The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-03-16

New York, March 15-Andrew Carnegie
who, since retiring as an active figure in
the steel world. has been able to devote
his time exclusively to his other passion.
the founding of libraries, has made his
departure for Europe this spring mem
orable by the largest offer of that kind
ever advanced. If New York viii pro-
vide the sites and the maintenance. he
has promised to give s.. 2OO,O0O to establish
sixty-five branch Libraries in this city.
The offer was made in a letter TO Dr.
John 5. Billings, director OF the New
York library. last Thursday. The CORE
spOndence in connection with the offer
was made public tonight as follows:
New York. March 3, 1901.
ITO Mr.. John S Billings, Director New
York Public Library:
'Our conference upon the needs of the
greater city of New York for branch Ii
braries to reach the masses of the people
in every district has convinced me of the
wisdom of your plan.
''SiXty-five branches strike one at first
as very large order, but as other cities
have found one necessary for every 6QBJO
or 10000 population, then the number is
not over-eStimated. You estimate the
costs of these Libraries at $4,000 being
s., 1000 in all. If New York will fur
nish sites for these branches, for the
benefit of the masses of the people as it
has done for the central library, and also
agrees in satisfactory form to provide
for their maintenance, as built, should
esteem II d rare privilege 10 Dc p6tLn1lAEQ
TO furnish the money Tor the buildings
$, 200, GOO SiXty-five Libraries at one
stroke probably breaks the record, but
this IS the day Of big operations, ana New
York is soon to be the biggest of cities.
(Signed.) ANDREW CARNEGIE
Secretary c.. L. Rivers of the New York
Public Library association wrote to
Mayor Van Wyck, submitting Mr.. Car
negie's letter, as follows:
City Urged to Accept.
New York, March Is.
Robert a. Van Wyck:
- BY By direction Of the board of trustees
LennOX and Tilden foundations, 1 have
the honor 10 hand you herewith a, copy
drew Carnegie on the 18th, the day of his
sailing for Europe.
You viii observe that Mr. Carnegie
ouerS to bear the expense Of building a
number of branch libraries at an es-
timated cost of S5,2O0,OO0. provided the Ct "
Will furnish the necessary land and pro-
vided satisfactory arrangements can be
made for all these branches. There are no
other conditions.
I am instructed that if the city author
tiles look with favor on the general plan,
our board Of directors will hold itself in
readiness TO cooperate in every way pos
sible in turthering the benelcent pur-
poses which are the object of Mr. Car
negias mUnificent offer.
1t is understood that Mr.. Carnegie's
offer is intended to apply TO the entire
city: The methods and agencies of ad-
ministering branches in boIOughs other
than Manhattan and the Bronx will be
left to be settled hereafter.
I am further instructed TO say that in
natlng Mr. Carnegie'S proposal, DR..
Billings accompanied il with the following
statement:
a." In the conferences referred to by Mr.
Carnegie, the suggestions which 1 have
made related mainly TO free public Ii
brary system for the bOrOughs of Man
haitian and the Bronx. 1 have stated that
such q system should include the great
central reference library on FOrty-secOnd
street and Fifth avenue, about forty
branch libraries for circulation small dis
tr1buting centerS in those public school
buildings which are adapted to such pur-
poses and d large travelling library sys-
TEN operated from the central building.
." Each of the branches should contain
reading rooms for from sixty to 100 adults
and for from seventy to 125 children, and
in these rooms should be about 5000
volumes of encyclopedias, dictionaries,
ence books There should be ample tele-
phone and delivery arrangements between
the branches and the central library.
Would Require Five Years.
ITO establish this system would re-
quire at least five years. The average
cost of the branches l estimated at from
SO 900 to S125. 600. including sites and equip
TEN, when completed, 1 estimated at
100000 a year
. The circulation of the books for home
use alone in these borOughs should
amount to more than 100000 volumes per
year, and there should be at least p 900
volumes in the circulation department.
with additions of new books and to re
place WOrnoUt books, of at least 10000
! yearly. With regard to the other Dor
oughs of Greater New York have made
no special plans, but l think about TWEEN
ty-fiVe libraries would be required for
them
- Following are some of the data which
I have furnished Mr.. Carnegie: The pop
ulation figures are those Of the last cen