Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-09
ANOTHER FOUND.
The Latest Act Supports the Alle-
gheny Property Committee.
ADDING TO THE LIBRARY MIDDLE.
Lawyers Advise Keeping the Carnegie Gift
Out of Politics.
ADDING TO THE LIBRARY MUDDL
TWO COMMISSIONERS ARE RECOMMENDED

Ine OIuluducc p4dcLuS bne AAAeSHSAg
Carnegie Library in the hands of the City
Property Committee will be finally disposed
of tonight at the regular meeting of Allie
gheny Councils. 1t now turns out that the
special legislation secured for Pittsburg, SO
as to make it possible to accept Mr.. Car
negie's proposed gift. applies to Allegheny
as well. The act of May %, 1887, provides
''that it shall be competent for any incor-
porated city within this commonwealth, and
the same is hereby empowered to take and
hold any grant or donation Of money, books
and manuscripts or property, real or per-
sonal, for the purpose of establishing free
library within the limits of such corpora
ton, and to make provisions, by annual ap-
preparations, for the maintenance Of such
free library"
Of course, while this act is in force there
is also authority under which the Board of
School Controllers may maintain a library
of their own, and the logical argument is that
when the controllers have had a library es-
tablished for years they should be allowed
representation on the board having charge
of the one.
SUPPORTED BY TAXES.
The present library was purchased by the
Board of School Controllers and has ever
since been maintained by school taxes
levied and raised by the board. The posi-
tion of the matter now seems to be that there
is in existence one very good library, and
the disposition on the part of the City Prop
erty Committee is to maintain second one,
which might result in two insufficient insti-
tutions.
To maintain both would be large ex-
pense for the taxpayers to meet, as the city
would no doubt be compelled to start theirs
from the beginning. There is no probability,
nor does it appear 10 be legal for the Board
of Controllers to hand over their library ab-
solutely to the city. Since it appears that
both bodies have legal right by acts of As
sembly to maintain a library, those who
have favored the plan of placing the new
library in the hands of commission unin-
fuenceS by politics, argue that there is all
the mos reason that this course should be
adopted, or at least that the Board of Con-
trollers and City Councils should be equally
represented on the commission.
By this means the present library could
be merged into the new. By the creation Of
such a commission as Mr.. Carnegie has seen
fit to suggest, an end would be put to all
controversy, and, it is claimed, the best in
terest of the city would be subserved.
Several attorneys were spoken to yester-
OdN Will n view Vi pIGSSuA4uS " LnE LIS
PATCH readers the legal status of the mat
ter. W. B. Rogers, Esq. ex-City Solicitor
OF Allegheny, said: 81 have an idea that
the man who drew up the act for Pittsburg
had in mind such question as is now con-
fronting our people. 1t does not provide
that Councils must take charge of the IL
brary. 1t gives them the power to provide
for the management in any way they see fit,
and my opinion is that it ought to be placed
either in the hands of the Board of Control
lers, because it is an educational enterprise,
or commission composed of representatives
of all city bodies"
HIS SENSIBLE ADVICE.
IS. A. McClung, Esq, said: 1.-THE new
library shoul1 be kept clear of politics, and
especially of city politics. There is nothing
to prevent the CITY Property Committee
from taking possession of the building, but
this does not follow that the school con-
trollers must give up their books. That
places the matter in an awkward position.
One committee would have the building, the |
other the books. 1 favor the original plan"
Colonel W. A. Stone said: "The gift of
Mr.. Carnegie is intended for a general Ii
brary. and it ought to be managed without
restrictions. 1 feel very confident that the
Board of Controllers and Councils will carry
out the wishes of the people"
Arthur Kennedy, who fought the ordi-
nance before the City Property Committee
so hard, said he thought the matter would
be smicably settled by the City Property
Committee having charge of the music hall
and the school controllers taking charge of
the library. "The citizens are demanding
some such plan, he concluded.
Mr.. John S. Lambie said: ''I am not a
citizen of Allegheny, but by all means the |
educational board of the city should have
charge, as they have already large library
established. 1t would be better to mann
tain one good library than two poor ones"
The general supposition is that If Coun- |
ellis decide to assume absolute control, the |
School Controllers will refuse to give up |
:heir books, valued at about SIS, 900. This |
will place the matter in a more complicated |
position, as it brings up the question of |
whether the citizens will submit to double |
taxation for the support of two institutions. |