Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-02-11
PUBLIC LIBRARY STE
Permission Granted to the Trus.
tees 10 Erect Carnegie Build
ing on City's Lots.
The Exact Site, However. Still
Being Debated by Council
and Trustees.
No Plan Suggested Meets APP.
prevail OF All-People Favor
Center Street.

The city council has given its consent
to the erection of the Carnegie library
building on the city property located on
State and Center streets, but whether
tie handsome structure shall have the
preference of the Center street frontage
or be showed to the rear of the lots and
face on State street is a question still
under discussion on the part of the
council, the library trustees and the
public.
Mr.. Henry. chairman of the special
COMMITTEES on location appointed by the
council two weeks ago, submitted re-
port at the meeting Monday night.
The committee report favored granting
the necessary permission, but did not
fix the exact location. recommending
that this part of the question be left to
committee of the council and COM
mittee of the trustees, after conference
with the architect employed. Some OF
the councilmen wanted the question left
to the entire council and few favored
action at once. These evidently desired
to give the library the rear portion OF
the lots with frontage on State street.
Trustee p. s. Balch. Mr.. II. j. Howe
and Col. j. NJ. Parker, representing the
library board We're present, and COL.
I'arker made strong plea for careful
consideration and for the granting OF
the most favored site for the Carnegie
building. He pointed out that the
structure would be the most handsome
Of any oil the city's buildings erected
during the life of the present genera
ton and of the coming generation, Will
be built to stand for many years and
10 meet the needs Of several generations
to come Mr.. Henry Stone, who was also
present at the meeting, emphasized Col.
Parker's arguments, and the points the
two speakers brought out made an I'M
preston on some of the members of the
council.
Finals, the committees resolution
granting the desired permission was
adopted by unanimous vote, but with
an amendment referring the fixing OF
the exact site to the library trustees and
the council as committee of the whole
to formulate a recommendation and
report back to the council.
rne officials will meet and inspect the
ground as soon as the architect engaged
con arrive in the city. The COMMITTEES
will be abba to make report to the
council next Monday night, 1t is
thought, AMI in the meantime Mr. Car
Hnegie will be notified of the fact that
she necessary ground has been pro-
cured.
great majority of the people of the
city, including several members of the
city council. favor placing the Carnegie
building on Center street. II the Hum
long building and lot could be pur-
chased at n reasonable price, or II the
present city building could be traded
for II or converted into cash immediate
ly. the council would arrange to have
the library building face Center street
and utilize the Humlong property fol
city building purposes, thus giving both
structures Center street frontage. Mr.
Humlonly asks $4,000 for his forty-foot
lot and building. II the citizens would
unite in request that this be done, this
plan might vet be worked out AS the
:ty is building for the present genera
ton and several generations yet t.
core. the matter of few thousand dol
lars should make little difference.
One Of the plats submitted by the
committee showed the library building
With State street frontage, with city
b.Iilding and fire house as far south as
possible on Center street, thus leaving
8 small plot of ground for park pur-
noses on the corner and enabling par
tial view of the library building from
Center street. A second plat shows the
library building from Center street.wf
library building on the corner, a city
building in the rear on State street, anc
fire house south of the library build
ing on Center. AS the library will be the
most handsome structure, it should be
given the preference.