New-York tribune., 1901-03-16
MIR. CARNEGIE'S LETTER.
Mr.. Carnegie's letter follows;


New York. 18th March 1901.
DR.. John s. Billings. Director. New-fork Pub
lie Library.
Dear DR. Billings Our conferences upon the
needs Of greater New-YOrk for branch libraries
10 reach the masses Of the people in every dis
trict have convinced me Of the wisdom Of your
plans.
Sixty-fve branches strike at first a
very large order. but as other cities have found
one necessary for every sixty thousand or sew
enty thousand Of population. the number is not
excessive.
You estimate the average cost of these libra
rios AZ cav SSOOnO each being 81 1OO 600 for
branches for the special benefit of the masses
of the people. 1t has done for the central
library and also agree in satisfactory form 10
provide for their maintenance as built. should
esteem IL rare privilege 10 he permitted To
furnish the the money money as needed fGr the buildings,
stroke probably breaks the record. but this is
the day of big operations. and New-YOrk is soon
TO be the biggest of cities Very truly yours.
ANDREW CARNEGIE
Following is the letter from George l. Rives,
laying before Mayor Van Wyck the terms of
Mr.. Caruegie's offer:
New-York March II. 1901.
The Hon. Robert A Van Wyck. Mayor. etc.
Dear Sir: BY direction of the Board of Trus-
tees of the New-York Public Library. Astor.
Lenox and Tilden Foundations nave the honor
to hand you herewith a copy of letter which
received through director, DIR. John s.
Billings. from Mr.. Andrew Carnegie. ON the 18th
You will observe that MIR. Carnegie offers to
bear the expense of building a large number of
branch libraries. at estimated total cost Of
S5.200OW, provided the city will furnish the
necessary land, and provided satisfactory ar
rangementS he made fOf the maintenance of
these branches. There are no other conditions.
| instructed To say that. IL the city
thorities look with favor upon the general plan
our Board of Trustees will hold itself in -eadi-
ness TO cooperate in every way possible in
furthering the henefcent purposes which are
the object of Mr. Carnegie'S munifiCent offer
1t is understood that Mr.. Carnegie's offer is
intended To apply To the entire city. The meth
DDS and agencies of administering branches in
boroughs other than Manhattan and The Bronx
may we'll he left 20 be settled hereafter.
DR. BILLINGS'S ESTIMATE
municating Mr.. Carnegie's proposal to our board
DR. Billings accompanied it with the following
statement:
In the conferences referred to by Mr. Carnegie
the suggestions which | have made have related
mainly to free public library system for the
borouGhs of Manhattan and The Bronx
/ have stated that such a system should include
ond-st and Fifth-ave., about forty branch libraries
circulation. small distributing centres in those
public school buildings which adapted to such
purpose. and large travelling library system
branch libraries should contain reading rooms for
80 to 100 adults and for from a. to 125 children
and in these reading rooms should be about 800
volumes of encyclopedias dictionaries. aliases and
large and important reference books. There should
be ample telephone and delivery arrangements be-
tween the branches and the central library
To establish this system would require at least five
years The average cost of the branch libraries