The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-20
NOULD PREVENT LBRARY IN PARK BY INJUNCTION
Harrison Charges Phil lips With Attempt To Block Plans

sss If the library and park boards vote sNko place Birminghams $650.OOO pub Es.2ic library in Woodrow Wilson park, vehn injunction suit will be brought in van effort to prevent the use of the park space, according to reports that sIpersisted in official circles Friday. Ms It appears that, a majority of both ~ boards favor the park site. The only sSppposition thus far has come from Nj. NP. Phillips, park board member, who rsfecently returned from Europe. where he is said to have studied park prob ~1ems. Phillips has given no intima- @ytion of his plans other than to an- rsnounce his opposition to using park epace for any other purpose.
 MA Commissioner William l.. Harrison, Tswho is chairman of the park board, sfssued statement Friday charging MT. AsPhillips with an attempt to block the sx1ibrary plans. Almost at the time his hsetatement was being given to report ,ssers, Mir. Phillips was being compli- samented by the other members of the Aspark board at luncheon in the Mol weton hotel. Harrison was invited, but sent word that he had a previous en- Engagement.
 snss The library question was not dis cussed at the luncheon, but Mir. Phil sss1ips gave an interesting account of his ssoverseas tour. Those present were Mrs. Mary Echols. city commissioner i; SMr. and Mrs. Charles J. Sharp, Lewis ssBowen, Elmer c. Thurston, s. A. Ja- sseeobs, park board secretary, and Mir. and EsMrs. Phillips. ~ A final meeting to thresh out the gp.pse of the park site will be called by sssMr. Harrison in few days, he said Friday. His statement arraigning Mir. N Phillips follows:
 #s@ Harrison's Statement
 CT q am actuated in my interest in plac- ting the library building in Capitol park fby the earnest and frank plea of the ,. library board of its financial plight in = purchasing site and erecting a build Nsing with the money it had and the strong probability that if such a site s.could not be granted that it would be peunable to erect building, or if it did pserect one it would not adequately take ts~care of the library needs of a building issfor the present and future of this city, %sH'his situation impressed me greatly, sand to my mind called for the most nearnest and careful consideration of the gspark board in the interest of the city. Nss When the committee of the library @sbOard called on me I told its members That we would take it up with Mir. 'ssNVhiting, park architect, representing ssOlmsted Brothers, and see what he @gthought about it. We did, and after Tdiscussing it fully, MT. Whiting stated ,4that he thought if the design of the ~4building could be made to conform to ssthe park effect that it would be all right, and that in making his plan for ,xthe development of that park he prob xsably would have recommended the erec- sstion of building as q part of the plan. He stated that the library building rsprobably would be h help instead of an sasinjury to the park if it was worked out hRlong those lines. The library board as Nured him it would do it's best to have s,Fhat done. and Mir. Miller, the library eboard architect, who was present, was esaskcd to turn over to Mir. Whiting the building plans for his criticism and such jwssuggestions as he thought necessary. 1.-The library board suggested the center 7Of the park for the location, and Mir. EsWhiting suggested that the north side &0f the park, facing Eighth avenue, &swould be better suited to the park and
 his suggestion was accepted
 "rhis conference occurred about Au- asgust ,. Mir. Whiting went away and 4sseveral times since has written letters Saback asking for information concern Ting location and topography, and so
 
 esing patiently about a month and a Hhalf for a report on these plans and szhas not yet received it.
 Va During this time MT. M. F. Phillips, "a member of the park board, was on a "Trip to Europe and returned last week.
 He came to my office shortly after re- &sturning and said: I see the board has ssbeen doing some things while I was Away.' l said, Yes, l guess you ares ssfamiliar with practically all we have sadone.' He said he was. l said, You ~understand the proposition of putting The library building in Capitol park and we have referred the matter to Mir. , eWhiting and we are expecting to hear from him any day He said Yes. No
 hction will be taken until his report escomes.' He seemed unusually disinter- vested, not even intimating that he was for or against it. This was last Satur-
 day and on Monday we had a park .board meeting and the report came in Nthat morning and was read to the fneeting by the secretary. It dealt wholly with the policy of putting the Shnilding in the park and said nothing sHbout the design and plan of the build ling which was referred to him. MT. Phillips immediately stated he was in !. sfavor of standing by the architect, Y ssWithout again stating whether he was { flor or against it on policy. He was Tor just standing by the architect
 .sae. .On the strength of this report, not sknowing all the facts, the board voted Ito concur in the report. After this
 meeting l, by chance Otherwise we ewould never have known it), came into