Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-30

the architects plans of the building
without emitting two of the five tiers of
the book stack shelving, suitable color
ing of the interior plastered walls and
ceilings and number of minor details,
as well as Il portion of the complete out
fit of necessary furniture.
correspondence was had with Mr. Car
negie in respect to the needs of the
library building before it could be pro-
nounced complete and in letter, dated
May %, 1908, Mr.. Carnegie wrote to Vice
President Warner of the library trustees,
saying: You can go ahead and spend
the $4,000 and complete the Washington
Library. 1 have implicit faith in Captain
Green. Whatever he does will be done
WELL
On recommendation of Superintendent
Green the commission has approved the
partial expenditure of this sum as fol-
lows: Book stack, two tiers, with stairs
and elevator doors, net proposal, sl1,o6o;
book 90" lift, believed one can can. be had for
elevator hatch ceiling, 800; mending
plaster and repair of painting, 800;
contingencies. 800; wall and ceiling
decoration of building, $4,000; architects
commission $500; hot water supply, $500;
furniture, more or less, say $1,000;
strengthening plaster corner of pilasters,
etc, delivery room, 500; Enclosure of
rear basement stairs, $125;. Enclosure of
elevator motor, $40. Total, 81, IA. To
this list was later added recommends
ton of $500 for the equipment of the
bindery room of the library.
These items We're approved by the COM
mission, except those already provided
for out of the contingent fund of the
library, which is the case in respect to
the hot water supply.
superintendent Green adds: Beyond
these items still others Of minor cost and
convenience which the fund will be suf-
ficient to provide, are doubtless in the
minds of the librarian and the trustees
to be brought up as the larger work is
arranged for and the available balance
becomes apparent"
Uba iS has ALREADY contracted
for the completion of the book stack
shelving, the proper wall and ceiling
decoration, and Enclosures for the rear
stairway in the basement and the eleva-
tor motor machinery in the subbase-
ment, amounting in all to about $4,000.
Branch Libraries.
In the ceremonies of the formal open
ing of the Public Library the president
of the trustees. in accepting the building
for the board. called attention to the
fact that while Mr.. Carnegie had ex-
hausted the possibilities in the matter of
a main building donation, he had covered
that phase of the library situation alone
and his gifts would be an inspiration to
other donations and not a deterrent.
Branch libraries are to be established,
he said, ito render the books collected
here accessible to the remoter sections.
Pedestals at the entrance to this build
ing are to support suitable statues; its
and the sculptor" He spoke of the ur-
gent need of special and endowed collec-
lions of books and newspapers, anu after
asking who was to supply these wants,
continued:
while the invitation to meet the
library needs of the capital, to develop
it Intellectually well as in physical
attractiveness. appeals with especial
force to the Washingtonian, the perma-
nent resident of the District, it is by no
means confined within ordinary local
hD,tn hut
proud of the nations city and deS.rous
of identifying themselves with its life
history by conspicuously participating
in it's upbuiding and advancement. No
American, whether from Pennsylvania
or California, Montana or Ohio, is for
eign to the national capital the city
created; largely owned and exclusively
controlled by the nation itself"
When the ceremonies were over Mr..
Carnegie approached the president of the
trustees
against an invitation to any one to
poach upon my preserves. l have given
this library to Washington, and when
ever branches are to be established I
shall insist upon the privilege of supply
ing the funds. The giving of public
libraries to the District of Columbia is
my province, and you are to let me know
when to provide them"
Later Mr.. Carnegie repeated this offer
to the vice president of the trustees, and
In the conversation with him the sum of
100000 was mentioned as the basis of the
branch system, but the proposed dona-
ton was not limited to that amount.
AS soon as the announcement of Mr..
Carnegie's branch library offer was made
public the enterprising suburban COM
munities of the District began to plan to
take advantage of it, and numerous pro-
posals to this end were sent to the board
of trustees. For the purpose of pre-
serving a record of the various offers to
donate sites for branch libraries, the fol-
lowing abstract of the correspondence
with the trnSteaS the subject iS Sllh-
mitted:
Brightwood Park.
In Brightwood Park four sites for a
branch library have been offered by
donors. w. M. Clayton offers the south
west corner of 9Th and Flint streets. The
lot is 65x150 feet, has a paved street.