The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-14

south in the days when the war spirit was
growing. And here is the Baltimore Sun,
beginning with that little fellow that
looks like an account book. 1t has grown
some since then, for that was early in the
century. Here is an interesting file. 1t
IS the Philadelphia Packet, which was
begun in nj, and was afterward called
the North American. That file is COM
plete. Then here are some old Tennessee
papers from away back.
You see, 1 keep these right here at my
hand, where | can watch them closely.
But my most precious volumes, the COM
plete file of the Intelligencer, l keep down
stairs, clear out OF sight. Few folks know
pointing down two or three narrow pass
ages that ramified from the center aisle,
contain only few of the volumes on
hand"
He led the way off to the left into
curious room, which, with shelves filed
to overlooking, was about twenty feet
high and two broad by twenty long. 1t
was a mere slit, packed full of news of
another day
THE CATACoMBs OF THE CAPITOL
Then the custodian and his visitor went
down a fight of steep stairs into the cata-
combs of the capitol. A peculiar odor was
in the air, dry, choking smell of leather.
Here and there gas Jets gave a feeble
CLEAN, sometimes pickering from around
corners in the shelving and showing faint
spots of light in the distance. But there
were no long vistas, for the vaults are
curved, following the general outline of
the dome. The grOpers were then under
the main portico of the building.
IF you should follow that passage"
said Mr. Van Ness, ''you would find your
self, if you ever could be located, some
where near the place where you take the
steps outside to 90 down to Pennsylvania
avenue. l seldom go around there, for
the air is not as good as it might be. But
l know the way perfectly, and can put
my hand on any volume in this vault"
The books were arranged in alphabet
cal order of state, beginning with the
earliest newspaper of Alabama, published
la 1919. A few steps took the two around
in circle, which completed the list of
states and brought forth the names of
the European capitals.
For we have some very complete files
| of foreign papers, said the custodian.
I'VE have the London Times from it's be-
ginning, from before ii was the Times, in
fact. Then here are files of the Man
| chester Guardian and here is a set of
Galignanhs Messenger. We receive a
great many files from the state depart
ment that furnish us with many valuable
additions. Here is a complete file up to a
short time ago of LIE Constitutional, a
Spanish paper And here are the maya
| zines, both of this country and Europe.
Here is about the best collection of the
Gentlemen's Magazine in the country.
"Now you have seen the files that are
referred to the most. OFF down there, -
indicating the mysterious passage that led
to the other side of the capitol, ARE the
old fellows that are in duplicate upstairs
in the library. The Intelligencer is there
in special case. Here" sho wing the
way into a perfectly dark vault about
four feet wide, and turning off to the left
at the lower end, fare copies of every
map that has ever been copyrighted in
this country The gem of this collection
is not very well known. 1t consists of all
the maps that were used during the vari-
Gus wars in which this country has been
engaged. The maps were issued by the
War Department and turned back after
they were needed no longer, and then
turned over to us for preservation. There
are some curious relics down there, 3"
added the custodian, tantalizingly, as he
turned back out of the dark.
Are you troubled much with damp
ness2"
ONE SPOT THAT MUST BE WATCHED.
''There is only one spot that I have to
watch,' was the answer, land that is
down there where the vault wall is on the
outside and rojects beyond the walls of
the portico foundation. ! have to take
the volumes down once in awhile and
shift them around and let the air in!
Other than that there is no danger of
mold. Occasionally a bug gets in and
begins to gnaw the backs of the books,
but l soon find him. Altogether l have
had very good fortune with the volumes
and they are in excellent shape"
Are the files used ofUen?"
ooh. yes! Yesterday there were two
members of congress down here looking
at some old papers there they are now.
! haven't put them back yet, for the mem
bers said they might need them later in
the week This morning a member from
Rhode Island wanted to look at paper of
a certain date four years ago to see about
vote in his state. He had it in five
minutes
Mr.. Van Ness led the way up into the
fresher air of the higher vault and spoke
ABOUT the vandalism of people who cut
the files.
I'D like to catch them at it," he said
angrily. Il shouldn't stop to ask what
the law is on the subject, but I'd deal
with them very summary. Once in a
while some one clips a bit down here, but
as a rule most of the cutting is done up
stairs. l have only lost one paper that
was sent to me to keep, and that was
local paper that contained the account of
the hanging of Guiteau. 1t was sent to
the bindery along with other numbers of
that volume, and some fellow down there
distracted it for a relic, doubtless. 1
have tried my best to replace it, but with
out success.
"They are very prompt with my work