Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-10
A FINISHED EDIFICE.
Continued from First Page.

ing devOlved on the energetic chairman o
the committee, Mr.. James B. Scott. How
well the task has been accomplished car
readily be seen. Architects of national rep
utation who have visited and inspected the
edifce say that it is one of the cheapest al
well as one OF the best constructed building!
in the country. None but the best ma
terials have been used, but careful contract
ing and absence of any delay have been re-
sponsible for the early completion OF the
work in such satisfactory manner and style.
The sketch plans of Paul j. Pelz, were
admirable in theory; but their reduction to
practicality was accomplished only by the
exercise of much patience and hard work.
Excavation for the foundations was COM
menced September u, 1887, and the build
ing, when formally opened next Tuesday,
will have been in course of construction two
years, five months and one day, asrecord few
buildings of like size and architectural pre-
tensions can duplicate.
SOME DIFFICULT DETAILS.
At the last meeting of the Carnegie Free
Library Commission, held two weeks ago
last Friday, the following named gentlemen
were present: Messrs. james B. Scott, Adam
Ammon, John Walker, Thomas A. Parke,
Arthur Kennedy, George w. Snaman and
Charles Davis consulting engineer. Mr.
Phipps was absent in Egypt. Since former
meetings death had removed Hon. r.
c. GRAY and Hon. Hugh S. Fleming.
Mr.. Adam Ammon had become a member
ot the commission In the stead OF Hon. Hugh
S. Fleming. The commission visited every
portion of the building, and were lavish in
their praise o. the exquisite structure. Sec
retary Kennedy was requested to draw up
an appropriate and formal vote of thanks to
Mr.. James B. Scott for his daily devotion
to the duties devolving upon him as super
intendent of the construction of the magnifi-
cent edifce," Aside from this formal ap-
probation, Mr.. Scott came in for the heart
ily-expressed personal congratulations of
his associates upon the commission.
MATERIAL AND APPEARANCE.
The exterior of the building is of granite
from the Fox Island quarries, of Maine.
The straight columns aud pointed arches of
the architecture are palpably ROmanesque.
One of the finest examples of that style of
architecture ever erected is the tower, which
rears its pointed turret 100 feet aloft. The
graceful finals and capitals crown a series
of small columns which are very SYM
metrical in appearance. The deep arches of
the entire building, worked out both in
windows and doorways, are very strong in
effect. From an architectural standpoint,
there are really two buildings. A view Of
the Library front rather obscures the Car
negie Hall front, which is not Just to the
latter, but unavoidable under the circum-
stances. Views of both the Librsry and the
hall are therefore given, to present salts
factory idea of this handsome edifce.
The grand entrance OF Carnegie Hall is
approached by a flight of steps 40 feet in
width, rising gradually to the vestibulr
4bo 81
font of the hall, which is fine example OF
graceful architecture,
UTILITY ALL AROUND.
At the side of the hall is a stone
promenade, at the side of which carriages
can discharge freight, fair or otherwise. At
the rear of Carnegie Hall is a depressed |
area, more Tor use than ornament. Books |
for the library can be conveyed through the |
rear, and the basement and stage entrance of |
the hall are reached by easy steps.
The Federal street front is flanked by the
tower. Jutting out several feet is the arched |
entrance of the library. The sidereal ex-
tent is broken in monotony by rows of
arched windows and by q gable front
forming the end of the Federal street ele-
walton. Two Moorish towers are features
of the library frontage. Around the entire
building is a terraced wall, erected as an
afterthought, but in perfect harmony with |
the enclosed building. Externally, no more |
graceful building can be seen in the United |
States. So ingeniouslv do the various sec
tiOns of the building conform to each other
that the blending of tower, columns arches
and gables is perfect Not one feature of
the exterior is extraueous, nor does any
thing seem lacking.
INTO THE FREE LIBRARY.
Passing into the library vestibule, noble
marble stairway leads to the art rooms and
the scientific hall, the former above the
book magazines and the latter above the
reading room. Directly in front of the Wis
itor are the doors leading into the library.
This section Of the building is divided into
nine separate rooms, viz, the reception
room, reading room, ladies' read
ing room, photographic room,
inner office and repair room, librarians
room, magazine No. l, magazine No. 2 and
lavatory. The reception room is the chief
glory of the building and is a notable ex-
ample Of refined art. The floor is in an
irregular mosaic OF white marble tint with
a heavy black mosaic border. In the CEN
ter is a circular pattern In reddish tint
with arabesque designs surrounding the
words worked in mosaic Carnegie Free
The tint of the walls is rich
light brown and the dimensions of the
room, 36x40, are imposing enough to make
the height OF 26 harmonize. Facing the en-
trance is the enormous chimney in ancient
terra Gotta style. In the middle of its broad
surface is the strongly drawn picture of An
drew Carnegie, the contribution of the men,
bers OF the commission to the attractions of
the building.
NICE CONTRASTS OF COLOR.
Five feet below the ceiling level, running
around three sides of the room, is a series of
serrated arches forming colonnade, the con-
trsst in color between the tints of the arches
and the wall being very pleasing. Each
arch eneloses a chocolate brown panel upon |
which appears the private mark of every
noted American publisher, ancient and
modern. They are study for an enthusiast
Al the base OF the colonnade is lacquered
band of pale blue. On this appear the
names of distinguished American authors
OF all fields of Literature. The
names are as follows:
Audubon, Bancroft. Bryant Gary, Charming,
Cooper, Edwards. Emerson, Franklin, Fuller,
Hodge, Hawthorne, Holmes, Irving Long |
fellow, Motley, Parker, Prescott, Sigourney |
Silliman, Story, Stowe, Taylor, Thoreau, and
astly, Whittier.
The band of blue where it crosses the
chimney bears the following sentiment:
Choose Your Author as You Choose
Friend" The huge skylight is a departure
from the original plans, and was designed
Dy Mr.. james B. Scott. Arabesques of
,urled and twisted iron work radiate from a
graceful central figure, and over these are
laid squares Of ground glass.
PERFECT LIGHTS AND SHADES.
As decoration of the ceiling the success
is perfect and the diffusion of light is ad-
nirable. Symmetrical pillars on the right
uphold an arch of immense sweep separating
he reception room from the general read |