that Coun-
ills would join in the proper action to bring
he matter before the courts.
Mr. O'Donnell explained that the people
lad told him that they were not given hear
ng. They had gone to the Office of the
BOARD and had not been courteously treated
IT had they been given the notice required
" Law.
/
ak about the powers of the board and
inally the report was sent back to the.board
With request for q report in 30 days. The
adies in the lobby smiled contentedly and
eft without delay.
Mr.. Jarrett, of the eTwenty-sixth ward, pre-
ented the resolutions published in yester-
lays DISPATCH, petitioning Secretary
Tracy to name cruiser No. 6, now in course
# construction, City OF Pittsburg. The res
'lHtions were adopted by both branches of
councils.
In Select Council the following ordi-
lances were finally passed: Grading, paw
ng and curbing Dithridge street from Fifth
venue to Forbes street; Aiken avenue from
avenue to Center avenue; sewer
n Aiken avenue and Claibourne street
rom Aiken avenue bridge to Center avenue
nd Graham street, establishing the grade
f Rural street from Negley to Highland
venues; dedicating strip of ground on
he north side of Forbes street from point
8 feet east of Morris street to a point 2S5
eet eastwardly as part of Forbes street;
the north line of Forbes street
rom a point 80 ieet east of Morris street to
point 285 ieet eastwardly, Fourteenth
Tard; changing the name of Barton street to
1oorewood avenue.
SOME NEW BUSINESS.
The new business introduced into Select
,ouncil was an ordinance for paving Cliff