The Portland daily press., 1889-02-22
| PORTLAND'S LIBRARY.
Mr.. Baxter's Munifieent Gift ApprO.
priateIy Dedicated.
The Handsome Building Opened to the
People Of Portland,
With Eloquent Expression Of its Pur.
pose and Possibilities.
Its Donors Words Of Presentation and
Mayor Chapman's Reply.
Addresses by Judge SymOnds and Hon.
James ". Bradbury.
History Of the Public Library Pre-.
pared by Mr.. NOyes.
Mr.. Putnam's Presentation Of Paul
Akers's Beautiful Work
And Mr.. Elwell's Response for the
Society Of Art.
Mrs. Aliens Verse Fittingly Closes
the DeditatOry Ceremonies.
And Mr.. EIwelps Response for the
Society Of Art.
Mrs. Aliens Verse Pittingly Closes
the Dedicatory Ceremonies.

The Baxter building is now open to the
public. The noble structure is located on Con-
gress street, opposite the Plymouth or First
Free Baptist church. Its length is Y feet, and
its height, exclusive Of the statue on the apex is
62 feet The facade is built of brown free
stone from the celebrated Kibbi quarry of
Connecticut, and Ohio sand stone. 1t is Of
the Romanesque style of architecture and its
ornamentation is elaborate land. attractive
The three statues shown in the sketch are
each eight feet In height and represent his
tory. literature and art. They suggest the
purpose for which the building is erected
and the object to which it is devoted Be
meath its roof the Public Library. Historical
Society, and eventually, by means of an ad-
dition in the rear to be constructed at fu-
ture date, the Society Of Art will find home.
Mr.. James p. Baxter had in view the erec-
ton of this building for several years, and on
March 10th, 1887, he communicated this in
telligence to the officers of those societies,
The plans were first drawn by Mr.. F. II.
Fassett the eminent architect, and the build
ing constructed from the plans so generously
contributed by Messrs. Fassett and Tompson.
The corner stone was laid with impressive
ceremonies on Sept. 9th, 1887, and the build
tees few months ago.
The entire building covers 6336 square feet.
The main building has a frontage on Con-
gress street of 20 feet and depth of 81 feet.
The stack room, in the rear-or annex-in
which the books will be stored, is AS SO
feet, and Is feet from the main floor to the
roof. The entrance TO the main building is
in the front centre, and opens INTO corridor
IA feet wide, extending back t6 feet to the
delivery desk of the library proper. On the
right of the corridor door opens into the
reading room, which is SO X 27 feet, with
height of IA feet, and opens in the rear into
the stack room. On the right of the stack
room is cozy little office for the librarian.
and on the left the Willis room, which is the
same size as the librarians apartment. On
the opposite side of the corridor, or left is
the room Of the Historical Society, of cor
responding size to that of the library. A
short flight of stairs, from the main en-
rooms will be found, fitted for storage,
of the same size as the reading rooms Of the
Historical Society and Public Library above
In the room devoted to the Historical
Society is fire proof vault 12x13 feet in size.
At the rear Of this room is the engine. Open
ing from the public library's storage room
is feri proof room Of the same size as the
engine room. The basement room of the
library will also be used as boys reading
room. There are other large storage rooms
in the second story of the main building.
From the main floor broad flight of stairs
leads up to the hall in the second story
which will be known as Baxter hall. 1t has
an open timbered roof In Gothic style, made
Of Georgia pine. The beams are plain,
champered and vanished. The height of
the hall is % feet at the sides and So to the
apex Of the roof. The hall will seat 561 peo-
pie on the main floor and In the rear gallery
and Is provided with folding chairs The
corridors Of the building are paved in black
and white tiles, and the building is finished
In hard woods. The stairs are cast iron, and
the doors of hard wood. All the rooms are
hard plastered and tinted, and the ash trim
mings are very light and cheerful. The
building is lighted by the incandescent elec-
trio light and piped for gas.
The reading room and stack room are par
tlcularly attractive rooms. The stack room
is room OF ample proportions and in 1t are
sets of shelves containing something over
10000 books: The shelves are solid and sub
stantial, and OF finished white wood. Large
windows let in an abundance of light in the
daytime, while incandescent lights will
make everything brilliant at night On the
ends OF the shelve tops, facing the center Of
the room, are numerous busts, which are the
are, they look very picturesque and add
greatly to the beauty of the room. The
books are arranged upon the shelves accord
ing to the system used in the Boston circu-
iating lat library, y,aih ana YER very largely throughout
to be the best. The books are arranged for
convenience, those most often consulted be-
ing nearest the desk, and those less used far
ther away: In the center of the room are
desks for the use of the clerks.
The reading room has been made very at
tractive by the many pictures which have
been hung. No stranger should leave the
city without visiting this room, for at one
side Of the room has been PLACED Paul
ture of "The Dead Pearl Diver" 1t occupies
a conspicuous place surrounded by gilt
railing and set off by maroon background,
where its beauty Is seen to good advantage
A description Of this g. magnificent n work Of
The room is large, airy and light, and here
we can look at the latest pictorial papers:
the mechanically inclined can pore over the
pages of the Scientific American, or the High
School scholar can struggle with the ex-
amples of figures for his English lesson. or
search for data in ancient history, or facts
for possible thesis on political economy.
ANY resident of Portland may take books
from the library by complying with the
simple regulations necessary to the proper
preservation Of the library.
The executive force Of the library will be
as follows:
Librarian-StepheD M. Watson.
Cataloguer- NJ Z. Barbour
delivery Clerk=MlSS AuCc W It uTDlSn.
Reference Clerk-Miss Winifred H. Smith,
Assistants-Miss Lucy Z. Morgan, Miss Flora
4. Hamilton.
Janitor-Fred Z. Whitney.
The Opening Exercises.
Last night the doors of the new Public
Library were thrown open to the public for
the first time Every room was brilliantly
lighted with electric lights. and through the
beautiful apartments passed, hither and
thither, the large number of visitors, part
of whom assembled to listen to the opening
exercises, which took place in Baxter hall,
and part to view the attractive and COM
modious quarters Of the Public Library and
the Maine Historical Society. Only holders
of tickets were permitted to pass up stairs
to Baxter hall. This unique and beautiful
hall last night presented very tract
i've appearance. The chairs are very com
Portable and roomy, and all the furnishings
new and harmonious. Before the hour for
| the exercises began every seat was occupied.