The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-16
MIR. CARNEGIE TO NEW YORK
Makes an Offer of S5,200.000 for
Branch Libraries.
A Proposition TO Pay for SiSty-fNe
Local DEPICTS of the Great Public
Institution-onIy the Usual Cepdi-
tions Imposed the GIFT.

Local Depots of the Great Public
Institution-onIy the Usual Cen,ii-
tions Imposed on tI'c GIFT.
NEW YORK, March 15.-Andrew Car
negic has made n gift to New York of
S5,2006a0 for library purposes.
For some time before he left for Europe
he had frequent conferences with the Off
ciaIs Of the New York Public Library, and
the Astor. Lenox, and Tilden Libraries. as
To- the needs of branch library stations in
Greater New York. to be operated from
the central library. and the result was
that he agreed to furnish the money to
build sixty-fve branch libraries in the
Greater City at an estimated cost of $500.
Ca
The conditions Of the gift are that the
city furnish the necessary land and pro
vide satisfactory arrangements for the
maintenance Of these branches. The offer
has been submitted to Mayor Van Wyck
for action by the city officials. That the
magnificent offer will be accepted there
seems to he no reason TO doubt
The correspondence relative to the prop
oSftion was withheld from publication at
Mr. Carnegie's request until after he had
sailed for Europe. The letters that passed
are as follows:
- West Fifty-first Street,
New York, Il March, 1871,
'rDr. John s. Billings, Director New York
York Public Library:
Dear Dr. Billings: Our conference
upon the needs of Greater New York for
branch libraries 10 reach the masses Of the
people in every district have convinced me
of the wisdom of your plans. SiXty-five
branches strike one at first as very large
order. but other cities have found one
necessary for every sixty or seventy thou
sand Of population, the number IS not eX-
cessiYe.
You estimate the average cost of these
libraries at, say. $50, 900 each. being So 2OO.-
600 for all. If New York will furnish sites
for these branches for the benefit of the
masses of the people. as il has done for
The central library. and also agree in
satisfactory form to provide for their
maintenance as built. I should esteem il
a rare privilege to be permitted to fur
nish the money as needed for the build
iugs. say 200 00a.
'SiXty-iive libraries at one stroke prob
ably breaks the record, but this is the day
of big operations and New York is soon
TO be the biggest of cities. Very truly
yours ANDREW CARNEGIE
'The Trustees of the New York Public
Library, Astor. LenoX, and Tilden
Foundations.-Office of the Secretary,
3 Nassau Street.
New York. March Is. 1901
Hon. r. A Van Wyck, Mayor, etc, etc:
Dear Sir: BY direction of the Board of
Astor. BenoX, and Tilden Foundations
] have the honor to hand you herewith
q copy of a letter which We received
through our director, Dr. John s Bill
iuss. from Mr.. Andrew Carnegie. on the
18th inst, the day of his sailing for E,u-
rope. You viii observe that Mr.. Carnegie
offers TO bear the expense OF building a
large llumber of branch libraries at an
estimated total cost of s.. 200 OO0 provided
the city Will furnish the necessary land
and provided satisfactory arrangements
can be made for the maintenance Of these
branches. There are no other conditions.
II am instructed TO say If the city au-
thorities look with favor upon the gen
'.rsii plan. our board of trustees will hold
itself in readiness to cooperate. in every
way possible in furthering the beneficent
purposes which are the object of Mr..
'arnegie's muniticent offer. Il is under
stood that Mr.. Carnegie's offer is in
tended to apply to the entire city. The
methods ana agencies of administering
branches in horoughs other than Manhai-
tan and the Bronx may well be left to be
settled hereafter.
i am further instructed to say that.
in communicating Mr.. Carnegie's proposal
to our board. DIR. Billings accompanied
IT with the following statement:
In the conferences referred to by Mr.
Carnegie. the suggestions which ] have
made have related mainly to a free public
library system for the boroughs OF Man
haitian aud the Bronx. ] have stated
that such a system should include the
great central reference library on Forty
second Street and Fifth Avenue, about
forty branch libraries for circulation.
small distributing centres in those public
school buildings which are adapted to
such purpose. and large travelling IL
irarN system operated from the centra!
building.
Each of the branch libraries should
contain reading rooms for from % to 100
adults and for from % to l25 children.
and In these reading rooms should DE
abOu. go volumes Of encyclopedias, die
sts md 1aT nd
tauU reference books. There should be
ample telephone and delivery arrange
Ueuts between the branches and the CEN
;ral library
To establish this system would re-
plligc ut least i've years. The average ol
ghc cost ot the branch libraries I esti-
maisd al from $1,000 to Sl25 Opas including
ste.s and equipment. The cost OF main
tanning the system. when completed. !
estimated at SJuo,n9J per year. The cir
c-Ilation oi books for home use alone in
these i'oroughs should amount to more
than 5.mH,Wn volumes per year. ana there
should b. al least $4,000 volumes in the
circulation department. with additions of
new hooks and TO replace wornoui books
of AT least 4o,po9 per year.
With regard to the other borouEhs
81 Greater New York / have made no
special plans estimates. but have said
hat about twenty-five libraries would be
required for them
The following are some of the data
which / have furnished Mr. Carnegie.
The population figures are those OF the
last census:
Boston. with $50. 1872 people, has fifteen
branch libraries and reading rooms and
fourteen delivery stations, and approprI-
ates S2NN.6il for library purposes. being at
the rate Of over 80 cents per head of popii-
laiion, and Of about O.d25 per cent OF the
.fssesSed value Of property.
Chicago has lGgs.515 people six
branch libraries. and sixty delivery sta
lions. besides stations in the public
schools. and appropriates S263sg1 for
library purposes. being at the rate OF
la cents per head OF population and G0T
Brr cent of the assessed value Of prouerty
'Eunalo has - Ss7 people and aBpro-
PIRATES St5.2S for library purposes be
ing at the rate Of 81 cents per head of
population and O.u5 per cent on the assess
81 value oi property.
''NcE York city Borough Of Manhattan
and tie Bronx has 700 go population
and sppropristes $ls3 g36 for library pur-
poses. being at the rate of SO cents per
head Of population and O.0JG per cent on
lEe assessed value OF property
Greater New York has 3.437 POP popu-
iaiioH aud appropriatcs S2S9 .653 for library
purposes. being at the rate of S.4 cents
rcr head of population and COOS per cent
on Tho Hzsrssed value OF property.
The contract made by the city Of Buff
faln with the Buffalo Public Library.
under the provisions of Chapter XVI. OF
tl" laws of 1897. OF the State of New York
j. worth careful examination in coHneC-
ton with the question Of how best TO