New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-21
BOSTONIANS OFFENDED.
RESENTTNG Mr.. POOLE'S CRITICISM OE TIA
PUBLIC LIBRARY:
THE CHICAGO LIBRARIAN RAISES A HoRNEK,S
SEsr-TuE PRESIDENT OF THE LIBRARY
TRUSTEES RELIES SHARPLY.
by TELEGRAPH TO THE TAIBrNkI

Boston, Sept. o0.The American Library AssoclacoA
which las be"n combining business and pleasure smonk
~" White Mountains for week or two. wound up ~
meeting with dinner at the Parker House last n,shN
when the flow Of compliments and plcasantres was AZ
H. height william l. Poole OF Chicago. was called on
for a speech Mr. Poole got himself thoroughly dis
liked ard SOME Of his comrades from the West thou5hs
after he had taken his seat that he lad CHOSEN an "-
fortunate time for his outburst His remarks were
sharp aud arraignmcnt OF the trustees OF to
Boston Public Library and Of the architect OF the ecao
library building which is going up In Copley square,
After describing In the most vigorous language its lack
OF light IT. poor apportioumcnt OF space and numerous
other defects he predicted that In two years Roseonahs
will be ashamed of Il. There was siderable nut'er'
Ing while these homo thrr,sts were being MADE ana
after Mr.. Poole had taken his seat Dana Estes. mo
publisher. who was presiding. remarked IN HIS moSo
no. manner that he should not believe what had been
said unlsss he had better authority than that Of Mr.
Poole. Judge Chamberlain the retiring librarian also
stated that no considered the Chicago mans opinion
hardly worthy Of comparison with the SKILL OF tlose
who had designed this cdifcc. Then the subject "'A
allowed to drop although Mr.. Cranden OF ST. Louis.
COT AN opportunity 20 express the admiration which 10
said Ill the world ict for Boston and Its literary n'
stitutIonS.
Mr. Poole probably had no adequate idea OF tho
hornets nest he stirred up last night s. ~ Abh"tt'
president Of the Board Of Trustees was inter'e"ed
this morning the subject. lie sad Il am VcrV
much surprised At the attack OF Mr. Poole and am at
loss to understand his motive. or course IL i hos
NY duty 10 complain Of this breach OK the common De-
cencics Of Nfe-acceptine friendly Invitation I"
~, meeting and then attacking in an unwai'htabis
manner tho Institutions Of the tty in when he was
entertained. l have known Nr. Poole by reputation
a. compcr Of an index OF periodicals for many years.
That IL work THAT requires considerable patience ana
perseverance, but does not tend 10 develop mans
csesclty maracer Of Institutions or as an areh'
tect r. he has any further claims to celebrity am
enoraut Of them. I surprised To lind him setting
himself up as Il critic OF architecture. met him Last
winter in New York and had talk with him al"nt
Libraries. told him should be happy TO show him
over our new library and explain the plans To him.
4 day or two h. was In our Boston library "heN
I had a pleasant talk with him and renewed my offer
10 help him with any Information that could ITO
EXPRESSED 10 desire to have me assist him. but
stood later that he obtained frOm some onlcUu
connected with the library note to the Clerk OF Works
permitt,ny him TO 20 over the building. say this
TO show that Mr.. Poole had eve& opportunity to ma
ont about our library building II he had wished
TO make any inquiries Of anybody who knew anything
about IL.
Tho material ,ta,nents that he IS reported to have
made in regard the row Public Library building arc
c h and every one them unQualihedy and absolutely
false Whether Mr.. Poole piadc these statements
knowing them 10 DO false. or whether he made them
without taking pains to lind out whether they "c~
false know not. In ehor case he IS equally inex.
ment that all hi, assertions arr false There Is one
OF them that has y certain amount Of truth IN IT,
IL is where he Not BOstonan will believe this
Ia morrow morning In that be pays certain com.
pli,ncnt to the common sense Of Bo>tonuns. who
wont believe Mr.. Poole. especially where by tho
most cursory examination they may nnd that
the statements OF Mr.. Poole arc absolutely
incorrect. Mr. Poole implies that there -
no place FOR readers to have quiet and 10
study At leisure except in the main hall. II he had
token tho trouble ganco at the plans Of the library
building. he would have that thero IS space do
voted u student, outside Of the main hall fully fouS
times Us great that OF the main hall. II he had
Understood anything about the management OF large
public liDraiie, he would have known that MAIN
nall for the accommodation Of u large number oe
readers Is absolutely necessary unless the library has
tive times the fund at its disposal THAI tho Boston
Library cxn expect to have. Fur hcrmore tho main
hau tsclt Is secluded and quiet: al persons drawing
books and asking for books making application In
Again he says that the books a-V TO be- kept IN
building .2o feet ons and seven ,tore: high. stacked
natural light. All this Is pure imagination No part
ot the building. so far as | know. conforms TO this
light or position. Tho stock. sOcalled. contains an
amply sufficient number OF windows. Again he says
roof. Tits is absolutely false statement There IL
ground for any, surh assertion; The next state.
nont i. that In this new Public Library they propose
TO En the c."l"sus dspaTmen! N me sryIt under .n
feet Wide, there will be two little Windows Why no
n.or"i Because they say they could not have
them. This statement again |, absolutely false ~
the first place the cataoeulng department l. not
the crypt. In the SECOND place il Is NJ.
under the building. but above tile level Of the street,
the oor being from ior a. i've feet above the side-
wall. The room l. about - feet long ny 80 feet
vide and Is lighted by Window that are five
by eight larger than ordinary door. II has In
addition the Hight Of half Of another window Of tho
same Size. and j. probably well lighted and
Portable md wcll.ventilated a any working
room In the city
from Venice. from an old building by the Grand Canal.
wisrr they rrypts for libraries. for any
thing else except for beauty Of facade. II Mr. Poole
had learned anything IN his many years ~ study OF
library architecture. he never would have made the
mi >talse OF making such assertion that. IL
displays a denseneSs Of ignorance that Is almost In
conceivable In man who plrtend> to cultivation.
The nercst tyrO upon Inspection. would have seen
that the plans OF Ills building never cam" from the
Venice building lie sayS also: 'ion were told YOU
would have IL for 81 .bOO0O but You have alVahy
had expended on II $l5OO.OOO. and the roof Is not
upon IL yet That statement Is absolutely false. a.
much 80 az tho others. An inquiry at the auditors