New-York tribune., 1898-01-02
RESERVOIR AND LIBRARY.
THE OLD STRUCTURE MAY NOT BE DE-
MOLIsHED UNTIL THE WALLS OF THE
NEW ONE ARE WELL UNDER WAY.

NEW ONE ARE WELL UNDER WAY
The design for the building Of the New-York
Public Library. which is to be reared on the site
OF tn, reservoir at Forty-second-st., having been
selected, no further developments in connection
with this important work are 10 be expected Tor
some time. The next duty OF the successful archi-
tects Carrere & Hastings. is to prepare the speci-
hcafions for the building work which will un-
doubtedly occupy several months. and when this
is completed and the specifications are approved
ny the Park Commissioners those officials will
proceed to advertise for proposals for the construc
ton OF the library In the customary way The
law authorizing the erection OF the library pro-
vides that the advertisement shall bo inserted In
THE City Record and In two daily newspapers
designated by the Park Commissioners for at
least fifteen days before the time fixed for receiv-
Ing tho bids
Another duty imposed the Park Commission
is that OF removing the reservoir. and II Is for
them TO determine, under the law, whether II shall
be wholly removed whether any part OF the
materials composing it shall be employed In the
building. II is believed by OF those
most deeply interested In the library that eor,
will be made to take the reservoir away In It's
entirety until the new building Is well under way
It Is pointed out that most II not all OF the work
OF cxcavatlng for the foundations be done in
side tho reservoir walls. and also that the work
of sone-cutlng be carried ON there, out OF the
immediate sight OF the public.
Tho Dimensions OF the reservoir 4s2xi55 feet
while the library building. planned. will be
23Oy3iO feet. All that VIII be needed VIII be 10 pro-
vide entrances through the walls-perhaps single
entrance would be sufcient-and then the work
could go on for months without causing anything
unslehtly in the vicinity Of Fifth-ave. and Forty
second-st II seems certain that the Fifth-ave
front Of the reservoir may be left intact for a
long time after the putting up OF the library has
been started. although II may he necessary 10 re-
moyo the upper part Of It, Instead Of n rude board
fence such IS usually built around the founda-
tions Of new edifce there will be obvious ad-
vantages in leaving at least a portion Of the
reservoir walls until the walls OF the library rise
above them.
Experts who have looked into the matter declare
that this will be perfectly feasible. and n the
library authorities desire to have II done r. order
to make the work Of rearing their sructt as
little OF an eyesore to the public as possible It s
supposed that the Park Commissioners Will readily
fall I'm with the plan The only thing in the way
Of carrying It out will be the decision to use all
the stone composing the reservoir walls In the
foundations OF the library which would. Of course,
make II necessary to demolish the old structure
before the work on the new building had advanced
far Under tho law which requires all stone used
in public buildings to be cut in the city. however.
it is thought that considerable part OF that work
can be done within the reservoir inclosure before
It becomes necessary TO take 1t down.
No decision has yet been reached as 10 Wnat
material shall be used for the outer walls OF tho
library building and action has been taken
throYeh legislation in order that marble may be
employed.