Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-07
THE INTERIOR OF THE NEW NATIONAL

THE INTERIOR OF THE NEW NATIONAL
l. Library building will not be extravagantly
gorgeous. but il will be in keeping with the
exterior and Of a character appropriate to the
purpose for which the building is designed.
The most striking feature will be the arrange
ment for convenience. utility and comfort.
There will be room for many more volumes
thar now comprise the library but the build
ing il constructed for years yet to come, and
provision is made for the greatest possible
storage capacity for books. always preserving
convenience OF arrangement which will make
the management of the library simple as
possible. There are now not over 500 900 books
In the Congressional Library. The book stacks
In the new building will accommodate about
2ooo, 900 volumes, and the building crowded
TO its utmost, without sacrifice of convenience,
could be made TO hold 5000, 900 volumes. The
library AZ its present size will, therefore,
occupy but . small part of the space, but it will
probably I'LL up rapidly enough. But the
Interior plan Of the building is such as to be
easily adapted to any arrangement OF the
library or to most any use to which il might
be deemed desirable to put any part of it.
OFFICES AND RIADISd ROOM.
The basement story, that is the first story
above the ground level. will probably be used
for ONCE purposes. the copyright business and
the general work of clerical character neces-
sary to the administration of the vast establish
msat.
Above that is the main floor on which is the
main entrance and the large reading room.
octagonal in form. The reading room. like the
rotunda Of the Capitol. opens up 20 the vaulted
ceiling az the roof. Extending out to the north
and to the south will be the great book stacks.
and to the east will be similar stack, only not
ill -
stories above the basement story. has the
Capitol, but the upper story will be more
spacious, the high ceilings providing immense
wall space for the display of Autographs. en-
whatever it may be necessary to display from
the walls.
BooK STACKS NINE STORIES HIGH.
The book stacks extending upward from the
FIRST floor will be nine stories high seven feet
to q story. There will be no climbing on step
ladders. No story Of the stack is higher than
Q man can reach. II a book is out of reach it
h on another story. This arrangement for the
books is the most convenient possible and Is
original with this building. The stacks are
built within the court and extend out from the
oetsgonal reading room like the two arms and
the head of q cross. There will be both stair
cases and elevators and a system of communi-
cation with the reading room which will avoid
delay and confusion. 1t will be arranged by
what is known the central system. The su-
perintendelt Of the reading room will occupy
. raised circular desk or pulpit in the middle of
the octagonal room Ranged in circular form
around this center will be rows of reading Ia
bles capable Of accommodating 300 persons
Around the dix will be a circular counter
From there 10 every part of the book reposi-
tories viii be communication by telephone or
some system of electric signals. and there viii
be an 'endless chain" system of book elevators
leading to every story OF the stacks.
HOW BOOKS MAY BE OBTAINED.
The visitor, picking out the book he wishes.
after looking over the catalogue at the desk,
writes the title or number of volume, as ii may
be, on 8 slip, his desire is at once commune
Gated 10 that part of the repository where the
book Is 20 be found, and the book being put in
one of the Carriages of the endless chain il is
laid before MIN in two or three minutes. When
q book Is returned II may be placed in the
proper compartment OF the carrier and it will
be delivered at that part of the book stack
where IL belongs, so that the public will COM
nsunlcate with the great store house Of learn
ing through the little circular desk in the mid
die OF the reading room There will be no con-
c.s!On by the going in and out of messengers
with arms fall OF books, and the readers will
not be subjected to the delay of awaiting the
slow movements Of messengers The automatic
delivery system will take the place of messen-
gers. There will also be elevators large enough
80 carry a man and little dray of books in the
stacks. SO that sets Of large volumes
which could not be conveniently carried by
the automatic delivery may be sent down to
the toor below and delivered at the desk by
means Of a ''plunger" elevator which will run
from the reading room to the basement floor.
Every possible convenience will be provided
for the readers and the quiet of the room will
be preserved High up toward the vaulted
ceiling there will be a balcony accessible from
the grand main entrance by a marble staircase,
or from the floor of the reading room by spiral
senars In each Of the alcoves which surround
the ROOM Visitors who merely want to see the
place may go into this gallery. where they will
get better view of the room than they would
from the floor and yet will not disturb the
readers The room will be beautifully lighted
by the large half-moon windows in tine dome.
READING ROOM FOR CONGRESS.
Besides this reading room there viii be
reading room for Congress, located. probably,
Ut the west front. The entire building will be so
strongly constructed that if il were packed full
Of scrap iron ii would bear the weight and
there viii be no part OF the building which will
not be available for the storage of books when
necessary. At present there will be ample
room in the curtains of the building. which
may be used as lecture rooms, as art galleries
or for any purpose desired.
There Will be no money wasted in gaudy dis
play. but the interior Of the building will have
substantial appearance and the decorations
VIII be rich and in good taste. The building
when finished will show for the money ex-
the estimate, and there will be no decoration
not planned FOR from the start.
THE HANDSOME MAIN ENTRANCE.
The richest interior decoration will be that
Of the main entrance, which will be an immense
vsstibule 10 the reading room, and that Of the
reading room itself. The main entrance or YES
ebule will open clear up from tine main door
TO the skylight- IL will be a large. white mar
bic room. with vaulted ceiling. heavy arches
and columns. in which there will be room for
basts and statnsry. All the statues in statuary
hall Of the House could find room there. Tho
columns, the staircase. the panels and bal
ustrades will be OF white marble and the cary-
ing will not be 50 abundant as to DESTROY the
solid appearance of the structure, but will be
rich branching on either hand opposite the
outer door will be TIE marble staircase leading
to the story above and TO the balcony OF the
reading room. From this chamber OF glaring
wilderness is entered the reading room, which will
be trimmed with panels and columns
Of colored marble, which viii give IL a rich
and warm appearance, giving rest TO the eye
OF the readers and suggesting quiet and COM
fort At every angle of the octagon will be a
cluster OF columns Of colored marble. and the
light. coming through the large half-moon win
cows, VIII be dinused softly throughout. the
room.
These two rooms-the vestibule and the read
ing room-are the ones the public will see. The
only other with any particular decoration will
be the congressional reading room. This room
VIII probably be frescoed 10 some extent
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