The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-03-10
CITY WILL COOPERATE.
Resolution of Council So Assures
Andrew Carnegie.

Andrew Carnegie.
Two meetings to consider the free IL
brary question for Savannah were held
yesterday afternoon. The board of man.
ayers of the Georgia Historical Society
met at 4 o'clock at the City Exchange
and the City Council met at o'clock.
The meetings grew out of Mr.. Andrew
Carnegie's understood purpose of max
ing a donation to Savannah for the es-
teolishment of a library in the event of
the city's cooperation.
Col George A. Mercer. president of the
Historical Society, presided over the
meeting of the board of managers. 1t was
decided that the board had no right to
make any proposition or take any action
that might be binding upon the society.
The following resolution was introduced
by Mr.. J. r. Saussy and adopted;
Resolved, That the Board of Managers
of the Georgia Historical Society having
no authority from the Historical Society
to act in the premises, have no sugges-
tons to make to Council relative to the
alleged offer or proposition of Mr.. Carne-
gle to contribute to the establishment of
a free library in Savannah in corpora
ton with the municipal authorities of the
city Any proposition from the City
Council or other persons will receive due
consideration"
Some of the managers were opposed al
together to the Historical Society having
anything to do with the library. believing
that, If established, it would be an institu-
ton over which the city should exercise
management. The managers present at
the meeting were: Col. Mercer, DR., r. j..
Mum, Capt II. c. Cunningham, Mr.. j. r.
Saussy, Hon. William Harden, Mr.. OTIS
Ashmore, Mr.. b. a Denmark. Mr.. c. f.
Fulton and Capt. U. II. McLaws.
Mayor Myers announced, when Council
met in private session, that he had called
the meeting for the consideration of the
library matter, and asked if the board of
managers had anything to submit in the
way of suggestion. Mr.. Harden, who had
acted as secretary at the meeting of the
board then read the resolution. The
Mayor and Mr.. S. B. Adams, city attor-
ney. then consulted with Miss Hayward.
who had just returned from her mission
to New York to see Mr.. Carnegie. Miss
Hayward related what Mr.. Carnegie had
told her, being the same information
as was conveyed by her letter to DR..
Num-. Mr.. Adams then drew up the fol-
lowing resolution, which was adopted:
Resolved, by the Mayor and Aldermen
of the city of Savannah. in Council as
sembled:
This Council. having heard that Mr..
Andrew Carnegie has in contemplation
the establishment of free library in Sa-
vannah, the Mayor of the city of Sa-
vannah is authorized and requested to
convey to Mr.. Carnegie the expression
of the city's need of such an institution
and the desire of the City Council to CO.
operate with him in it's establishment.
THE communication of the Mayor will
inclose a copy of this resolution
Mayor Myers Immediately addressed a
letter to Mr.. Carnegie. recitng that Sa-
vannah has no free library, and that one
is needed, because of the city's large and
growing population. prestige and CONNER
cial Importance. The Mayor also asked
for Mr.. Carnegie's views upon the estab-
lishment of a library and for the condi-
tions upon which he would make a do
nation.
Those interested will await a reply from
Mr.. Carnegie before taking any further
steps. 1t is not understood that Mr.. Car
negie has made any definite offer. The
meeting of Council was a private one, and
Miss Hayward had nothing to say after
ward about her visit to MIR Carnegie or
his supposed purpose. Mr.. Carnegie
leaves Wednesday for Europe to be gone
six months. He will probably receive
Mayor Myers letter Tomorrow