Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-17
100000 library
IS GIFT OF MORGAN
Collection Of $4,000 Books
and Manuscripts Is Memo
rial to His Father.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, February 16.-J. P.
Morgan announced tonight that as a
memorial to his father. the late ].
Pierpont Morgan, he had turned over
his magnificent library, It's valuable
contents and the ground upon which
1t stands to a board Of trustees, who
are intrusted with it's maintenance in
perpetuity for the use of scholars
from all parts of the world.
The collection, believed to be the
best in private hands in existence,
was estimated by Mr.. Morgan to be
worth in the vicinity Of $4,000
With 1t he gave an endowment of
$1.500.000. In addition. he waived all
personal and legal rights to the prop
erty.
Contains $4,000 Books.
The library, which 10 to be desig-
mated 1.-The Pierpont Morgan Library"
was first assembled by the late ].
Pierpont Morgan in 1905 and housed
\ IN q building, opensd thu yfeHsssins
year on tract Of land extending
from East "asth to East 37th streets.
between Madison and Park avenues.
With the additions which have been
made by Mr.. Morgan since the death
OF his father in 1913, 1t contains $4,000
books and manuscripts, Of which
10, 600 are rare or unique
My fathers intense interest and
satisfaction in the library which he
left me-" said Mr.. Morgan. makes
1t peculiarly fitting memorial to
him. It Is q memorial which keeps
alive the memory of his love of rare
books and manuscripts and his belief
in the educational value of the col
lection which he had gathered"
Full Power to Trustees.
Mr.. Morgan made 1t clear that the
trustees would take his place in the
ownership with full powers ito d.
rect and control the use Of the build
ing and contents" so that they may
be made available in every way pos
sible for the advancement of knowl-
edge and for the use of learned men
of all countries"
ne bdlo lHS use VI lilo AiOi Oil y
would have to be confined to scholars
and research students and would have
to be denied the general public be-
cause of the fragility of the books
and manuscripts and because. once
injured. they could neither be re-
stored nor replaced.
"A careless thumb" he said. could
undo the work of 800 years. I be-
Iieve the interest from the endow
ment should support the library. II
I want to do more, shall do 50
from time to time in the way Of
additions"
Family ON Board.
There are six trustees, Mr.. Morgan,
his wife, his sons. Junius Spencer
Morgan and Henry Sturgis Morgan:
James Gore King and Lewis Cass
Ledyard. Whenever vacancy among
the trustees occurs by death or
resignation. the remaining trustees
Der six.
Mr.. Morgan expressed the hope
that II at the time Of such an cleo
ton, there should be in existence a
direct descendant of my father in
the male line" and II he were deemed
suitable person." he should be
chosen to fill the vacancy.
Among the principal collections In
the library, there are $50 volumes
Of illuminated manuscripts. dating
from the sixth to the sixteenth
century. Among Photograph manu-
scripts Of the works and correspond
ence of American. English and con-
tinenta1 authors, sos writer's are
represented, while there are about
1000 signed letters and documents
unbound.
IndulgeAce Dated 1856.
The extensive collection Of incuna-
bula. comprising books printed before
1900, includes the only specimen In
America Of the earliest dated piece
Of printing, the Indulgence" dated
1855, of Pope Nicholaus v, issued to
each person as should contribute
money to aid the King Of Cyprus
against the Turks"
Among the Bibles, there are the
Ashburnham, the so.called Gutenberg
printed at Mainz before 1465. all the
English editions from Coverdale on
ward and dozens in strange tongues
o from the collection OF historical
personages-thirty, shelves in ALL, OF
greater rarity Is the Great Psalter.