Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-20
LOOKED LIKE CLASH.
But the Carnegie Library Commis-
sion Avoided Trouble.
THE REVISED PLANS EXAMINED
Chief Bigelow's Right to Limit the Site Is
Questioned.
A BUILDING COMMITTEE APPOINTED

The Carnegie Library Commission met
yesterday afternoon, and after a session Of
| two hours and half turned over to the
Building Committee the whole responsi.
bility of approving the achitect's plans, ar
rangement of location and construction Of
the building and selecting the materials to
be used. There were strong indications Of
a clash between the commission and the
Public Works Department over the loca-
tion of the proposed library buildings, but
the matter was carefully handled, the con-
Aict was partially concealed and the result
was the placing of all responsibility on the
Building Committee.
The meeting was held In the offices of
Carnegie, Phipps g. Co., on Fifth avenue,
and was we'll attended, there being but four
absentees James B. Scott, Chairman, pre-
sided and introduced MI. Alden, the men,
Der of the firm of Longfellow, Alden 8
Harlow, who has the work for the library
buildings in charge. Mr.. Alden had with
him the working plans for the building as
revised to suit the demands of the commits
sion.
Reduced tho Forbes Strest frontage.
Mr.. Scott stated that the plans as revised
had reduced the length of the Forbes street
front of the building to $50 feet, but that
in reducing the length the same amount of
space had been retained by increasing the
width of the central part of the building.
The plans were given cursory inspection by
the commission, Mr.. Alden explaining to
them the points in which changes had been
made and other details of the work.
When this examination was finished
motion was offered that the working plans
be approved with view to arranging con-
tract with the architect for the supervision
of the construction of the building.
Strong opposition was manifested to this
proposition. It was contended that no ap.
proval was necessary, as by selecting the
Longfellow, Alden & Harlow design from
the plans originally offered the approval
of the commission had been set upon it.
The objection was also raised that the
building proposed would require more
space at the Schenley Park entrance than
Chief Bigelow would allow, and it was
stated that the plans would require consid-
cradle further revision before they could
be accommodated in the space set aside for
the building.
Questioning Chief Bigelow's Authority.
In reply to these objections, Mr.. Scott
stated that Mr.. Bigelow had no control of
the building except as to location. The
size and character of the structure were not
subject to his approval, and as he had al
ready specified the portion of the park en-
trance to be occupied by the building, he
had nothing further to say about it.
This statement was met bv gentleman
who said he had talked to MI. Bigelow
within week and that he had positively
stated that he could not allow the building
to have a frontage of more than 275 feet on
Forbes street. The plans before the COM
mission provided for $50 feet frontage.
Leaving aside the question of whether Mr..
Bigelow had right or not, the speaker said
it would not be proper to ignore him and it
would be very unwise to enter into the pro-
posed contract until the difference ofopinion
was adjusted.
The motion was subsequently withdrawn
and the next hour and half of the meeting
was given up to minute examination and
explanation of the plans, during which
Chief Bigelow's attitude and power in the
premises was freely discussed. At one
stage the Chief was telephoned for, but he
replied that he was too busy to come to the
meeting. Finally, the meeting was called |
to order again and motion to turn over the |
whole work to the Building Committee was
offered and passed, with little opposition.
Composition Of the Building Committee.
The Building Committee is composed of |
Chairman James B. Scott, E. NJ. Ferguson, |
J. F. Hudson and w. A. Magee. A. F.
Heating had been member, but his term
expired with his term as Councilman, and
Chairman Scott is authorized to name his
successor. In assuming the responsibility |
for the arrangement and construction of the
library buildings the Building Committee
relieves the other members OF burden they
Ire glad to get rid Of
Robert Pitcarn expressed the sentiments
If several others in the commission on this
subject when he said: sI will examine the
plans willingly, but I will express no
opinion except Of admiration and will hold
his committee responsible for giving us
rood building, the best to be had for the
money. Iapprove of placing the response
,ilitv on a small committee, for in my ex-
,erience I have always found there was
much to be gained by limiting the response
lie management to a few men,"
In the discussion of the meeting there
vas a noticeable reluctance on the part of
many members to antagonlzing Chief Bige-
ow in locating the building at the park,
md his zeal in park matters was referred to
IS showing why his opinion would be valua-
lie in connection with the library con-
truction.