The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-16
His Proposition to Director Billings
and the Latter's Letter 10
Mayor Van Myck.
GREAT SCHOOL AT PITTSBURG
TWENTY-FIVE MILLIONS MAY BIZ
GIVEN BY MIR. CARNEGIE.
His Aim Said to BE TO Found the
Largest Technical Institution OF
Learning i'm the World.

NEW YORK, March 15.-Andrew Carne-
gle, who, since retiring from active busi-
ness, has been able TO devote his time TO
the founding of libraries, has made TO New
York city the largest offer OF that kind on
record. If New York will provide the sites
and the maintenance he has promised &c
give s., 600 to establish sixty-fve branch
Libraries in this city. The offer was made
on March u in a letter TO DR.. John s. Bill
lings, director of the New York public IL
brary. and was made public tonight. as
follows:
''Our conference on the needs OF Greater
New York for branch libraries TO reach
the masses of the people in every district
has convinced me OF the wisdom or your
plans. You estimate the average cost OF
these libraries at $S0.0OV. being $5,200oo0 for
all. If 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 provide fer their
maintenance. as built, should esteem II
the money. S. 100000, as needed for the
buildings Sixty-fve libraries at one stroke
probably breaks the record. but this is the
day OF big operations, and New York IL
soon 10 be the biggest OF cities.
ANDREW CARNEGIE.
LETTER TO VAN wYCK.
To-day Secretary G. l.. Rives. Of the
New York Public Library Association.
wrote as follows to Mayor Van Wyck, SUBJ
mitting Mr. Carnegies letter:
by direction of the board of trustees OF
the New York public library. Astor, Len.
OK and Tilden foundations, have sht
honor to hand you herewith copy OF
letter which we received, through our d.
rector. DR.. John S. Billings. from Mr.. An
drew Carnegie. on the 18th inst. the day
of his sailing for Europe.
"You will notice that Mr. Carnegie offers
to bear the expense of building large
number of branch Libraries, at an estimated
total cost of $5.2000OO. provided the city viii
furnish the necessary land, and provided
satisfactory arrangements can be made for
the maintenance OF these branches. There
are no other conditions. / am instructed TO
say that if the city authorities look with
favor upon the general plan, our board or
trustees will hold itself in readiness to CO.
operate in every way possible in fGrthering
the benefcent purposes which are the OBJ
ject CT Mr.. Carnegie's munifcent offer IL
intended to apply to the entire city. The
methods and agencies of administering
branches in boroughs other than Manhat-
tan and the Bronx. may well be left 10 be
settled hereafter.
81 am further instructed TO say that, In
communicating Mr. Carnegie's proposal &c
our board, Dr. Billings accompanied II
with the following statement:
In the conference referred TO by Mr.
Carnegie, the suggestions which 1 have
made have related mainly to a free public
Il
haitian and the Bronx.
Il have stated that such a system should
include the great Central Reference Libra,
ry on Forty-second street and Fifth ave-
nue., about forty branch Libraries for circu-
| latiOn, small distributing centers in those
| public school buildings which are adapted
| to such purposes, and a large travelling H.
| brary 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
seventy-five TO 125 children, and in these
reading rooms should be about five hun.
| dred volumes of encyclopedias, dlcti0n.
| aries, aliases and large and important ref.
| erence books. There should be ample tele.
| phone and delivery arrangements between
, the branches and the central library. Tc
| establish this system would require at Least
| five years
COST OF LIBRARIES.
1.-THE average cost Of the branch libraries
I estimated at from $4,000 TO So. 900. in
| cluding sites and equipment. The cost OF
maintaining the system, when completed 1
estimated at $4,000 per year. The circula-
| ton of books for home use alone I'm these
boroughs should amount 10 more than five
million volumes per year, and there should
be at least 10000 volumes in the circulation
department, with additions OF new books
and to replace worn-out books. OF at least
| forty thousand per year. With regard 10
| the other boroughs Of Greater New York.
1 have made no special plans or estimates.
| but have said that about twenty-five libra
| ries would be required for them
THE following are some or the data
| which ] have furnished Mr.. Carnegie. The
| population figures are those OF the last Gen.
| sus:
Boston, with $50 go people. has fifteen
| branch libraries and reading rooms and
| fourteen delivery stations, aud apDropriates
| S2SS. .64l for library purposes being at the
| rate Of over 30 cents per head OF population.
| and OF about ? $40 one-hundredths OF one
| he cad trulr Of
Chicago has 1.ssS575 people. six branch
| libraries and sixty stations. besides stations
| In the public schools. and appropriates
| .3S7 for library purposes. being AT the
| rate OF IS $40 cents per head OF population
and seven one-hundredths Of / per cent.
| OF assessed value OF property.
Buffalo has 352sS people. and approprl-
atcS <l30,zSo Tor library purposes. DelE2 4
at the rate OF Al cents per head Of popu-
| lation, and fVe one-hundredths Of ! per
| cent on the assessed value OF property
| New York city borough Of Manhattan
| and the Bronx has 2.050.690 population and
| appropriates $lS39S5 for library purposes.
| being At the rate OF 50 cents per head
| Of population and siN-tenths OF one-hun-
oredth OF ! per cent Of the assessed value
\ OF property Greater New York has 3 49,
| 200 population and appropriates szs9. 663 Tor
| library purposes. being al the rate Of a
cents per mead OF population and eight
| tenths OF one-hundred'h of ] per cent. n
| the assessed value OF property.
| '''The contract made by the city OF Buf.
| falo with The Buffalo Public Library, under
| the provisions Of Chapter rs OF the law
| OF 1877 of the State OF New York. II worth
| careful examination in connection with
how best 10 provide for the maintenance
OF free public library system OF New
| York city"
VIEWS OF DIR. BILLINGS.
DR.. John S. Billings said to-day: "Mr
Carnegie's offer TO provide library build
ings for Greater New York al cost oI
over ss,0o0.o0o l. made with the usual con-