Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-02-01
LEWISTOWNTO
HAVELIBRARY
Andrew Carnegie Opens His Purse
Strings and Offers a Gift Of Ten
Thousand Dollars.
CONDITIONS NAMED ARE FEW
The Most Important One, Requiring
$1,000 a Year for Library's Sup
port, Already Compiled With.

Lewistown is to have a Carnegie
library building, and it will be finish.
ed and in use during the present
year.
The 1ronmaster has opened his
purse strings, and announces that he
is ready to present this growing city
with $4,000 for the purpose, and the
conditions that he names are such as
hre already met by existing condi.
tions. There is really nothing in the
way of the consummatlum of the plan
except few formalities, and they
viii be quickly disposed of.
The movement which led to this
happy result was inaugurated by At
torney Frank E. Smith, chairman of
the board of trustees of the Lewis
town library, nearly three years ago,
and while his efforts met with no
response for long time, he kept ham,
mering away, and at last enlisted GER
tain influences which ultimately
brought out an answer from the phil
anthropic Scot.
A Long Campaign.
Data regarding conditions at Lew
istown was called for and this was
duly submitted. So the campaign went
on until about three weeks ago, when
Mr.. Smith received letter from Mr..
Carnegie's secretary which indicated
that the library giver was most ia
verably inclined toward the plan. Still
the thing hung fire, and not until Sat
urday was the final assurance received
that the library building would be
forthcoming. This was in the form
of the following letter.
Announcement of the Gilt.
New York, Jan. 10, 1906 Frank
E. Smith. Esq, Chairman Library
Board, Iewistown, Mont, Dear Sir:
Referring to your application on be-
half of Lewistown, if the city agrees,
by resolution of the council, to main
tain free public library at a cost
of not less than $1,000 year. and you
provide a suitable site for the build
ing, Mr.. Carnegie will be glad to give
$4,000 To erect free public library
building for Lewistown. Respectfully
Yours, JAS. BERTRAM,
Private Secretary. :
This communication, heedlless to
say. brought Joy to Mr.. Smith, who
read in it the notice that mis- long
had been crowned with sue
cess.
Il shall call meeting of the trus-
tees this week." said Mr.. Smith to the
Argus yesterday, "and we will take
the matter up in the city comncil next
Monday night. The gift will then be
formally accepted, and we shall pro-
ceed to the procuring of site.
with these things done we shall
be in shape to go ahead with the
building. There will be no trouble in
securing the site. We expect to have
one donated. but do not 60 into de-
tails regarding that at this time.
IN regard to the condition that
there must be at least $1,000 per year
to maintain the library, that condi-
tion is already met. There is and has
been for long time levy OF one
AAAAAA AoA eAC ouPPO1t VI lHC lIDTdTy,
which last year brought in $1,246.97,
and we now have on hand in the H.
brary fund a balance of about $4,000.
No Reason for Delay.
not furnish plans for his Libraries
Mr.. Carnegie, l understand, does
not furnish plans for his libraries, but
the plans adpoted have to be sub
mitted to him. There are, as win be
noticed, very few details to be closed
up in order to comply with all con-
ditions. and receive the gift. There
is no reason for delay in this mat
ter. and will be none. The library
building is urgently needed by Lew.
lstown, and has been for long time.
With the site provided for in the way
indicated, we shall be ready to pro-
ceed, and the entire amount of the
gift will go into the building. That
will give Lewistown a structure to be
proud of, and it will be monument
10 the generosity of Andrew Carnegie"
The good news that the library
building was assured was generally
known about the city this week, and
was the cause of much rejoicing.