Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-05-17

SSSstSsf.-7i,N the ground. and secondly.
% III because in looking it over
s4Igt|x9A. / if you don't take the utmost
E1:rsSa care where you step. You
NSsssssS-. will be pretty sure to
tumble through somewhere and break a
limb or worse. The entire cellar part OF
the structure is now completed, its root
pierced everywhere with q multitude OF
holes, some small and others big enough
to let a horse tumble down, which are de-
signed to make room for the passage of fues
and other heating and ventilatng apparatus to
different parts of the building above. For the
ventilation and heating of SO enormous a book
palace, as this extensive mechanical ar
engagements are requisite, as may be
judged from the fact that such fix
ings as are necessary to give warmth and air
Will occupy about one-half of the entire four
acres covered by the cellar. Nor does this in
clude the great excavation. itself nearly an
acre in extent, which will accommodate the
boilers and coal vaults, entirely outside Of the
building at the east front The other half OF
| the cellar, save a small portion that will be &C.
| cupied by dynamos for electric lighting is to
be left available for the dryest kind of storage
of books, documents or anything else that it
may be desired to put away and preserve
safely.
| THE HEATING ARRANGEMENTS.
The huge boiler and coal vault referred to is
practically completed and the workmen are at
present engaged in putting the finishing
OF this layer OF earth will he spread that
| there may be turf and driveway above. The
| compartments provided for the purpose will
each hold pair of boilers, IA line of which, sepa-
/ tod, l.
whole width Of the vault Huge brick bins for
| coal occupy the rest of the available space, af-
| tordlng room for a years supply-3, 900 tons.
| AS fast as the brick archways covering Sec
| ton after section of the cellar were built the
roof of the cellar has been made level by filling
| IN the depresslOns between the archways with
concrete. So now there is great four acre
| floor OF brick and concrete, with a mighty
| skeleton OF iron girders, to construct the first
| story above ground upon. This story is called
! the basement and the wOrkmen are at present
| laying the beginnings OF Its walls. Up to to-
| day the immense cOurtyards are the only parts
OF the structure that bear any finished aspect.
| They are as deep as the cellar itself. you see,
and are consequently one story high SO far.
Their pavements are only rough earth, but the
walls inclosing them of beautiful white
enameled brick with superb buttresses of gram
| lite at the corners, SO that they are beginning
to give notion of how handsome they will be.
NOT CENT AHEAD.
Thus far, after years work, so Engineer
Bernard Green said to a STAR reporter, the
library building is up to time and not cent
ahead of estimates. In other words, the struc-
ture is as far advanced toward completion as
was originally counted upon, and it has not cost
penny more at its present stage of growth
than was anticipated. There is every reason to
believe that II will be completed within the
eight years reckoned for, and 1t is more likely
to cost S5OO.OOO less than the S6,000,000 ap-
proprlated than to require S50, 900 ddtional. 1t
Is unnecessary to remark how unusual il is for
buildings to come out that way.
Already all the cut granite for the exterior
walls OF the building, the upper part Of the ro-
tunda and the courtyard walls has been con-
tracted for and is being supplied as rapidly as
possible. Contracts are to be made at once
also for the iron to compose the floor Of the
first story above the basement. Enough bricks
to build many blocks of city houses are now OH
the ground, In gigantic heaps under sheds,
ready for use. 1t is estimated that Is. 900, 900
bricks will he required from beginning to end
and 1t does not do not to have a big stock on
hand all the time. lest labor strike or some
such accident render it impossible to get them
when they are wanted
TEN BIG DERRICKs.
Ten gigantic derricks supply the lifting
power at present requisite. They are SO dis
posed that any weighty object can be lifted at
minutes notice from any given spot within
the great fenced lnclOsure ana set down
other spot desired. Some OF the granite stones
used weigh as much as ten tons and portions of
the pillars may be even heavier. The derricks
are 100 feet high and tremendously powerful
for 1t is necessary that they should be able to
handle things gently and easily. Stones must
be lowered into place and set in contact with
the utmost delicacy, for the slightest jar would
be likely to break off corner aud spoil one Of
them. To work the derricks fifteen horse
power engine is established in each courtyard
Additional smaller derricks will be needed
later on for the roofing of the rotunda Two
hundred and twenty-five workmen are laboring
every day In the library Enclosure under the
eye of Superintendent Green, but probably 400
more are doing contract work outside, SO that
at least QUO are engaged upon the building.
THE RoTUNDA.
As for the rotunda you can see it now, out
lined with brick walls in octagon shape, 100 feet
in diameter four feet more than the rotunda
of the Capitol. In the middle of this, on the
first floor above the basement Librarian Spof-
ford will be intrenched in state with his assist
auts on platform surrounded by circular
desk. The floor around about will provide
space for a series of concentrc circles Of desks
for readers, the librarians post being the CEN
ter OF each Of the widening circles. A gallery
will surround the rotunda overhead, from
which spectators can look down upon the scene
on the floor. Beneath the gallery will be al
coves all around, shut off for the use of stu
dents and others who Wish TO be alone and par
ticularly quiet.
RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM
When a reader desires book 1t will not be
necessary for one Of the librarians assistants
to make his way out of the rotunda by one of
the aisles and 60 look for the volume. An order
for whatever is wanted will simply be convened
by a rapid mechanical device from the libra
rian's desk down through the floor beneath the
rotunda and TO whatever section the book ia to
be found in. The attendant in charge of that
section will take the volume from the shelf
and transmit 1t swiftly, in the same manner, to
the librarian, who will promptly hand it over
to the applicant.
In the arrangement of the volumes in the
new library building the stack system will be
employed. This method Of keeping books is
approved by modern authorities beyond all
others. BY 1t no display is made of them: thew
are simply placed on iron shelves face to face.
with Just enough room between for passage
way. They will be kept perfectly dry and will
nave plenty OF fresh air, which is as essential
TO the preservation Of books as to the health
OF human beings. The notion of metallic |
shelves is in itself an admirable one. Books ~
themselves will not burn; they NAV smoulder a
little, but you cannot fairly set them on FIRE
alone.
THE READING ROOM
The reading public will be accommodated in
the rotunda, though eventually it will doubt
less be necessary to furnish additional rom
for such purposes. But for MANY wears IN
come this great hall will afford several timss
as much space as will be requisite, In fact