The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-03-07
LETTER FROM CINCINNATI.
The Public Library.
CIYClNyATI, O., March |

CINCINNATI, O., March /.
Editors OF the Register.
In number Of the Cincinnati Com'
merciaL for November, 1873, is cut oil
the Public Library Building just then
completed.
Situated on Vine street, between
Sixth and Seventh streets, this grand
edifce presents an imPosing front oil
four stories in height and eighty feet
front.
Entering at the front door the visitor
sees in the distance the commodious
hall. This nall is so feet by los. The
floor is oi blocks OF variegated marble.
There are five tiers OF alcoves Tor books.
In the centre OF the slcoves on the main
aoor are handsome red Lisbon marble
pedestals designed for busts. There are
niucty-two alcovcs supported by iron
| pillars. And there is a capacity 10
these alcoves for two hundred and flty
thousand books. Books are sent up
spd down by means Of dumb walters.
The ceiling is composed OF tinted
glass and is very clear and beautiful.
The building is fire proof It wss
erected at cost Of 1888 600.
The structure is one Of the graDdest
in the whole country, aud almost un-
surpassed in America.
! The occasion TO which we most de-
sire to call the attention Of the reader
and visitor, il 10 the dedication OF this
| public reading hall.
% the afternoon Of Wednesday, Feb
ruary 2Sh, large crowds of visitors,
both ladies aud gentlemen, mer, wo-
men and children, wended their way TO
the Public Library. The room was
tastelully orDamented with the AmeriS
can colors; wreatbs OF evergreens and
sweet scented selections from the various
green houses. Every person present
seemed to hail the occasion with JOY
and gladness. The people OF Cincinnati
turned out from their desks, their banks,
their stores, their factories, and their
counting rooms, to listen for few
bours to the voice OF poetry, literature,
art and philosophy. The business oi
those present was for the time suspend
ed. Partisan feelings were put aside,
political animosities buried, financial
speculations forgotten. 1t WAS day
devoted 10 the cause OF science aud the
triumph OF intellectual entertainment
over the lucrative gains OF the hour.
1t was an hour devoted to the happl-
ness and entertainment OF the whole
people. No class nor grade Of people
we're known, all were on the same so'
cial equality.
The building and the library is the
glory OF the people and the pride Of the
city.
1t remains as monument OF the
times and OF those who erected it. And
when the hands, aud the architect and
the mechanics who formed it, shall be
mouldering in the dust, aud it's occu-
pants on that happy day have passed
away, it will still remain as a lasting
and imperishsble monument. And
yet the grspdest oration that could be
pronounced on that occasion is, that
the fame OF this ediice, and the recep-
tacle OF these books, will grow the more
extensive in the tick, tick, tick, OF
times years as they drop into the SIS
lent past
The oratious made Oh that day were
oil very high order. ,
HIS Honor, Mayor Johnston presided
with grace aud dignity.
But by far the grandest triumph OF
oratoricsl skill and eloquerCe, WAS the
mastery orat On Of the Hou. Geo. II.
. Peudletou. In an easy, quiet, but gltt-
, ed manner the eloquent aDd high
wrought sentences fell from his lips.
Then suddenly from his natural, easy
hou OF language he would break off TO-
10 those grand climAxes and metaphors,
those foe illustrators from history
, tor which he is noted; and those burn
ing, passionate quotations OF poetry,
His peroration can hardly be surpassed
in the English language.
We give it (his Derorstion) entire:
intended TO appeal TO g nearer and
higher suthority-yourss!ves
INTENDED TO recall he ;n'ense delight
with which, in earlIes! youth. you all
read tn. Arabian Nights and Robinson
Crusoe.
Iinteudsd to reawaksn the enthusiasm
with which az boys you read the sea
= scenes OF Marystt and the forest scenes
OF Cooper; aud to cause to well up
again out OF your true womaniy
hearts into filing eyes the tears "hich
= sc maidsus you shed over the Scottish
Chiefs or the Children OF the Ao0ey.
INTENDED TO have reminded you Of
toe intense interest with which you
reveled iu the gorgeous glorIes of hsroic
cbiyalry es painted BY Scott aud Bull
1er. and the sobeI.d but ever more ab'
E ,orbipg pleasure with which you fol,
loved Motley, as he told OF the Neither,
j lands and William the Silent; Prescott
4 as b. recouuted the stories OF Cortsz il
4 Mexico and Pizarro in Perm. and o.
Phillip, the gloomy architect OF tn,