The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-11-05
WASHINGTON, Oct. 80, 1880.

Preparations for the winter cam
paign here at the Capital are being
made on every hand. 1t is apparent
that the city will be overrun with Wis.
itOrs during the next session of Con-
gress, to be followed in March by the
Inauguration of Hon. James A. Gar
field as President for the next four
years. Among the most notable i'm
provements are those made by G. G.
Willard, the genial proprietor of the
Ebbitt House, so long and fayorably
known as the home of members of
the Cabinet, Senators, Representatives,
Foreign Ministers, officers of the Army
and Navy, as well as the general pub
lie throughout the whole country. The
exterior OF this vast hotel is faultless.
Its beauty is standing invitation to
enter and enjoy its homelike comforts.
The culinary department is equal to
any in the world, while the table is
amply supplied with every luxury that
can tempt the palate. Its location is
unequaled, and reached by the street
cars from every depot. The large and
beautiful parlors, the airy and elegant
ly furnished rooms, the hops and re-
ceptions, and the wealth, culture and
beauty that gather at this vast hotel
make it a most inviting place for
strangers to stop while visiting the
Capiatl.
Assistant Postmaster General Brady
reports that on June 80, 1880, the end
of the fiscal year, the postal service
embraced 1,11S railroad routes, at an
aggregate cost Of $1O,498,986. The ex-
pense for transportation over 1893
"Star service" routes, aggregating 1885,
248 miles for the entire year, was
1881, 449. The rapid settlement of the
West has greatly increased the demand
for larger postal facilities. Calls are
constantly made for the establishment
of new postal routes over railroads and
public roads.
The subject of building new Con-
gressional Library must come before
the next Congress.
A provision of an act passed April
"a, 1900, for removing the U. S. Gov
eminent from Philadelphia to Wash
ington appropriated $4,000 for the pur-
chase of "such books as may be neces-
sary for the use of Congress at the city
of Washington" That was the begin
ming of the present splendid library.
At that time Washington city con-
tanned less than 500 inhabitants, and
there were no more than three public
libraries in the United States embrace
ing over 5000 volumes. In January.
1902, Congress passed an act making
$4,000 available for books for the IL
brary, regulating the use of books,
creating the joint committee on library,
and giving the President the authority
to appoint a librarian. Until 1916 the
clerks of the House of Representatives
were the librarians of Congress. Since
that time there have been but four IL
brarians, viz: Geo. Waterson, appointed
by James Madison, served IA years;
John S. Meeham, appointed by Gen.
Jackson, served 80 years; John G.
Stephenson, appointed by Mr.. Lincoln,
served years, and the present incum-
bent, Ainsworth r. Spofford, appointed
by Mr.. Lincoln in 1864, who has served
over 16 years. When the British for
ces burned the Capitol, in 1914, they
destroyed the library, which then con-
tanned but 5000 volumes. In 1914
not book was left, and that year Con.
gress voted the money to purchase the
library of Thomas Jefferson, many op-
posing because there were more books
than would ever be needed. Year by
year appropriations were made until
1857, when fire destroyed $4,000 vol
umes, leaving but 10000 remaining.
The library now contains $4,000 vol
umes, with shelf-room for 100000, leav-
ing 10000 to be piled in heaps on the
floor. Besides these there are 10000
pamphlets, 5000 bound volumes of
newspaper files, embracing more than a
century of American history, complete
sets of the London Times since 1896,
Of the London Gazette since 1865, and
of the Monlteur Universal since 1887,
and nearly all the English and Amer
lean reviews and magazines. Two
newspapers from each state, represent
ing both political parties, have been
taken for many years, and are kept for
reference. PHAKs.