New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-18
THE TRUSTEES IN HARMONY.
pr-R1rc LIBRARY PROJECT NOT EN-
DANGERED.
,,.ov ,,pp.Ry SITE DEFINITELY DECIDED UPON

ONLY REMAIN TO BE ARRANGED
Number Of stories have recently been pub
uehod alleging that the trustees OF the AS'or
ord the Lenox libraries and Of the ThdeA trust
Eund are at odds in the matter OF selecting
-,,o CO.., the great Public Library. and that much
h,ttorness has been shown in the matter. some
~ the stories declare that the Public Library is
,n grave danger" that there are good chances
~ the consolidation scheme falling through so
far as the three libraries are concerned. ana ulf'
The Aston and LcnOX trustees alone would con-
solidate their library interests 1t mas oeeh sdiu
,,at tho sailing Of John Blgelow for Europe yes
terday was an indication that the Whole PROJECT
60 far as the TiIden Trust Fund was concerned
had been indefinitely postponed, if it had not en-
,relv been abandoned An investigation. how
over shows that these stories are entirely with
on, foundation. and that the site for the great
n, blic Library as announced exclusively IN The
Tribune two weeks ago, had been deterhhlheu
rnoo by the several Boards Of Trustees.
The site agreed upon Is the LenoN Library
cite comprising that block OF ground bounded
hv Fifth and Madison ayes and ny seventeen
and Soventy-first SITS. This site is t. be the frSt
bcn,e for the Public Library on the conciuoh'
t,vever that the restriction on the c'hua'
mart Of the block which prohibits the use ot ths
land for any other than library purposes be re-
moved The object Of insisting upon this re-
r,oval of the restriction is an obvious one. The
march of the population Of NewYork City north
r.,rd has been rapid in the last forty years, and
the chances are that t will be equally great III
+bo future so that the selection of any one site
&C the permanent home for the library might be
,riudicious. as in the course Of fifty years It
will probably be advisable II move the library TO
an. ,.her place When it comes time to do this the
W cb sell
80 but as they cannot DO this unde' the pres
ont restrictions they first insist that the rostric-
t,cn shall be removed bssorc the LenoX Library
site shall be selected As there are a number
~ IenoX heirs who are in several quarters of
the globe. it will take some time II get their
formal consent to the release Of the land from
these restrictions There seems 10 be no doubt.
however. that the release will be obtained.
QUESTIONS TO BE DECIDED
Whether or not the present LenoX Library
building will be torn down and the entire block
covered with new building or whether the va
cant land will be built upon as an addition to the
present Ienox Library building are questions
that the new Board of Trustees will have u de
eide But the question Of the first home for the
Public Library has been decided upon by the seV-
eral boards If trustees concerned in the consohda-
ton
Charles Rowland Russell. trustee Of the As;or
Library was seen at his office, No. - Br)ai-St.
nv a Tribune reporter yesterday. and SAID: IN"
stories about the trustees Of the several library
interests concerned in the Public Library he.ng IN
discord 10 the matter Of site Tor the Puhll' IL
hrarv are G. .irely without foundation The mat
Ter of site for the Public Library mas been de-
cided upon by the several boards IN 50 iar as
they have agreed upon the LenoX Library
site provided that the restrictions on the Hldllc
portion Of the block be removed. THIS does not
mean that II the restrictions are removed the
han 3, m 90
the Lenox Library site the permanent nom" o. the
Public Library. Such step would be obviously
injuiicious, as we cannot tell how soon the LehoN
Library site will be left 50 far down town as seI-
Olsv to impair its usefulness as a pubic library.
The Public Library is an institution when VIII h'
rapidly enlarged. and in time VIII be one oi the
most valuable institutions in the world. 80 that TO
tie IL down t. any one site at the present time
n0matter how central that site may seem-"Ili be
highly injuiiciouS. 1t is for this reason that the
trustees deem it best 10 have all the restrictions
on the I.enox Library site removed before IT IS
built upon. tina; in the course of several DEC
AIDES. should il become necessary 10 move ule IL
brary further uptown. the trustees " uld nave no
difficulty in selling the Lenox Library site ana
using the money 70 purchase more central size.
TO BE ITS FIRST HOME.
$50 far as the first home Of the Public Library
Is concerned however it is settled tina; ii Will be
on the Lenox Library site. If the LenoX heirs
will consent to removing the restrictions from
this site. As to there being any lack Of harmony
on the part OF the severa, boards OF trustees or
any danger Of the library consolidation Sch"me
being seriously postponed, there is no justii1cd-
ton for such a rumOr. The matter by the
unanimous vote of the trustees OF the several
boards has been placed absolutely in the hands
Of the new board Of trustees. consisting ol
twentv-one members The several boards Ot
trustees gave this power 10 the new board UNI
reserved,y and that there should now be any
discord in the matter is highly improbable.
know OF no discOrd whatever. OF course, the
individual trustees have various ideas on the
subject but it has been agreed upon. as ! SAID
that the first home 0f the Pubic Library Will
be on the Ienox Library site, provided these re-
strctiOns are removed The unanimous consent
Of the several boards has been given 10 the con-
soEdation scheme the necessary legislation in
Albany has been enacted and there now only
remains the drawing up Of formal papers be-
fore the consolidation scheme can be finally car
RED out. The matter has gone so far that the
absence Of anv one trustee cannot block the
proceedings and we look for the speedy carrying
out Of the consolidation plan"