Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-17
Probabilities of the Main Building
Being Devoted to Volumes Of
Reference on the
ARTS, SCIENCES AND PROFESSIONS.
Downtown Sites Which Would Eat Up
the Carnegie Donation or In
crease Taxation.
FIGURING ON THEFUTURE OF THE CITY
Rsx1srs Being Driven Out Beyond the Court House
By Wholesalers.

Inc location OF lne main carnegie
Library building is exciting considerable
interest, in view of the fact that Councils is
expected to take some definite action on the
matter next Monday-the regular day for
meeting. Some question has also been
raised as to what is meant by main" build
ing and what it will contain.
Mayor Gourley said yesterday. in speak
ing Of this matter: "As 1 understand it the
branch libraries are intended to be circulat-
ing stations. The reference library, if ii is
O comprehensive one, would contain an
enormous quantity of books. You see it
must cover the fields of art, science and in
dustrv. 1t must contain the best authorI-
ties on religion, law, medicine, mechanics,
welI-everv question interesting to human
itv II is almost impossible to conceive oi
the magnitude of a library which would
fully meet this requirement 1t would
take decades to collect, and millions of dol
lars to buy, and would occupy a mammoth
building. This would be the resort OF both
scholarly and practical men. These seekers
after knowledge would probably spend hours
at a time in the library, where they would
expect to find plenty of air, light and peace.
Plenty of Sites at a Price.
with the circulating Libraries it is diff
ferenL These branches, should imagine,
would be located as near as possible to the
center of the population they will serve.
Lawrenceyille is to have one, and so is the
Southside, and that for the Old City should
be central. Where it will be located 1 do
s,ot know. have always favored the Bed
ford avenue site for il, as 1 think that is
central. In nv opinion the most suitable
location for the reference library would be
at Schenley Park. 1t is easy of access and
meets all the requirements. 1t would be
nonsense to talk of buying downtown site
for it. That would probably cost $500, ,0O0
and would make too large a hole in the
s., 600, 900 donated by Mr.. Carnegie.
1T downtown site is settled upon either
Nh Carnegie must increase his gift or the
taxpayers must settle. Five hundred thous-
and dollars means an assessment of 21% or 5
nils upon the total valuation of the city.
However don't think this point will ever
haze to be considered. There is no doubt
but that the block bounded by Fifth, Grant
and Webster would make magnificent site,
but look at the cost"
Hardscrabble as a Location.
Kirk Q. Bigham, who is a member of tAS
Library Committee of Councils, said: II
think the Allegheny wharf would be a
SD. sndid location for the main building. If
not there, why not go up into Hardscrabble
You could buy a block or two of old buildings
1hsre for about 100000. / don't believe the
library bn!lding should 90 further out than
Ross street. ! am not in favor of Schenley
Park, because it is not easy to reach from all
parts of the CITY. II bridge was built across
the river at Oakland it would still mean a walk
Of about three mile tor the Southside, and it is
extremely probable that instead Of walking
that distance the average man or woman would
take Birmingham car to town. an then take
another car to the park"
The Carnegie Library must be built with
reference to the future of the city," said Chief
Brown, OF the Department OF Public Safety.
This city is growing very rapidly, and no one
can predict the changes which will be made
within the next 10 or Is years. There are no
suitable sites downtown to my knowledge.
The library Should have an open space around
1t, as plenty Of air and light are the main
requisites for building of this character"
A Nice Place for S1,OOO,OOO.
'.Oh, yes, there are plenty of good sites down.
town SAID Chief Blgelow. Of the Department
Of Public Works. There is that block on
Grant street, opposite the Court House. That
would be a splendid place. but ] understand
that the property is held at something like
Sl,O0OOcl There are number of other suit
able locations hut they are all very valuable.
No don't know where the library buildings
viii be located
Il 2 Ford, President Of Select Council and
also a member OF the Councilmanic Library
Comm tee, has views on the site question and
also on the library site. Mr. Ford is somewhat
Of a biblomaniac himself and possesses 200 or
: - 0Tvsr. -rar yyp113 A1T Enrd sl,o
library downtown but is not quite certain
what will De downtown in a few years from
now.
'N NitLlu a Comparatively short time; said
Mr.. Ford. 'the public will demand the cutting
down Of the hump. Il may not come within
tie next five or ten years, but it must come
eyenrualv. The changes below Grant street
within four or hve years have been wondrous
It Is only 4 short time ago since Wood and
Market streets were filed with retail stores
Now you can find but one or two on those
Ihoroughfares. on the other hand. Fifth
avenue, clear out to Dnwiddie street. Is lined
with sores. Ten years ago they were all
residences.
The Center of Business Moving.
alt is only 4 matter of a short time until the
center of retail business will be located beyond
The Court Horse, and Webster, wylie and Bed.
ford avenues will all be built up with handsome
stores. The wholesalers are driving the re-
taiIcrs out of the valley bounded by Grant
street and the rivers. / expect TO live to see
the MOnongahela House turned into an office
building, or, what IS more likely. 4 depot Tor
the SoUrESide railroads They must soon cross
the river in order to handle their increasing
business. The Pennsylvania Railroad has been
trying for years to buy property for depot
near the corner of Fifth avenue and Smithfield
stree, the officials realize that the center Of
the wholesale business Will be in that locality.
Another improvement that must come will
be a cross-tOwn railroad You have only to
stand at the Bedford avenue reservoir to see
the necessity for such road, As you look 10
the south and east you see the black smoke of
Homestead and Braddock, while on the other
hand lies populOus Lawrenceville and Allie
Eheny 1t is all virtually PiJtsburg, and may
become SO actually within few years, and the
necessity for a direct means of rapid transit
from one portion Of this territory to the other
is self-apIarent.
i think the circulating library should be
downtown and easy of access The Bedford
ave"ue reservoir site fultills all the require
nents or will within a few years. The refer
ence library could be located in Schenley
Park