The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-07-12

board Of trustees Of the Houston Lyceum
aud Carnegie Library association.
This building Is TO be constructed VIII
the $4,000 donated 10 Houston By the
great phianthropist Andrew Carnegie, for
the purpose Of building public library,
the only condition imposed by Mr.. Carne-
Gle being that the city provide a site
and for the maintenance Of the library.
Both Of these conditions have been com
piled with Tho site provided Is IN Tho
rear Of the First nresbyterian church. the
lots being, a. the rofner OF MrNinne.
avenue and Travis street aud the city has
appropriated $1,000 per aunum foe the
maintenance of the library,
~
The trustees make the following state
ment In reference to the acceptance of the
plans OF Mr.. j. Riley Gordon;
after deciding TO ask for competitive
designs for the Carnegie library building,
the trustees prepared prospectus showing
requirements and regulations governing
this competition. and also advertising In
the following papcrs soliciting designs:
Houston Post. Houston Herald, Dallas
News, Interstate Architect aud Builder
Cleveland, Ohio; American Contractor.
Chicago. III; American Architect aud Build
ing News Boston, Mass.
In response to written and verbal re-
quests for copies Of prospectus from yarl-
Gus parties intluNting desire on their part
20 compete we distributed about 100 print.
ed copies Of the prospectus and
anticipated large number of com
petluye designs. The result 0f tails
competition WAS disappointment We
receiving but fourteen plans under this
competition, and only three architects ~
Houston submitting plans AFTER careful
y examining the plans received, und TAX
ing month IN SO doing, 10 was decided
that II would he necessary to reject al
81 AS AN 4af 70 90 FflVn
So the trustees or such as they would Ne
willing to recommend Tor iiouston's Gave
received from New York or Boston would
have hecu satisfactory for conditions aud
climate Of that section. but were useless,
Tor this locality. The trustees having ~.
served the Fight Ga reject an plans no
ceNed under this competition, if necessary
all were So rejected nnd returned 10 the
Two plans were received by the uus
toes on tine 10th day of MAY which were
Intended o be submitted under this oonlpe
were not received in time were nor con
sldclod en- opened until al plans under the
competition had becu rejected. when Ia was
necessary for us To open them iu order
90 learn 10 whom tbpv sboui1 500 returned.
rs their names were ln sr,urd envelopes
tcrmine whose plans they wore M ord .r
thar they might be returned to proper
The trustees having rejected all plans
uhder competition n then remained for
them to secure In some other nnuuer plaus
for this building, and Il was thought thas
nasmuch as We had failed in accomplish
Ing our object IN competitive designs, that
feet ard have him start making pl5us In
line with The vicws " trustees and con
uure 50 working unNl a plan Na4 de-
Nscd acceptable TO them However. iu
opening plans 81 tho two parties who ware
not tonsdercd in the competition. owIu.
10 the inteness OF their arrival one of Ina
ulauE fUUUH fo hp va lf 81. a
IN line with the ideas Of the t.usieeg n. f4
w19i ~ desired in the way ~ library
Viii qa' tEis I nU NY W,re E9 much ta,,"n
j Riley Gordon of DaUns was asked r.,
meet Win The trustees and discuss matters
charactcrs Of hundibg cor3s1,r,,Il 'li
compared With other plans rercIyoI ana
estlua{ed cost on same, the trus ens yolc
erect me BUILDING Tor Tia money h sapd
nut atter spending q couple nf week, r..
Titev pGo-4c1 On ~ E4aitnjeI from j.
ceptahle bids for tho erection of fhIs b1iil.
ing were not received by trustnns withn
nothing Tor their servicos I'm rrof7rjpr p,e
plan, and Il WIS decided nv thc Trustees
70 accept the plan ,undcr those conditions,
Ing could he erected within the limits or
the amount which we have ma donated
ny, Mr.; ,, SSainiegie md also 30 nellef that
the city, and thai the people of uonst,p
would be pleased with same when CON.
"Mr n u. steele. an ,rebitoct q, mi.
city. was selected by the board as y sup Te
vlsing aTchitect % represent this board
according 70 plans and specifications I'M
Ger Whlch contracts Gre 10 he let
~
The following Is descriptIon of the
buildIng The first or executive door !,
reached through the two corner entrances
through massive CorInthian collonades en-
terinS through the massive doors into mar.
Bile vestibules. From these vestibulcs ene
enters the rotuuda, in the ceater Of which
Is designed handsome fountain under
the center OF the dome, On the south front
Is the genera reading room protected from
the southwest sun by q massive culonuude,
on the right is the reference room aud Oh
the left the chldrens room; opposite tHe
iront is the delivery counter nanked on
eltner sfie by the card catalogue eases.
room with the librarians room on one sl1s
and the cataloeuing room on the other. M
The rear OF the delivery room is the GA
france TO the stock room whore an tho
books are kept arranged ia aiscs with mo
stacks back 10 back 10 permit Of wiud0,vs
N every aisle; The stack room Is arranged
for three decks with hollow walls and hre
proof. The second or me1zanine door $
reached by two massive siaiiwnys N each
Of the corners opposite the yestihule ca
The second moor contains. over The re,d
Ing room, the ART gallery, over the references
room the periodical room aud over tho
chlldren's room the magazine room ana
over the stack r0om the assembly hail mo
rntWida continues up through this dnor in
the center Of the building. and Is snrmonnt'
"a by massive domc ana yeniilMhng slsy.
tights.
The basement contains the Mntor's room
md bribery, the boiler room iluc rnninE
etc. Every room vs. on the outside ani
thorouEhlt lighted aud ventilated
rue plan lS so nriauged thHt evrfything
IL Ia full line os vision fiom tho delitrrr
coulter, nHorilinE thn librarian pprft4I
control The interior Is designed 10 n,. m
ishrd Ia rough plaster with tiuicd walls
throughout Ample plumbing, steam hear
Ing and electric wiring ave contemplated,
nnl M moilarn convenience htve been u
stalled. Tho exterior is a Rich trna tnlont IN
CrENthiun architecture. rho l0nd.r nh hsa
af0 hecn giyVh duo Considerations M wei
~ rEiOf echriup The hnlldiAg Mii So Nrs
pruof With slate roof ana the exterior AZ a I
combination uf hun brick ana Right STONE I
OF lrtfa Gotta.
Tic picture Of the nuildne was on pxhl /
bliun yesteriaF IN Levy Rrothers sbn,c 1
wlndnw aud Il attracted 4 gfcat deal III m 4
fTnuon ana WAS greatly admired
@ IA s. IN % z-aEA.
Bears the The Kind You iaa Naays Bought
aignaturO I'M <<ey-,S;'-