The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1914-05-01
CARNEGIE LIBRARY.


Under the same cover with the first let
ter sent Mr.. Carnegie we're two others
from gentlemen who we're on the Board
Of Mayor and Aldermen when negotia-
tons we're first opened for acquiring a
library. One OF these gentlemen was
honestly Of the opinion that $40, 900
was given for school library, while
the other one was equally certain that
it was for a free public library.
The following is the answer to their
Inquiry from Mr.. Bertram, Mr.. Car
negie's secretary, through our Congress-
man, Hon. Finis ]. Garrett:
Carnegie Corporation OF New York,
SIG Fifth Avenue, New York, March
I15, 1918. Hon. Finish Garrett, House
OF Representatives, Committee on Rules,
Washington, d. C.--Dear Sir: Yours
OF March received with enclosed from
parties in Union City, Tenn. The claim
is that these parties do not know the
status OF the library matter On the
application OF the mayor aud six alder
men OF Union City, Mr.. Carnegie prom
ised library building for Union City
in the following letter, which was adj
dressed to the superintendent of schools,
as he happened to be the correspondent:
April s, 1870 Arthur G. Mute,
Esq, Superintendent Of Schools, Union
City, Tenn. Dear Sir: Responding to
your communication on behalf Of Union
City: II the city agree by resolution Of
council to maintain free public library
at cost OF not less than one thousand
dollars a year and provides suitable
site for the building, Mr.. Carnegie will
be glad to give ten thousand dollars to
erect free public library building for
Union City. Respectfully yours,
JAS. BERTRAM.
Il trust that the above information
will enable your correspondent to un-
derstand the status Of the library mat
ter and return their letters to you here
with. Very truly yours,
JAS. BERTRAM. ("
Then we asked for copy of the let
ter giving permission to use one OF the
rooms for schoolroom, as the people
OF Union City had been led to believe
that such permission had been given.
Following is the answer:
Carnegie Corporation Of New York,
$40 Fifth Avenue. New York, April.5,
1918. Hon. FINS J.. Garrett Sir:
Yours Of April 3 received With regard
to the letter you enclose from Mrs.
Gibbs, there is nothing to add to our
letter OF March 10 to you, which states
explicitly that the library was given to
Union City. The letter was only adj
dressed to the school superintendent be-
cause he was the person to correspond
about the library. No permission was
ever given to use the building, or any
part OF it, for school. A library build
ing was asked for and promised, and the
citizens OF Union City need no further
information than is given in our letter
OF March 10 to you to enable them TO
take such action as is necessary to make
the building available entirely for the
purpose for which it was given. In any
event Mr.. Carnegie cannot enter into
local differences. In only one or two
cases out OF the thousands of library
buildings Mr.. Carnegie has given have
those concerned not acted in good faith.
Very truly yours,
JAS. BERTRAM, Sec. F"
Lately Mr.. G. N. Gibbs, OF Chatta-
nooga, who had donated the school lot
for school purposes only, wrote Mr..
Carnegie for certain information and
sent it through Secretary Of the Treas
ury VIM. Gibbs McAdoo. and this is
the reply:
Mr.. Charles N. Gibbs, 784 E. Ninth
street, Chattanooga, Tenn. Dear Sir;
Yours Of October (no date) received adj
vising that the site on which the Union
City library was erected was really do-
mated by you for school purposes and
asking what assurance was given as to
ownership OF the site by the authorities
OF Union City. enclose for your in
formation three documents: Copy Of
the promise Of building, quotation
from official letter about the site, and
copy Of resolution by the city authori-
ties about the site.
Very truly yours,
JAS. BERTRAM, Sec.
Following are two Of the enclosures,
one Of them being identical with the
first letter given Ia this article.