New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-24
His Profused Publications.

2 |
( ulats to-day.
! His Profused Publications..
II IS TO the librarian and trustees OF these
various foundations that would convey
/ my profound fluctuations F,Vorvcne who
I mas had to deal with human nature knows
the diticulty ~ securing from those who
are Independent i'm control OF any orGanl-
eaton. however large or small "A willing
ness TO subordinate their own Importance
end their own freedom by a union Of that
which IS in their custody with similar
trusts iu the custody of others even IN
order TO render all the trusts more effe"-
nal purposes
To have secured tho consent Of all tie
trustees or fhe various foundations 10 have
obtained the necessary legislation authori l.
ING the union. 20 have secured from the
I CITY authorities the use o. this magnificent
SITE 9nd the appropriation Of the none,
Tor ms ma Crihcent structure redulre'
genius and statnsmsnshiD and marks this
CAV as noteworthy. not only because % the
| expanding usefulness 70 tho people Of tnls
u hrarv. hat also as commemorative mos
ren1arks bile success Of disintereSted human
effort in the cause Of philanthropy.
Mr.. Rives's sketch Of the Ibrary's his
tory began with the evacuation Of New
York by the British troops after the Rev
oiution TO- in the same month he said.
John Jacob Astor left London for New
York 10 found a fortune ny fur trading
and later 20 form the Astor Library. in
lSfo lie reviewed the circumstances sur
rounding the life Of James LenoX. who
founded the Lenox Library twenty-one
years afterward. and he told Of the VIZ
cissitude Of the Tilden Foundation. Then
he took up the efforts toward consoll-
dalton Of the three libraries. which were
crowned with success in 1895. He con
t'nucd.
During the period which has elapsed
since the Aston and LenoX Libraries united
with tho Tilden Trust the consolidated u
brarv has by no means stood stu Al
the beginning Of the present YEAR the TO-
tai number Of volumes in the Astor and
TenoX libraries available for use amount
ed 20 over 500 O0. and the pamphlets ~
over 100000. SO that tho number OF pieces
IN the collection has nearly tripled m SIX
teen Years
I, has also been made more availahl
for general use by catslogulns: ana ne ne
catalogues now contain nearly 3.Web
cards Not only has tho number Of hooks
been added 70 and their quality well kept
up. but the periodicals IN which all the
latest inventions and discoveries Of art
and science are recorded are kept for use
I'm ever increasing numbers. The library
now receives over seven thousand curren'
periodicals. y has also recently under
taken tho collection of engravings and
etchnzs on the lines Of the print collec-
tion Of tho British Museum.
Hastings Recalls Carrere.
'NIr President and ladies' and gentle
men" began NJ Hastings. in presenting
Commissioner Slower tho KEY IF tho New
York Public Library. 7 desire N remind YOU
Of how closely associated with the occasion
IS tho memory ~ nv late partner. John
Norven Carra-e. whose executive end ad-
r1instrative abilities have SO largely con-
tributed 10 the architecture n this build
ing"
Mr.. Rigelovs memory went hack very
easily sixty wears n the period of his
prime when the Aston Library was FIRST
es'a brshed
This was the first free library ever rs
tabIished i'm New York" said he To
illustrate ;ha library poverty of our city
IN the decade % that century which tho
Astor Library was destined to distinguish
may here mention an experience Of my
own In tho study Of an article was pre-
raring for = magazine Of tho period
needed IN consult A Greek authority. not
strictly classic. 7 could not find IL in
auv bookstore nor IN private or public
collection. The only COPY IN be found in
this city or state was in the library Of
Columbia College. then Aourishing IN War
rem street. and long wears before il was
called 70 come up higher as a university TO
NorninRside Heights
Another bit Of reminiscence forty years
old concerned the Tfden foundation. Said
Mr Bigelow.
While Mr. Tilden was meditating the
foundation Or another public library in the
civ in which he had been SO generously
prosperous fan his basket and I'm his store
h. told me one dav that ne had Just re-
ceived the annual report ~ the Boston
Public Library. and he found that about
on uer cent Of the books taken from IL
during the wear had been works Of fiction.
He asked me whether II was really worth
his while TO devote so much or indeed any
money whatever 70 fostering such an ab-
normal appetite for imaginative literature
said 20 him IN substance that probably
the first printed writing that ever made
lodrr1ent i'm his mind was the reading. or
hearing recited or sung, the melodies OF
Mother Goose. that II never occurred 70
him that there was any incongruity IN
Hi diddle didde
The cat and the fiddle
The COW Jumped over the moon
or