Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1907-12-16

for the building, at the cost of the city,
IL the building be not erected-but at the
expense OF Carnegie if his proposition be
accepted. The city holds title to q lot
that can be used for no other purpose
without violating the confidence OF the
doners, go that the chief wonder is that
any opposition should exist at ell.
Speaking OF the matter Saturday. Mayor
France said: 1.-THE high tariff 10 re-.
sponsible for Carnegie's wealth. II he
desires to give the people back a part of
that wealth it is the correct thing. Per.
sonally, l would as soon take Carnegie q
money as any other money!"
Several alleged reasons have been given
for opposing this offer, some OF them
scarcely worthy OF consideration, yet
this article is written in spirit Of fair
ness. and every point made in opposition
to the erection OF this fine educational
building in Aberdeen will be noticed.
1t has been repeatedly stated that other
cities have been disappointed in the
Carnegie libraries, but inquiry in those
cities fail to substantiate the statement.
Mr.. Irvine, when secretary, made nu.
merous inquiries in this regard. with the
result shown by a few Of his replies.
Mayor Black, OF Bellingham, under date
Of May 7, 1907. says:
"Your letter OF November Is, relative
to Carnegie Library, at hand. The only
conditions that Mr.. Carnegie has placed
on the libraries here are that q site and
q guarantee of 10 per cent of the cost ol
the building be made annually. for the
purposes OF maintenance, be compiled
with.
eve have one very fne library that
was erected a couple Of years ago, through
the gift Of Mr.. Carnegie, at the south end
OF the city, and another building is now
about to DO erected, through q similar
gift, at the north eide Of the city.
"As view it, there is no undesira Bile
feature in the transaction and here at
least, it has given great satisfaction OF
tho people at large"
E. B. Wallace, secretary OF the library
trustees at Tacoma, said, Nov. 10, 1906
II am very glad to reply to your letter
mand or require anything further than
the lot and annual support. The library
building here has been great success,
the only regret OF the city is that larger
building was not asked for. This one
cost $4,000 and is inadequate already"
On Nov. 10, 1906, A. Johnson. manag.
ing editor Of tho Tacoma News wrote:
"The Carnegie library has been great
success in Tacoma, fact that no one
has disputed as far as know. The site
was not the best for street car connec-
ton, but that has been remedied by a
new cross town line."
The most strenuous opponent OF the
library in Aberdeen has been Editor
Clark, Of the Post, who has stated that
he had experience with a Carnegie
library at Mitchell, South Dakota; that
Carnegie exacted 10 per cent. expendi.
ture aside from the cost Of maintenance,
and that the Taxpayers OF that town re.
GREETED its having been secured. Mr..
Irvine wrote the mayor Of Mitchell about
the library, and received the following
reply:
MITCHELL, s. D., May Z, 1907.
WILLIAM IRVINE,
Aberdeen, Waeh.:
DEAR SIR:-I am in receipt of your
very kind favor of April %, 1907, which
has just reached me. note what you
cay about our Carnegie library and in
reply the information you have received
is entirely wrong.
We have a splendid library and I do
not know Of a single taxpayer in Mitchell
who regrets that we have procured the
same. In my judgment it is good thing
for any town, and il you can procure one
you will be doing the right thing.
do not know Mr.. J. w. Clark, and I
am certain he had very little to do, if
anything, in procuring our library.
If can serve you further kindly let
me know and greatly oblige.
Yours truly,
o. L. BRANsoN,
Mayor.
So much for the South Dakota story.
The opposition may allege that the let.
ters printed above are from selected
cities. and that other places are dissatis-
fed. If so, it is up to them to produce
testimony to that effect. Their uncor-
roborated statement will not be taken, in
view of the tales Of the past.
1t has also been alleged that Carnegie
insists upon a certain style of building;
that his plans must be followed in detail.
But, the fact is. as will be seen by the