The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-03-16
CARNEGIE BREAKS RECORD.
Offers $5,2OO,OOO TO Establish 65
Branch Libraries in New York,
City to Provide sites.

New York, March 15.-Andrew Carue-
gle, who since retiring as an active fig
IRE from the steel world, has been able
TO devote his time exclusively to his 9TH
er passion, the founding of libraries, has
made his departure for Europe this
spring memorable by the largest offer
of that kind ever advanced. If New York
will provide the sites and the mainte-
nance he has promised 90 give $5,2OOO 900
to establish sixty-ive branch libraries in
this city.
The offer was made in a letter to DR..
John s. Billings, director of the New
York public library, last Tuesday. The
correspondence in connection with the Of
fer was made public tonight as follows:
New York, March IL. 1901. Dr. John S.
Billings, Director New York Public
Library; Our conference upon the needs
of Greater New York for branch H.
braries to reach the masses of the peo-
pie In every district have convinced me
OF the wisdom of your plans.
"Sixty-five branches strike one at first
as very large number but as other
cities have found one necessary for ev-
cry sixty or seventy thousand of popula-
tion, the number is not excessive.
You estimate the average cost of these
libraries at say $4,000 each, being $5, 200,
900 for all. II New York will furnish
sites for these branches for the special
benefit OF the masses of the people, as
IL has done for the central library, and
also agree in satisfactory form to pro-
vide for their maintenance as built, !
should esteem 1t a rare privilege to be
permitted to furnish the money as need
ed for the buildings. say $4,000. Sixty
five libraries at one stroke probably
breaks the record. but this is the day OF
big operations and New York is soon to
be the biggest of cities.
Andrew Carnegie"
Mr.. Carnegies letter was transmitted
to Mayor VanWyck by Secretary G. L.
Rives of the New York Public Library
Association, together with a statement
by DR.. Billings, as follows:
''In the conference referred to by Mr..
Carnegie. the suggestions which l have
made have related mainly to a free pub
lie library system for the boroughs of
Manhattan and the Bronx.
The Carnegie Plan.
II have stated that such a system
should include the great central refer
erence library on Forty-second and Fifth
avenue about forty branch libraries for
circulation, small distribution centers I'm
those public school buildings which are
adapted to such purposes and a large
travelling library system operated from
the central building. Each of the branch
libraries should contain reading rooms
for from fifty to one hundred adults, and
for from rs to 125 children, and in these
reading rooms should be about 500 vol
umes of encyclopedias, dictionaries, at
lases and large and important reference
books. There should be ample telephone
and delivery arrangements between the
branches and the central library. To es.
tablish this system would require at least
| Ave years. The average cost OF this
! branch libraries l estimated a.
from $4,000 10 s1250O0. including
! sites and equipment The cost of main
| tanning the system when completed !
| estimated at $500.O00 per year The cir
culation OF books for nome use alone in
these boroughs should amount to more
than 100000 of volumes per year, and
there should be at least 10000 volumes
I'm the circulation department, with ad-
6itioDs Of new books and 20 replace
worn out books. of at least 1000 per
year.
with regard to the other boroughs of
Greater New York 1 have made no special
plans or estimates but have said that
about twenty-five libraries would be re-
quired for them"