The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-03-27
Mercantile Library Ass0eiation-IhcNcw
Building mt Aston Place.


te AFRO purchased by the Clinton Hall Association for
tbs Mercantile Library of this city, face.
ne building which the home of song and rich
nth gorgeous decorations, magnificent chandeliers and
stage scenery found yesterday completely changed
and ringing with the voices Of aborers hammers
of mechanics The Mercantile Library for several years
East has been much cramped for want of in its
quarters Beeknan street. and after the urgent
solicitations of its members the Clinton Hall Association
decided purchase favorable site nsttu
ton The Aston Place Opera House being for sale at the
time Of the resolved change of locality Messrs Edmund
Coffin and Wilson G. Hunt purchased on behalf of the
Clinton Hall Association, and for the Of the Mercan
tile Library The cost Of this property $l4o and
the amount necessary for its alteration for library pur
poses estimated at about $75 900 more making the
entire outlay upon these premises much il at ALL
short Of The task of changing the theatre into
the library entrusted to the architect Mr. James
enwck Jr, who has certainly put every floor of the
building to the best possible The description Of the
building is as follows -
THE BASEMENT.
The basement of the building is turned into lecture
room capable seating hundred persons which is
well ventilated, and provided with four different places
Nsof entrance In any emergency the entire could
be emptied in less than two minutes In each Of
the lecture ROOM either side of the platform two
small rooms ut for chemical laboratory and many other
purposes. The has gradual rise from the platform
to seats sufficient to allow the lecturer to
from every part of it. Around the room, against the
wall and at the rear large iron pillars surmounted with
corinthian CAPS, support the upper floor.
Back Of the lecture large furnaces both
set into solid brick walls under the charge of the Cont
mental Insurance Company and from these, iron pipes
running throug each story Of the building, convey
heat TO every room.
The ceiling Of the lecture is handsomely de-
VIII completed il will nv
any of the size in the city 1t will be used for the
various courses of lectures of this institution also
the place Of meeting for the Clinton Union Debating
Society, literary club numbering between two and
three hundred members, and connected with the Mer
camille Library Association
We understand ALSO that this will be offered to
the New York City Literary Unon Congress of debat-
ing societies. newly organized by the industry and zeal
of Mr. Douglas Lefhngwell, wherein to hold their
regular quarterly meetings These associations to
attach themselves incidentally and almost necessarily
libraries, and when under good agement valua-
bic acquisition and exert great deal of good.
THE FIRST FLOOR.
The first floor has been divided into stores and spaci
GUS entrance hail. full twenty feet wde running through
the centre of the building, from the ground floor the
roof and opening both Astor place and Eighth street
In the internal arrangements OF the building while
pie provision has been made for all tho purposes the
SvHSNVANeioh LeVenuG
be derived from rents to be applied to the increase of the
Library has not been lost sight The ground floor ex
cluye of the entrance hail. has been made into stores
running through the building from Astor place to Eighth
street Six of these stores made the first floor all
Of them capable OF heavy business purposes They
well finished, and lighted with windows both streets
THE SECOND FLOOR.
Travelling up the great central stairway to the second
Hoor We have one side towards Broadway the Read
ng-room Of the Library, and the other side Of the
stairway long hail. running through the building length
wise, either side of which several small rooms
calculated for rental purposes. These rooms are well
lighted and desirable for Office and business
PURPOSES
pctcd and furn She'd will perhaps be the most magnii
cent in the country 1t is sixty feet WIDE ninety
feet long and as before stated occupies the second story
west Of the central hail. is lighted by large
dowshye Astor place and five Eighth street beside
large opening of twenty feet square through the
Of the ceiling, to the done the roof The ceiling
self is handsomely reseoed and richly panneei AID is
supported by twenty elegant Corntan columns stand
\, Ing againsttb wall, round the entire Four
five hundred persons comfortably seated here at
time, each engaged an his studies and meditations
without the least disturbance annoyance OF Ii j
neighbor
either side of The reading room, towards the stair
way is entrance into private drawing roo made
for the reception of lady visitors, for
writing and for various
The library is just the reading ROOM in tire centre
of which isa dumb waiter, and tube through which
any enc in the reading room communicate with the
lume which he may wish to peruse, thus saving the
trouble experienced in the present locality Mt Clinton
Hail. Of rupng and doeTn long flight Of stairs when
any new book is wanted.
Two large tables will be placed on each side of tho
reading containing all the periodicals and daily
papers oexpense haf been spared to make this
attractive, commodious and comfortable.
THE THIRD FLOOR.
Continuing our way up the central Stairway to the
third oor come to the library located the west
side of the starsov and of the din ensons the
reading room The library occupies the third and fourth
stories west OF the DaI the with
afsrge skylight
On the other of the central hall the arrangement
IL the the lower story, the space being appor
tonod into offices and for business uses ali of
which To be rented
1helibrary is in the CENTRE an cllirtical room sur
rounded by sixteen large uted Corinthan columns sup
magnificent panne.ied dome. The large shyligh the
centre OF the dome into the library immense
food of light and also ventlates the In the
tire of the library floor is the opening into the reading
below before alluded to. The columns stand upon
richly ornamented counter, which forms circle
Around the room under the dome, FROM side of
the entrance into the library to the ether Behind this
counter thelibaran and his assistants take their places,
and attendto the calls of the members The books
placed in cases, which radate fro the columns aud
IRON sixteen acoves each lighted by separate ssylght
in addition TO the external Windows of tho building.
Bockcasesar also to be placed around all walls Of
the library to be about thirty three feet high and
sories accessible by fights of stairs. This thus
arranged, viii hold 100000 volumes, which number,
judging from the present prosperous condition of the in
Ettution itwnl soon possess.
From Che dome, in the centre of this ROOM is to be
suspended aarge chandelier and to jet out
from every column, giving the whole ROOM the night
time, whenghted up, richness not easily surpassed.
THE FOURTH STORY.
This story the west side of the ain hail. Is cut
by the library and the other portion of il l. divided
into lodge and class The Mercantile Lii
brary yearly provides instructors the
languages and Sciences for whick fine commoiious
rooms are prepared in the fourth story.
THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING
The building externally Is not changed except with
windows and decorations. Around the building under
the caves, carved images of Minerva with the Cadu
appal hot imam Eia .,,,ira
signed md c7acute On the second story between each
window, is curved in stone the owl, ersbematc Of wis
4 dom, and Indicative of tie use OF the bpiiling.
The whole building has had coating Of nastic, and
only one thing is wanting to make 1t externally
complete This is niche in the east end facing the
square in which should be placed large statue Of
4 lie Witt Clinton, from whom the CNnton Hall AS