Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1882-10-28

notating and digesting the contents
of his vast collection of printed and
manuscript volumes, gathering and
arranging for ready reference eveiy
detail referring to the history of
the tribes and peoples of whom he is
writing Without such system Il o
author would be overwhelmed with
the multitude of his materials ard
ten lfetimes would IL ot suffice for
the production of the work which he
has undertaken.
The result of all this labor and re-
search is "The Bancroft Library"
the collection and annexation of which
have cost its owner half million dol
lars. The library contains nearly
forty thousand volumes of books
and manuscripts, every page of
which, except the very recent addi-
tions. has been carefully scanned and
sifted in the search for historical
truth. The literature of the world
has been ransacked in order to col
lect these volumes. Here are books
from every civilized land and in
every civilized tongue, all bearing
more or less dire-tly upon the his
tory of this coast. There are volumes
in this library purchased at the An
drade sale in Leipsic, the sale of the
Raminez collection in London, the
sale of Squiers' manuscripts in New
York, and at every other noted book
sale in any quarter of the world for
more than a score of years. Here
are records of Mexican affairs dat
ing from the sixteenth century:
original manuscripts from the ancient
missions in California and other
Spanish colonies; weather-stained
journals in faded ink, recording the
tolls and hardships of pioneer travel
across the plains; collections of val
liable public documents and archives;
and volume after volume of private
papers of the most interesting char
acter, obtained from the family IL
braries of early settlers. Here are
Lord Kingsborough's famous folios
on Mexican antiquities, and volumes
of costly maps and engravings.
Here are rare old books, purchased
at cost of four hundred dollars a
volume, and cheap publications fresh
from the press; ponderous folios in
primitive hog-skin binding, and thin
duodecimos bound in cloth in the
latest style; copies of the first books
and papers printed west of the
Rocky Mountains, and files of the
last Oregon and California dailies.
Here are books of every kind and
written in every style; histories,
biographies, journals of exploration
and discovery, stories of mountain
adventure and of missionary labor
and devotion, narratives of Indian
massacre and of frontiersman's ro-
venge, political pamphlets, poems,
novels and sermons, all grouped
around the one grand idea that furn-
ished the motive of the collection.
Some faint appreciation of the ex-
tent, variety, and value of this array
of books may be obtained by exam
lining the list of authorities quoted
in the work on the "Native Races"
although that list necessarily en-
braces only an inconsiderable por-
ton of the works in the library. For
the safe keeping of these rich treas
ures Of historical lore, Mr.. Bancroft
has recently erected a two-story
brick building, which is entirely de-
voted to the use Of his library. Ex
cepting the space occupied by his
own study and the workrooms Of his
the whole building is
with books, above and be-
low, arranged in shelves nine tiers
high around and across the floors.
Aside from its special value is an
aid to the work which
Mr.. Bancroft has undertaken, this
library is one of the richest collec-
.ions Of historical work that has ever
been made by private means. But
with reference to the pur-
pose of its collection its worth is be-
yond estimation. But for Mr.. Ban
croft's persevering care many OF the
most valuable manuscripts in it would
have been lost to the world.
It is safe to say that no amount OF
wealth would make it possible at this
day to gather another such library.
If Mr. Bancroft had done nothing
more, therefore, the accumulation OF
this vast and unique store Of histor-
ical material, would entitle him to
the lasting gratitude Of his country
men, and especially Of those who
dwell on this side of the continent.
He has made it possible to write the
history of this coast with an
accuracy of detail unequaled in any
other historical work covering .
similar length of time and extent of
territory. If he shall now succeed in
giving us such q history he will
double the debt which this and future
will owe him. What he
has already done is a long step to-
wards success, for it has given him
the unique advantage of producing
his history from the most thoroughly
workshop that was ever at
the command of any historian.