The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-05-02
s. J. TILDEN'7 MONUMENT.
onsists of a Great Library Located in
Bryant s'ark, New York. 80 =.

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bryant s'ark, New York.
From the New York Journal. ~"
Before many days the New York leg
islature will be asked to grant the
death warrant of Bryant park reser-
voir The great library formed by the
consolidation of the Aston and LenoX
libraries with the Tilden trust wants to
make it's home there. The Journal has
told how useless the reservoir has be-
come. 1t is of no more use to New
York than a fifth wheel to a wagon. So
IL is hoped that the legislature will for
get politics long enough to do some"
thing that will be of real benefit to
New York. Just as soon as the trus-
tees of the consolidated institutions can
prepare their bill it will be presented
for action.
At the recent hearing before Mayor
Strong, the mayer expressed himself
strongly in favor of granting the desir-
ed site. but when the question of pay
ing for the building came up there was
a hitch. The mayor did not want to
put through any more large eXpendi-
lures of public funds during his admin
istration, and this would involve an
outlay of two or three million dollars
by the city. He preferred to have ii
come up again after his term of office
expired The bill, which is being draft
ed by Lewis Cass Ledyard, one of the
trustees, however, will provide for the
building as well as the site.
Before Mr.. Tilden's will was broken
by his relatives. and when il was still
supposed that the Tilden library would
be separate institution, the Tilden
trustees, notably John Bigelow, had
been anxious to secure the Bryant park
reservoir site. The breaking of the will
and the talk Of moving the city hall up
To Bryant park upset their plans, how
ht1f since the RnnSn1i1a tinn IL lie
said that the trustees have been almost
unanimously i'm favor of that site far
the combined library. 1t is now almost
sure that they will finally get il. and
should the city agree to put up the
building public competition will prob
ably be ordered for the designs for the
library. ..f
Previous to Mr.. Tilden's death he
was shown a rough draft of proposed
library to be built in the shape of
cross This pleased him greatly. The
Bryant park reservoir site is especially
adapted to such building, and after
Mr. Tilden died and his trustees were
thinking If that site for the building to
be erected to his memory they had
these plans prepared for a library on this
site. If IL could be secured. At the sug-
gestion of Mr. Bigelow. Ernest Flagg
the New York architect, drew the first
plans for the proposed cruciform build
Ing. Cnoulu the city lndnA Dullu n
home on this site for the combined Ii
brary. IL is not at all improbable that
this or similar design will be used.
The cross-shaped building has won
derful advantages for a library of this
kind. The long arms of the cross offer
wonderful advantages for shelving and
reading alcoVes. with an abundance of
both light and air The plan contemp-
lates four wings, each 60 or 60 feet in
length. and central building with a
hall or rotunda 80 feet i'm diameter. In
each of the four angles formed by the
intersection of the wings of the cross
there would also be a small octagonal
pavilion. about As feet In diameter,
with reading rooms and vestibules for
entrance and exit.
The upper wing or stem Of the cross.
would extend toward Fifth avenue and
have an imposing entrance facing that
I great thoroughfare. The side wings
would stretch out respectively toward
Fortieth and FoTty-scCOnd streets and
have an entrance on each. The main
wing Of the long stem Of the cross
would stretch down To the present ter
minus Of Bryant park proper. At this
end. too, there would be two small.
semicircular lecture rooms or audience
chambers. with special entrances on
the park as well as from the library
wing. Double-faced shelves would eN-
tend out at right angles from the wills.
forming a series Of alcoves down each
side Of three of the four wings OF the
cross. while in the short wing exteIid-
ing toward Fifth avenue there would
be special shelves and cases for the ex-