The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-02-15

NsetS 49,
annually to the maintenance OF its
library.
Permit me to suggest that prompt
action in this matter may be very i'm
portant. There is only n Andrew
Carnegie. Kindly advise me, there
fore, as soon as possible, as to the de-
cision of your board.
Desiring to file the letters connected
with this correspondence, 1 would be
pleased to have you return to me the
enclosed letter.
Cordially yours,
j. T. McCLEARY.
DR.. M. B. Wood,
President Library Board,
Mankato, Mimi
New York, Feb, 1901.
Hon. J. T. McCleary, Washington,
D. Gear Sir: If the city of Man
kato will furnish a suitable site and
agree to spend "a, 600 per year on
maintaining a library, as you suggest,
Mr.. Carnegie will be glad to give
$40, 600 for a library building.
Very respectfully yours,
JAS. BERTRAM,
P. Secretary.
In view of the above letter, Presi-
dent Wood will call a special meeting
of the library board in a day or two,
to act upon Mr.. Carnegie's offer and
ask for a certain length of time within
which to fulfill the conditions accom-
panying the gift.
Another gentleman has offered to
donate a lot, the proceeds of which
shall be used in purchasing a site for
the library.
There are very few people who OBJ
ject to raising 81, 900 annually for the
library. The city raises So, 600 an
nually now, besides furnishing heat,
light and %janitor service, so that really
the increased expense to the city would
not be much if any over 81, 500. while
the benefit would be very great.
Regarding the 81, 900 levy, one busi-
ness man remarked: ''It is too much.
We ought only to ask for $50, 600, and
then we would only have to raise
So, 900 per year."
I ISSIuSul WOOu StdlcS uldu IuO II
brary cannot be run in a building of
it's own upon So, 900 per year. Said he
today:
"The library at present receives
50, 900 per year, of which one-half is
used for current expenses, including
salaries, rent and some small inciden-
tails, but not including heat or light.
both of these being furnished by the
city. Then it takes $3.50 per year fol-
the magazines and papers in the read
ing room, and about $500 per year fol-
binding magazines and repairing
books. This, you see, leaves $3.50 pei
year with which to buy books for
both the loan or circulating and the
reference departments.
"The little city Of Owatonna with
a population of 5, SCI has an endow.
ment which gives its library 81, SOC
per year for the purchase Of books
alone, the city furnishing one mill
tax for maintenance outside of this
amount.
"Now, if our library goes into its
own building there will be fuel to buy,
a janitor to pay, increased insurance
on contents besides insurance on build
ing, and numerous other small items
of expenditure which occur in the ad-
ministration of all public institutions.
So it a readily be seen that the
amount cannot be placed below 81, OOO
per year if the city is to maintain it's
library SO that it may be a credit and
a benefit as we'll as a pleasure to our
citizens.
son account of the bridging over in
the effort to get along without bor-
rowing money, the library is being
sadly neglected at present. There are
in the back room today 600 volumes
out of repair, waiting for funds to pay
for putting them in shape
John G. Thro, secretary of the
library board, while in Washington
last April, approached Congressman Nc
Cleary on the subject of endeavoring
to obtain a donation from Mr.. Car
negie, and was the first to speak to the
congressman on the matter. Mr.. Thro
knew that MI. McCleary vas on the
library committee of congress and for
that reason thought that it would be
easier for him to approach Mr.. Car
negie. Mr.. McCleary promised to take
the matter up with Mr.. Carnegie, but
the latter went to Scotland a day or
two later and did not return until fall.
Mr.. Thro has received the foil owing
letter from Mr.. McCleary:
Washington, D. c., Feb. Z, 1901.
My dear Mr.. Thro: Remembering
your suggestion that l try to get from
Mr.. Andrew Carnegie a good library
building for Mankato, 1 take great
pleasure in advising you that l have
this day secured from him the promise
that upon certain reasonable condi-
tions he will donate to our city $40, 600
for such a building.
Cordially yours,
J. I. McCLEARY.
Mr.. Carnegie has donated $40, 600 to
Jacksonville, ILL.,, for a library on the
same terms as required of Mankato,
and $50, 000s.to Decatur, ILL.,, in return
for a suitable site and Sc, 600 a year.
Will Glotbzach has closed his con-
tract at Wood Lake, Mimi, and has