The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-07-16

When James Anderson of Allie
gheny, Pa, stage coach boss and iron
master. about the year 1850, threw
open his library to the public. ne did
a por.entous thing.
Anderson owned 400 books. Any
one who wanted to read these books
was welcome to do so. Especially
were the boys made welcome.
Anderson did not know what a great
thing he was doing-nobody does
when he does portentous things. Ac-
tons bear fruit-sometiems.
And into Anderson's library one
Sunday afternoon sided a difident,
wee Scotch laddie. Andy Carnegie by
name. who worked in a boiler 70 I'm
for 81 a week.
Where would You like to begin?'
asked Mr.. Anderson. kindly. And the
boy answered as another boy by the
name Of Thomas A. Edison answered
on like occasion: eff you please. I'll
begin here"
And he pointed to the end of shelf
And he read through that library a
shelf at a time.
Andrew Carnegie has given nearly
q thousand Libraries.
The first library built by Mr.. Car
negie was in 1881, at Braddock, Pa.
This was for the benefit, primarily, of
the employees of the Carnegie Steel
Works.
In 1889 il was suggested that the
city Of Allegheny was in need of a Ii
brary quite as much as Braddock.
Mr.. Carnegie proposed to build a
library, art gallery and music hall
combined. at a cost of 100000, pro-
vided the city would supply the site
and agree to raise $4,000 a year for
maintenance.
The offer was accepted and the
building built, but at a cost of near
ly 100000 more than was expected.
Yet Mr.. Carnegie did not complain.
To show that his heart was in the
venture he also presented a $4,000
organ for the hall.
IL was a "hrst attempt" but the
North Side library is a model of beau
ey and convenience today.
The way the people of Allegheny
awakened. responded and awaited
themselves of the benefits to be OBJ
tanned from The Carnegie library at
Allegheny was most gratifying.
The place was formally dedicated
on February Is, 100.
President Harrison was present
and made an address.
The music for the occasion was sup
piled by Young Damrosch" and his
orchestra.
Leopold Damrosch, the noted lead
er, had died only a few years before
and his son, Walter. had taken up the
work.
The manly ways of Young Dam
rosch" and his superb skill as a con-
ductor, made an impression on Mr..
Carnegie then and there, that bore
speedy fruit
In 1891 Mr.. Carnegie built the Car
negie Music Hall, at 57th street and
9TH avenue, New York, especially with
Walter Damrosch and the Damrosch
needs IN mind.
have spoken in this hall a score
and more Of times. and 1 never stand
upon its spacious platform but that
think with admiration of the ironmas-
ter who bad the courage to back with
s2.000.o0O his faith in the musical ap-
probation Of New York city.
II is good to know that the prophet
&c business instincts of Mr.. Carnegie
did not here play him false. The va
rious ofices and studios connected
with the splendid auditorium were
quickly rented and the investment has
paid a fair return from the first.
When IL was built it was the noblest
auditorium in America.
One Of its chief beauties has been
20 show the people of America that
such a building would pay For one
thing. IL has given Chicago capitalists
heart 10 erect the Fine Arts building
in Chicago. And now in a dozen cit
les OF the United States there are
great auditoriums where big events
musical and oratorical-bring the peo-
pie together in a way that enlarges
their spiritual horizon.
Andrew Carnegie has ever had a
passion for music. At Skibo castle
the meals are announced by the bag
pipe.
or course admit that whether the
bagpipe is a musical instrument or
not is a matter Of argument. for just