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Show MOMHLIBn BE SOLD TO HID Salt Lake, March 12. Ell R. Peirce's famous library of Mormon literature, comprising L'800 volumes and considered the best collection oi its kind In tho west, may bo ndded to the library of Harvard university at Cambridge, Mass., though the Mormon Mor-mon church desires nearly 500 of the volumes for its own collection. It was admitted at the Polrce residence, resi-dence, 1G1 C street, last night, that the Harvard Alumni association, represented rep-resented by Professor George B. Hendricks Hen-dricks of the Massachusetts Agricultural Agricul-tural college, recently closed negotiations nego-tiations with Mr. Peirce for the complete com-plete library, It is said that the Harvard Alumni association will pay $2,50 a volume for the library or a total of SG000. Mr. Peirce, who was born In Salt Lake, began collecting Mormon and antlmorraon writings when ho was a boy and now it Is claimed for hlo collection that It is the most complete com-plete on Mormon literature in the west, and worth a small fortune. Tha library Is said to contain all tho writings writ-ings of the Mormons during the earliest earli-est history of the church and the writings of those who attempted to discredit the church during tho same and later periods. Professor Hendricks .appeared In Salt Lake nearly three weeks ago as president of the Utah-Harvard club of Boston. He conferred with Mr. Peirce regarding the library and is said to have contracted for Us purchase pur-chase for $11000. Though the library is still at the Polrce residence, it is said It will be boxed up and sent to the Hnrvard library soon atfer Mr, Peirce returns from a trip to Los Angeles. Harvard men In Utah became familiar fa-miliar with the completeness of the Peirce collection several years ago land it said they offered to pay part of the expenso of its purchaae. Ro-1 ports made pn the library caused Professor Hendricks to come to Utah to make a personal Inspection of its volumes. President Antbon H. Lund, church historian, said last night that there were certain volumes In the Peircp collection which would help to make the library of the Mormon church more complete. He said Mr. Polrce refused to consider the sale of a parr of the library. oo |