The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-10-26
COMMUNICATIONS.
Letter from the National Capital.
THE SOLDIERS FREE LIBRARY.
WASHINGTON. ID. C.. Oct. 20. lS63

WASHINGTON, ID. e., Oct. 20, 1865.
To the Editor Of the Press:
Walking up Fifth street, on the western side
OF Judiciary Square, one notices a building
like condensed rope-walk, some sixty-fye
feet in length by twenty-five in breadth, only
one story high, constructed of rough boards,
but thoroughly whitewashed and set down at
the first glance as belonging to the Judiciary
Square Hospital. This impression is confirm
ed on observing that the five windows along
the side, like those in many of the Govern
ment hospitals, have only six panes each, the
sash being hung on pivots and revolving for
The admission OF air. As if to put the matter
beyond rational donbt, there PAGES the inevt-
able sentinel before the door, clad in the bright
blue uniform Of the Invalid Corps and hand
ling his drawn sword in the usual careless
fashion, as If it were an overgrown iack-knile
walkins-stick, tooth-pick - anything but a
sword. Soyou glance back over you shoulder
to admire once more the astonishing ugliness
of the architectural blunder called the City
Hall, which occupies the southern side OF the
square and gives it its name: or you glance
forward TO the infamous Prison, in the north
eastern corner. and reflect upon its undesirable
notoriety as the worst prison in this country
or in Europe, the most abominable, filthy, ill
ventilated den, except only few in Austria
You are fully satisfied meanwhile of the cor
rectness Of your judgment respecting the
character and design of the little building just
before you.
You are wrong though. As you draw near
er you read the neat inscription, Soldiers
Free Library and Reading ROOM" and of
course you 90 in. The door opens flush on
tile street, and the windows on the street are
civilians with two sashes The library nearly
four thousand volumes, is in little apartment
on the right OF the entrance. Any soldier is
entitled to borrow book for the term of ten
days, or may be supplied with pen, ink and
paper and furnished quiet place to write
letter home, free OF charge. Opposite 10 the
library is a hospital storeroom of like size.
which supplies thousand dainties for the sick
and wounded. On the walls of the storeroom
week agohung score of relics of the war
musket from Bull Run; a minnie rifle ball
aimed at the Captain of Maine battery at
Gettysburg, and picked up by private after
barely missing its mark; terribly ragged
dress, taken from little black girl on Gen.
Lees magnificent Arlington estate, and saved
after washing as specimen Of the patriar-
chal style of clothing dependents; broken
weapons and fragmeutary accoutrements
from half dozen battle-fields. A Bible was
preserved here, perforated from Genesis to
Mark by a shot designed for its owner.
This however was not exposed TO the general
eye, but might have been seen upon request.
Passing on, you find yourself in the main
hall, room fifty feet long, lighted on either
side and at the end opposite the entrance by
queer little revolving windows already de-
scribed. low dais stands at the further end,
aud upon it a melodeon. About two thirds of
the floor are covered with wooden benches,
unpalnted. Altogether the place looks not
unlike New England country school house
The walls however are decorated with FLAGS
and pictures. There are about hundred pic
lures, some OF them very handsome, and one
or two drawings by soldiers, designed express
ly Tor these walls. Two or three tables are
covered win magazines and pictorial papers.
Daily and weekly papers from all the loyal
States are ranged on the files. Nor are these
the only attractions. Our 10000 volumes the
donation Of Northern liberality, have been
given away to soldiers some 5000 magazines
and hundreds of bibles and testaments have
been distributed in like manner and the
American Tract Society, of Boston, has fur
nlshed $500 worth of reading, for the same
purpose.
1t was happy thought. which something
more than year ago inspired Mr.. and Mrs.
John A fewle TO engage in this enterprise.
Mr.. fowle was then in the Navy Department.
but has returned to Boston within n week
The Soldiers Free Library was opened in n
hired room about ten feet square A grant of
land for building was obtained from Con-
gress. The Government allowed convaescent
'eis nun tue hospitals 10 assist in the
erection OF the building and otherwise. The
acting librarian, Mr.. Philo Tower, is private
10 m the 9TH New York Artillery, detailed by the
war department for his present duty. The
sum OF sliOO was raised to pay for materials
ana inrnlture-SS00 of it, rs will be remem-
bered by series of concert. given at the
Nortll oy Mrs: Fowle, formerly Miss Rumsey
OF new iork, and known as an excellent
sinser. lhe enterprise Is now conducted with
nj u
nations OF money and stores are annlisd
wholly TO the objects for which they are sde
signed. The books, periodicals and stationery
OF the Soldiers Library are all freely oivan
and freely used. e"0"
Every Tuesday evening while Mr.. and Mrs
Fowle remained in Washington, soldiers
Free Concert was given. Mr. Fowle acted as
musical conductor; Mrs. Fowle presided at the
lneiodeon The benches were thronged with
an orderly assembly of soldiers. with a shrink
ihg Oh civilians and women. An active boy
n. lulhisneu every visitor with copy of the little
coiieItioh vi simple melodies, quaint old tunes
Ior the most part, with familiar words. en-
ueared py thousand nameess associations to
the brave fellows who met there from week IN
week. when the singing commenced and the
gruh voices began 10 hammer away upon the
pass III ,he oiu, oia fashion, 1t was difficult 10
resist the impression that it ,vos n "o',n,s ~
school-honse after all, and country sinoing.
school within it, The entertainment was vs-
ried by songs, new and old, by Mrs. Fowle
The last evening was there, she sang a sono
OF her husbands, set to music of her own. with
rattllng chorus of "March, boys, march p in
which all present Joined spontaneously. The
concert invariably closed with "John Brown. ,
Five weeks ago, on Sunday, 18th Septem-
per, new movement was naugurated at the
free Library. The Soldiers Free Church was
established. 1t is the Broad Church, concern
ing which SO much has been spoken and writ
Ten Oh ia'e-the very thing The Journal, ruled