The Republican journal., 1888-12-20
The Library Of Congress.


ECONOMY WHICH Is COSTLY IN THE END
| THE DUTY or THE NATIONAL LEGISLATURE.
From the elevation and floor plans OF the
Congressional Library designed and begun by
the architects, Smithmeyer & PeIz, which have
just been published by the American Architect.
it appears that Congress, by going further is
likely to fare worse. One thing can be said for
their building; it would not have formed dis
agreeable contrast to the capitol, near which it l.
is 10 stand, but approaches the same order of
architecture. 1t is vastly better than the
heavy and tasteless army and navy building
which dwarfs the White House, but raises
that eminentIy respectable editice into the
ranks of high art. \ broad flight of stairs
leads to a terrace, and another flight carries
one 10 the first story of the proposed library.
\ carriage drive runs beneath the porch, which
thus serves pert c0chere The front re-
peat> pretty closely the spirit of the capitol il
self. with its central body marked by two
square corners jutting forward and having be-
tween them. above the tripple-arched entrance,
LONG upper porch supported by four double
columns. The general aspect may be imagined
from that OF our old city hall, of course on IA
vastly larger and more sturdy scale. There
We're TO he two square wings coming forward
10 the main line and joined to the central body
just described by connecting bodies with six
windows i'll line. The slightly >ioping roots
are screened in the old fashion by balu>trades.
This noble front is AGO feet long and was to be
duplicated in the course of time by "A rear of |
The same length. The sides were to be h3. feet |
torg and to follow the same general plan, |
that when completed the whole edtce would |
form square. from the center Of which would |
risc dome and cuPola of no great height
AS begun. only the front building and middle |
hail with dome were to be finished, in order to |
accommodate the books that overflow the |
present quarters for the library Of Congress |
A. the books accumulated. the sides aud rear !
! al Ia, mar wore In La liif .txyaa tha
side buildings and the middle body which is |
designed in the shape of a great cross,a very |
wide courtyard would have been lett on each
side. According to the plan, these courts |
were to tic farther >ubdividcd by inner build |
in-> connecting with front and rear. thus uti- |
lZlng the space. yet providing for abundance Of
light. 50 Ial - ran be discovered, no objections |
were made 10 the plan on the score of bad art |
or poor arrangements for the purpose for which |
it was designed. The reason given is the great |
expense OF the structure. and on that plea the |
architects have been dismissed and the site and
foundations turned over to the chief Of en@n
etrs Of The army with the understanding that |
il shall not cost more than four millions.
II We can learn anything from similar occur |
renee nearer home, the change. though osten- |
>ihly in tie direction of economy. will prove |
lar more costly in the end than it would have |
been. could The architects have carried out the |
ir>t design. Although the architects retained |
for the erection of the state capitol at Albany
were among the best in the country that build |
u " I'i" '.o po, IL IT, 'te & .,r,
ture, if The vault Of the assembly chamber |
cracks and he trc>roe> OF W. VI. Hunt are de-
inc iy, l.,,,,, wo,,Ii h3rIl,. i h,,,am If tho,.
iii n.t tlfrn, tho ht.,,o ~, ,I,n h,,i,,iar nf
foundations and lower story. Responsibility |
cannot lie fastened on them for they We're not |
| mn Ia thr ,n1 =, FAR -. en-, IN. .,,>,.ort,;ncI
Sm;hm.yrr anJ prl,z nave hnen mare than
rormoui, rarrfrl ntr, tI, ,,round On which
tl,. hI,re hriJlin.,. was Ia ~,tnJ ,,d ,,st th.
,n.,.,ioi ,,,LntEor t,,o as n,r,'r ,,hi.h
,art imtn tbl fnnnd,tinns pmt in athar va
>,,rrf> The rI,,n,rr i worse tban that Which
/ ,t.t ,lar, il, ia ,,au,,,au,ont f tbn .ILan,. |
r,,it.iI Jh-r. tb, .,i,iIitin. If tho ar.hitnrt.
r",iInI in If tbo ,lnxonth han, w..rn nn,nr;
nu,I, ,rrealpr nm thn.a of thn mon thay !
>m,.,.r,5Ie,i In his casa vLat ,ta,Jin" -. an
arfijtnrt lls a rl,irf If en~incorss RIt >,,n- |
,D,jng, l,y 4 1nirarle. that in = Intent ronii- |
lion he has i yerv ornius fnr arch;tnctmra
vIl,t rlu he io viii : nno oon an - Si,. al
rr.dy ocrIi,,i.J with the fo,ndatinns s''1 Of a
I'llf,. r,,rt s,n deraiyes hnr. !. o,,o ,anro |
S,f'iou, a.: ~ ,t,Ititi,;', VIZ u ''n,o n
~ 'i'' >'uitAii' 'iioii VI "t"-pte-
the dignity of the country, a, shown by the fit
ness and ,ieauty of the architecture at the ma
ton, ca,itaI men whose LEGISLATION rerar,ling
it.r,,t,fr anvil th 'i,o ,r, 49, ,ho i"n;,n5
stat"N ront"mpJihie il the eyes of the world.
IL y 'ia'tt among ne VH-ihi!iles that better
"'>l-h lnlght he l"uNd thih that OF Me>sr>.
NlHlhmeytr y Pe!u; uut what gives a sinister
| i'uk to The matter il the bad faith of which
Congress appears Il, have been guilty i'm the
,u.l,lpu .tboiitiuu Of ttc commission dismissal
1L lhe aFofHteftN. ana complete change OF plan |
Niai ai'hitefl WHO respects ms art and hlll- |
sc1, What architect whose work will be an
iu1.t,r to tmr,j.Y vyill care tn rvno>a himself
H. ~. ,, u "a '"t! VI hSI>!at1I: , "no are
who r.nnnt Ia f,,..j ~ H.. ~, - th,; ,, '
,Il(,na'i,. ,+ ti - 1 uP ~ .ie" e!i-
- "''''!N' -A'ii"i'- i'c Pcolt me me dii>
i' '"H' iu lii1 respect thtE OBTAIN: artists III
All branches respond to the demands made u(l- |
on them. But some charge of iul!neSs and ill- |
opportunr par,ilnonv rests on 1le LEGISLATORS of
.,'o n''.Il' WIN '.,SeS thth 10 o,ci,iate De
a".eh 'ie >iilNN' tAtl"Na-a!te ahd me most
refhie>> economy Everybody knows that an |
enormous space must be provided for the IL |
only 'b }aJ in :, I,,,nr ,,, ,' h, ' N'''
l,,- ~ f,tr,,.i vs.. s c"> out-
- ~ ''aom'' - C"il! Oh Iiter I'M, Iashloh.
1r =, ~ 49, ~ ~ q ~ " i i0.@ -, 'o-o'H III oi-
near future. \. \. Times.
|
Sirk hr,,ia,,,r i. rrali ru,.. l,. HIATT. S.r.o
para which tome. ;nI ,rtrf,ates me dt,.',inn |