The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-01-14
MOUNTAINS OF PRINTED NATTER
Tons looks and Copyrighted Matter
piled lin in the National Library.

Tons looks and Copyrighted Matter
Piled Up in the National Library.
Ihave been spending busy hour with
the busiest man in Washington. For nine
years the project for building O suitable
and safe deposit for our books, maps,
pictures, photographs, Autographs, and
all sorts of printing matter, has been agl-
tated by those who have the good of the
land at heart. About five years ago the
bill passed the senate. Delay was oil
that prevented the bill from becoming
law at that time. Two years ago 1t came
up again, and again it was delayed in the
house and laid over, having twice passed
the senate. Meantime, during these nine
wears, the increase of the product Of the
land in this line has simply heaped up
mountains Of printed matter, with no
place to put It. A goat or Rocky
mountain ram might enjoy leap and
Tanble through the library of congress as
it now appears, but hardly o human be-
ing. .....
TONS UPON TONS OF NATTER.
Let ue see. Here are four stories OF
books; each story is of iron, all safe and
solid enough. But there Is no room; no
longer room. to turn around in or place
anything at ell in order. There was at
first room for 800 o00 books; but the libra
rian has found room, after a fashion, for
more than 100000. to say nothing Of the
mountains and threatening avalanches OF
maps, chromos, charts, Autographs, pho
tographs, and indeed all sorts of pictures
and. prints that must, under the copyright
laws, find place here. ..,<
|. Tons upon tons Of matter Is piled up In
the dark storage-rooms in the basement.
Here, in the library, where books, maps,
and. all sorts of copyrighted works are
supposed to be accessible to oil, the "stuff"
is simply piled up in great inaccessible
heaps. It had as well be sealed up in the
tonDs of Egypt. What o chance for
fire! And suppose this man should die
who has so long heen at the head Of the
library, and has had to carry all this COLI
fusion and chaos in his mind for SO many:
wears, who could put all this disorder to
rights? Does this seem strange? 1t Is g.
proper interrogation. No man living
could do it.
Ainsworth r. Spofford, librarian of con-
press. is not only the busiest man IN
Washington but perhaps the most learned
man in his line in America. Not con-
pressman who has ever been In this
library and asked for book or anything
else to be had here will dispute that.
There is not O senator who does not,
figuratively if not in fact, take off his hat
at mention of this little man who has
been in charge here since long before
many Of you were born. Strange with
what patience and quiet good-nature he
has continued to put up with: all THU
delay and confusion Of books, and maps,
and pictures, and mountains Of prints.
DIsREspKCT, TO OUR AUTHORS. ::
When you reflect. that every published
work every piece Of are int he way OF prints
or pictures. must find places here YOU
viii have some sort Of an idea about the
wonderful gallery of art works which lies
buried here aad the hundreds, OF tons OF
books, papers, and pamphlets, prints, and
70 on. Only think how many loads OF
stuff every day Is arriving here TO DO
packed and crowded and heaped some
where in or about these -four. stories OK
iron ahelves. ,.--.,.... ........ 49,. II
: 1 proclaim to the members Of the west
hat this delay Is not decent. It is noS
Treating the books OF our authors WITH
respgct. You would not willingly put
yorr dog iu such places as you compel tho
librarian to tumble the brain works OK
your best men and women IN. America.
Aad how can they be seen or read In this
5hnpa? =.
while on this subject OF confusion here.
may mention thaS found In she form OK
o plaster east @ tender and pittful face Oh
our Savior in eae Of the dask corners. BY
sa American eEaist. It is profile In
plaster, and 80 very full Of qusss Pity and
pathos that turned eboue to Hook aS II
more thaa once. It is not oonspiououS
for what It says, bat for what 1t suggests;
like one of Robert Browning's poems. I
do not know what 1t Is doing here, except
to help add TO the helpless confusion
which has unaveidsbly oveTsaken all
things in our great library, which is about
one-senth the capacity of the British mu-
scum. IlIa:s face, 1 am told, was done by
young man from the west; son OF
Senator Voorhees,, ,-Joquin Millor's Wash
In 0tnp I,attaY