The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-03-09
VIEW ronK fUnI1o LIBRARY
Progress Made Toward Erecting the Pro.
posed New Building in Bryant Park.

Progress Made Toward Erecting the Pro.
posed New Building in Bryant Park.
A meeting OF the Board OF Trustees o. IN.
New York Public Library was held YESTERDAY
afternoon at the Astor Library. on Latayette
place. Comptroller Coler. who was elected a
member OF tho board at the last meeting, was
present. The Executive Committee presented
a report, made in.view 81 the facts that an an.
propriation OF funds is about to be made by
the city. and the work Of the demolition OF the
reservoir sand the construction OF the nav
building Is about 10 be begun. In referring
10 the proposed library building. the rpport
says:
1T may be remarked that the means adopt.
cd by the board resulted not only in produc.
ing plans for what your committee believe will
be the most satisfactory building for library
purposes in this country. and at the same
time second TO none In this city In architec.
tural beauty. but the particular scheme Of
competition adopted has met with universal
approval and has since been
and used as a model. In COMPETITIONS otthis
character elsewhere, being generally acccrted
as a marked step In advance In securing he
''The causes for delay In the actual com.
mencement OF the work arr. well known. We
Estimate and ApportloDment will probably ia
able to appropriate S1.O00.000 for the work
d1r sn6n the as q pT resnisit year f fnn T ibe Esno thereof
OF Public Parks In due form is presented, Wa
are, however. OF opinion that no time has in
reality been lost. and that the interval since
the adoption Of the plans has been most valu-
able as giving an opportunity for their study
Since July !. 1895. according to the report,
10000 volumes and o similar number OF pam,
phlets have been added to the collections ~
the library, BY the end of the fiscal year the
library will contain 485,O00 Volumes and lS0,-
600 pamphlets, including the Ford collection
openinR the library for a few hours each even.
ing the committee disapproves it. as It would
result in an increase OF $4,000 a year in ex-
penses.
The report ends with the following:
Looking back four years. the experience
OF that period has plainly justified the ptevis.
corporations. The added endowment. which
has come from the Tilden benefaction. has
enabled the existing store Of books to I've made
accessible to readers; II has given opportunl.
ty for keeping the collections fairly up to the
times. and II has supplied the means for great.
readers. Beyond and more important than an
this, the cons olidation and change OF name has
enabled those conducting the New York Public
Library to present 1t to the public and to tho
city authorities as an institution existing for
the welfare OF all the citizens Of the metropolis
and appealing for support to all who are In
terested in the spread Of learning. What the
ture can only be coniectured. In the four
years which have passed tho fact that the city
authorities. will the unanimous appreciation
OF the legislature. have set apart a site and
have agreed to eXpend two and a half millions
OF dollars OF money in. erecting an adequate
dainty fulhls the hopes with which the con-
eolidatiOn was undertaken"