The Van Buren press., 1893-04-22
THE NATIONAL LIBRARY.
Il win Re the Finest Building OF
Its Kind.
when Completed It VIII Represent IN
Outlay Of at Leaat Sig Million Doll
lArs-The Great ROtuuda-
Huge Book Shelves.
rsnecIsl washington Letter.l

the new building for the congressional
library can be completed. Two years
have already passed since the work was
actively begun, and no portion OF the
edifice Is yet under roof. But, standing
upon either of the three porticos of the
capitol, the visitor may see the walls Of
the new building arising over the tree
tops Of the capitol grounds. Two entire
blocks of ground are being covered with
this palace of tangible intelligence,
which, when completed, will not only
rival, but excel in all points, the cele-
brated temples of literature in the old
world. The entire cellar has been COM
pleted and its roof is pierced everywhere
with holes big and holes little; holes
big enough to entrap sparrow, and
holes big enough to let a horse tumble
through. Visitors must be careful
where they step, or they may suddenly
fnd themselves treading on space which
b all too yielding. These holes are
built In the roof of the cellar of the
structure to make room for the passage
Of pipes and flucs for heating and ven-
tilating the building which is gradually
growing so symmetrically skywards.
OF the entire four acres covered by this
cellar, nearly one-half of the space will
Be occupied by the machinery for heat
Ing and ventilating.
Moreover, all along the east front Of
the building. away ont under the pave
ment and beneath the middle of the
street. there are coal vaults which will
accommodate portion of the boilers
and engines, in addition to the space oc-
cupied for this purpose within the
boundaries OF the building proper. The
other half of the cellar is to be left
available for the dryest kind Of storage
for books and papers, pamphlets and
documents OF all kinds, seldom called
for. but valuable to preserve. Over the
coal and boiler vaults layer Of rich
soil Is spread, and there will be YER
dure bordercd driveway, adorned by
floral designs prepared by the skillful
landscape gardener of the capitol. But
until the structure is completed no ex-
ternal manifestations of love for the
beautiful in vegetation can be made.
There is no buster place in Washing
ton. and yet 1t is as comparatively quiet
and undemonstrative place rs one can
dnd anywhere. There is very little
loud talking or shouting, such as we
generally hear from the workmen when
large buildings are being erected. The
orderly procedure and absence OF any
unnecessary noise to-day reminded me
very forcibly of that building upon
which there was not the sound Of n
hammcr-the temple OF Solomon at
erusalem-Solomon. the man who was
20 gifted with wisdom in all things
else, but who unwisely surrounded him
self with wives and concubines galore.
Ten gigantic derricks are constantly at
work hoisting cut stones to the positions
designed for them by the architect and
builder. Some Of the granite stones
weigh ten tons, but they have been
handled with ease and placed in posi-
tion accurately, SO that now upon them
rest other tons of stone and mortar
Portions of the magnificent pillars
which are being lifted to the third
story. weigh six tons; but they reach
their destination quickly, and are
dropped exactly into line, as easily as a
bricklayer lays his red quadrangular
blocks. These derricks are one hundred
feet high, and powerful enough for
their heavy work. The accuracy with
which heavy cut stones are handled is
marvellous. But it is necessary that
they should be handled with delicacy,
because the slightest jar might chip
OF corner here or there and destroy
them.
The rotunda is well outlined and
nearly complete. If you have ever seer
the rotunda Of the capitol, you know
how large 1t is and how roomy. Well
the rotunda Of the library is to be one