New-York tribune., 1907-01-28
LAST LIBRARY WORK.
THREE YEARS ALLOWED.
-Four Completing Contracts To Be
Advertised This Week.

The four final contracts for the interior construc-
ton of the New York Public Library will be ad-
vertised by Park Commissioner Herman this week
They aggregate about 81 200 CO., and the successful
bidder for the largest will have three years in
which to finish his work and put the white marble
structure at 42d street and Fifth avenue IN COM
mission.
Judging from past experiences. it is thought that
IL will be about four years before the building is
ready for occupancy
The distinguishing feature OF the specifications
governing the inside marble work is that they
state in half dozen places that ordinary stand
ards of excellence concerning first class workman
snip are not TO govern. The contractor Will know
the minute he reads the specifications that his
finished product must be little finer. IL pos
sble, than anything in the country to-day For
this reason he will have ample time. While the
delay is sure to provoke criticism from those who
expected that the building would be completed a
year ago. It meets with the approval of the
trustees. who determined that the finished
building shall be above criticism.
Contract No. Z. the chief one. includes the erec-
tion and completion of the interior finish The con-
tract provides for masonry marble. stone and tile
work, bronze, iron and other metal work. cabinet
work and carpentry. hardware. lathing. plasterng,
painting and finishing, roofing models, heating and
ventilation and cleaning.
Nine kinds Of marble will be used in the finishing.
as follows: Jaspe Rouge. TouraIne, Basville or
Istrian gray Sienna. yellow Sienna, white Italian,
Dandy, Belgian black and Breche vioette. All Of
these save the Dandy viii be from European quar-
ries. principally from Sienna Italy. and Limoges
France.
The of $4,000 is allowed the contractor for
plaster models of the carvings inside work. and
the specifications state that the contractor will be
required to exercise the greatest and precision
in following the instructions OF the architects with
respect to all carvings of figures.
Drinking fountains will be placed on four floors Of
the library. Among OF the interesting
features of the plans are three rooms for chill
dren's literature. with decorations and equipment
suited to the little folks; reading room for the
blind. and special departments for Hebrew. Russian
and Oriental research.
The official name of the library is the New York
Public Lbrary-Astor. Lenox and Tiden FOunda-
uons. 1t established by a consolidation OF
THE Trustees of Astor Library" THE Trustees Of
Lenox Library" and the Tiden Trust May
q. 1895
The Astor Library was founded in 1850 by John
JACOB Astor. The LenoX Library was founded IN
1870 by James Lenox. The Tflden Trust. Inc. in
1887, was created by the will OF Samuel J. Tilden,
made in 1884. At the end By compromise of a legal
contest, the trust became possessed OF 81 100000
The library is at Fifth avenue. between 10Th and
42d streets, known as Bryant Park. the site OF an
Old city reservoir. On November 10 1897. plans
of Carrere q Hastings were adopted. the style
being Renaissance, and the material the purest
began June 8. 1929. In August. 1901. the Park De-
pertment contracted with NOrcross Brothers to
construct the building at a cost OF s, s65 I0S. The
cornerstone OF the new building was laid November
10. 1902.
On account OF strikes among the labOrers on the
marble work Norcross Brothers were delayed. and
obtained repeated extensions Of time their con-
tract. They are nearly through with their work