West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1880-03-13
The Congressional Library

The library was founded April Path,
1900. Then no library In the country
exceeded fifteen thousand volumes. Yet
when the proposition was made, the fol-
lowing year, to allow thousand dol
lars for the purchase of books, senator
Bayard said 1t was claimed "we were
the most enlightened people on the face
OF the earth" But he wisely added
"If that was not altogether true, let us
be so as much as possible" A Massa-
chusetts Congressman advised the APP
preparation of ten thousand dollars an
nually for library purposes. The thou
sand dollars year was agreed upon
Tor ten years; then for nine years two
thousand year; then five thousand,
and in 1864 ten thousand dollars were
appropriated TO enlarge the Library.
Twice 1t has been burned-in 1914.
when the Capitol was burned by the
British and in 1851 by fire arising
from defective flue. In 1915 the Tho
mas Jefferson Library, of seven thou
sand volumes, was bought at the cost of
s23, 800, long credit for payment max
Ing 1t good purchase. Mr.. Jefferson
had been fifty years collecting these
books, and many of of them related to
American history. Mr.. SpofFord, the
accomplished librarian, divides the lib
rary into five epochs, beginning with
this purchase. Next after the fire in 1851,
$4,000 were appropriated for books
and $72, 800 to repair the room, and that
was the first time In America of using
cast iron for the interior of any edifice
Before the fire of 1851, the collection
numbered tifty-five thousand volumes :;
the fire reduced them TO twenty thou
sand, so that we might call the library
not much more than century old.
Again, the third epoch, when the Smith
sonian Scientific library was added in
1866. The fourth epoch, 1867, when
the hre-proof wings were added and
the Peter Force library purchased for
10000. The fifth epoch was I'm 1870
the introduction of the copyright sys-
tenn, which makes the library the re-
cipient of all publications protected by
law; this immense source for obtaining
books and publications costing the gov
eminent nothing. The Smithsonian
collection Is owned on the responsible
y OF making its stores contribute To
the diffusion of knowledge among men
thus 1t seems obligatory that the IL
brary be accessible to the people. It
should be open evenings which IL Is
not now--for those who cannot come
by day. If the Royal society of Lon
on had not rejected Mr.. James Smith
on's contribution to scientific researcb
IL would have received his fortune in.
stead Of the United States. 1t amoun-
ted to 1901 900, and of this. sI3 600 q
year are devoted TO procuring. publish
ing, and distributing original contribu-
lions to human knowledge; this con-
tains the transactions Of learned socie-
ties all over the globe. The library
and It's recovery from two fires, from
$500 TO ls7s-had cost 500, 200. Now
he country has 3 700 libraries. contain
ng 100000 volumes. The library
has doubled the numbdr Of volumes
twice IN hiteen years. II has now 352 90
90 volumes and 120. 900 pamphlets. and
VIII, no doubt, have 1900. 900 before
the close OF the century. Unless we
wish to be at the expense Of two bull
dings for this purpose, IL is necessary
hat this shall be two-thirds the size Of
the capitol. Only twelve Europeap
i6raries outnumber this. The British
museum library, numbering 100. 900
volumes cost 81 900 900 The Englisb are
proud Of Il and spare no expense thew
nave maps Of our little counties, hlsto.
les and careful records Of our affairs
which they say we cannot End in our
own country.