Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-07
GIFT 70 PHILADELPHIA
Andrew Carnegie Offers to
Give 81, 100000 for Thirty
Public Libraries
CITY ASKED TO FURNISH SITES
CITY ASKED TO FURNISH SITES
Will Cost $4,000 Each and Be Equip
ped by Carnegie, If City Will Guar
antee to Maintain Them-PubIic
Spirited Men Expected to Donate
the Land.

Philadelphia, Pa, Jan. 7.-Andrew
Carnegie has offered s1,500,000 to the
free library of Philadelphia to establish
thirty branches in as many different
sections Of the city. The conditions at
tached to the gift are that So0,0OO is to
be expended for the erection of each
building, the sites to be provided by
the city or by private individuals, the
branches to be equipped by the city,
and a provision of an annual appropria-
ton of $1,000 made for the maintenance
of each branch.
George c. Thomas, of Drexel & Co.,
yesterday supplemented Mr.. Carnegie's
offer by announcing his willingness to
donate one Of the sites. Offers Of addi-
tional sites probably will be announced
on Friday, when the trustees OF the IL
brary meet to take action on the offer.
The only obstacle that could now
arise to prevent the carrying out of a
complete scheme of municipal libraries,
second to none in the world, would be
the unwillingness Of the council to do
its share. No opposition is expected in
this quarter. The matter was laid be-
fore Mayor Ashbridge yesterday and
his cooperation was promised. Mem
bers of the board of trustees of the
library are now at work carrying out
the details of the plan.
The probabilities are that the offer of
n ~. IL
revision of the plans for the free library
of Philadelphia. 1t was the original in
tention to have a magnificent central
library, with branches as a secondary
consideration. For this purpose $1,000
600 was provided in q recent loan. Work
on the building was only delayed on ac-
count of the inability Of the trustees to
secure a suitable site. 1t had been de-
cided that the S1,000.000 would not be
adequate to the needs of the institution
when the steel magnate came to the
rescue. Librarian John Thompson had
an interview with Mr.. Carnegie on
Sunday in which he made known the
needs of Philadelphia
"Mr. Carnegie" said Mr.. Thompson,
expressed the deepest interest in the
matter. He said he would not interfere
in behalf Of the main library, as he felt
that that part of the undertaking was
in capable hands. He was, however,
willing to do for Philadelphia what he
had done for New York Having re-
gard to the comparative popula ton OF
the two cities, he reached the conclus-
ion that this city would require thirty
branch libraries.
He stated that 1t would give him
great pleasure to pay for the erection of
this number of buildings, and toward
the cost Of erecting each of these he
would gladly contribute the sum of
$4,000. He would require that private
donors or the city should provide sites,
and as each building is erected the city
shall pay the cost of books required for
the branch and bind itself to appropri-
ate for its maintenance the sum of S.
600.
Mr.. Carnegie was anxious that these
branch Libraries should have lecture
rooms, and that the circulation and
other rooms should be thoroughly well
fitted up