Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-04
A LOCATION AT LAST.
CITY Councils Gives the Carnegie
Library Commission the
SCHENLEY PARK ENTRANCE SITE.
Two Of the Members Explain Why They
Vote for the Measure.
HIS HONOR WILL SIGN THE ORDINANCE

Common Council held a special session
yesterday afternoon and passed the ordi-
nance authorizing the Board of Trustees oi
Carnegie Library to build upon the Forbes
street entrance to Schenley Park. The ordi-
nance passed Select Council last Monday,
but its passage in the Common branch was
blocked by failure to obtain a suspension
of the rules.
The ordinance, as passed finally, and
which Mayor Gourley said yesterday he
would sign, gives the Board of Trustees abb
solute power to place any or all of the
library buildings on the Schenley Park
entrance. 1t is expected that the buildings
placed there will be the reference library,
art gallery and museum, and, per-
haps, the music hall. Mr. Carnegie
is to arrive here on Wednesday, and will
assist in the deliberations of the Library
Commission on these and other points. The
location of the different buildings will be
under the supervision of the Chief
of the Department of Public Works,
so that they may be in keeping with the
proposed plans for grand entrance and
gateway to the park at this point.
Bigham Opposed to the Ordinance.
The session of Common Council was very
brief, lasting but 90 minutes. As soon as
Clerk Martin had read the call for the
meeting to act upon unfinished business,
President Holiday declared that the Car
negie Library ordinance was before Council
on second reading.
w. A. Magee at once moved that the
rule be suspended that the ordinance might
be pushed to final passage, and his motion
prevailed, Kirk @. Bigham being the only
member to vote no, which he did In very
Iusty voice.
The ordinance was not discussed, and the
roll was called on its third and final pass
age. When Hugh Ferguson's name was
reached. that gentleman arose and said:
''Mr. President, 1 desire to explain my
vote. don't wish to obstruct the Carnegie
Library project. Although 1 may have
been considered an obstructionist in this
matter, want to see the library built. L
think Council has been playing with Mr..
Carnegie too long in receiving this magnif-
cent gift. 1 will vote aye provided the city
gets legal title to the land"
President Holliday-The gentleman votes
ave.
Mr.. Russell Has an Assurance.
W. o. Russell, from the Thirty-frsr ward,
was the only other member to give his rea-
son for voting as he did. 81 want to say a
word of explanation in regard to my vote. !"
he said. Il have the assurance from gentle
men who say they know and do know that
this ordinance will not interfere with the
erection of library buildings in other parts
OF the city, and with this understanding 1
vote aye"
The vote on the ordinance resulted 81
ayes, noes-the members voting as follows:
Ayes-Messrs Angloch, Williams, Crawford
Donley, Delaney, Dunn, Elliott, Ertzman, Fer
guson. Finn. Groetzinger. Hagemaier. John
ston, Kelly. King, Larkin, Lowry. Magee,
Mason, Mcclure. McEldowney, MacGonigle,
Mcclure, Pitcairn. Russell, Shanpon, Stewart.
Taggart Vogt. Wallace and Wilson-31
Nays-Messrs. Bigham. Brewster, Jarrett,
Metcalf and President Holllday-6
The following ordinances were also passed
finally: Changing the name of Grazier
street to Hamilton avenue; changing the
name of Villa street to Roup street.;
changing the name of Ellsworth avenue
between Penn and Center avenue to Center
avenue.
After the meeting Chief Brown said: SIT
is pity this action was not taken last fall.