New-York tribune., 1901-08-04
THE OBSERVANT MAN.
PROPOSED DISTRIBUTION OF CARNEGIE
LIBRARIES STARTS HIM TO
FIGURING.

Singular. isn't f." said the observant Man 10
his Youthful Companion. what a fascination
figures will have for sometimes? Generally. now.
dislike figures and have little to do with them
possible, and statistics usually my darling
aversion. few days ago. however. ] was reading
about the libraries that Andrew Carnegie is 10 give
10 New-YOrk. OF course, he is giving the buildings
only. but this means that thousands and hundreds
OF thousands OF books over and above the number
that the people OF this city would otherwise have
will be placed within reach Of the reading public
The educational advantages that these libraries
will afford 20 the people Of NewYork, and, indeed
10 many commuters who the city from
New-Jersey. Long Island and Westchester County.
are incalculable. The gift is enormous that the
mind can scarcely grasp full realization OF its
importance.
But that is what I started to say. I had
figures in my mind when j began to speak. Well
when read how the libraries were to be distributed
through the boroughs started 10 find out exactly
what the great gift OF Mr. Carnegie really meant
am afraid did not fully accomplish my object
because had not data enough TO finish the work;
but this is what did conclude. or. rather. what
my figures showed:
According 10 the decision Of the committee that
appointed TO arrange for the distribution OF
these libraries the city, forty-two will be
placed in the borOughs Of Manhattan, The Bronx
and Richmond. This will leave twenty-three for
Brooklyn and Queens boroughs.
Il found that the population OF the boroughs in
which the forty-two are 10 be placed is 2lI7sgl
The plan OF distribution will therefore give one
library every 50,4l5 Inhabitants In Brook
lyn and Queens there the last census sls-
5Sl inhabitants The allotment 10 these borouebs
viii. accordingly, give these boroughs one new Ii
brary every 57.S72 inhabitants-that is there will
be 6s57 more persons 10 each new library in
the Long island boroughs than there will be IN the
other boroughs.
Then i figured out how much territory there
would be around each library-the average acreage
] mean. Ia the other boroughs there 1866
square acres II is easy 10 figure that according 10
this these viii have one library every l,S25
square acres. The Long Island bOroughs are made
up OF S256S square acres and that will give each
library 5.764 square acres in which 10 be built In
other words, the readers in the Long Island bor-
oughs VIII have to travel a great deal further to
reach the new libraries than will their fellows in
the other boroughs.
When got this far in my figures II occurred to
me that a distribution such this would be
advised by the men who have the affair in hand
because IL would manifestly be unjust broth
ers and sisters across the big bridge So ! hunted
up more information
There are, ] found eghty-three libraries in the
this number up I25 Libraries. Now. pursuing the
onshs Will have after the libraries have been COM
pleteo ana are open % the public. library to
around each library VIII be 6l3 square acres
-, In the Long Island boroughs there are forty-six
libraries at present Adding the twenty-three that
are 10 be placed there by reason OF Mr. Carnegie's
each OF these libraries therefore there vii be an
average Of 1875 persons and ] S2l square acres
II would scarcely be fair for me with my neces-
sariy limited knowledge OF the needs OF the peop.e
or the Doroughs OF The city, criticise the Hot
msnt made by the men who, no doubt gave the
subject much consideration. But IL seems strange
agreed upon.
Another thought occurred 10 me while I was
hguring on this subject The Long Island boroughs
are mostly inhabited by people who have hon1es
This Is not SO nearly true Of the other boroughs-at
least not OF the largest borough of the three oct
libraries are used by people who live near them and
who can therefore get TO them easily and spend
few hours IN reading, or can in few minutes draw
q book and take IL home read
what Is my conclusion? Oh. I have made NON.
Draw for yourself" '