Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1894-08-31
A BOOK PALACE
THE MAGNIFICENT LIBRARY OF
CONGRESS.
Most Wonderful Building Of Its Kind
in the world-It VIII Have Ac-
commodatIon for 6,OOO,
900 Volumes.

III pldCt. 90 HluCu WOTh TtInhluh 10
be done inside the structure that it
will not be wholly completed for two
and half years yet. The cost will
he less than the 80, 900, 600 estimated
The book shelves were manufuc.
tured in Louisville, of steel, and cost
$50, 900. If they were put on the
ground end to end in continuous
line, they would reach from Washing.
ton to Baltimore, distance of forty
miles. They are of lattice work pat
tern, beautifully smooth, and are
more easily adjusted than any other
kind of shelf.
The tunnel that is to connect the
new library building with the Capitol
will be three feet below ground. It
will be lined with brick and made
waterproof-somewhat like u sewer, in
fact, but large enough for n man to
pass through. This subterrancan con
duit will contain cable railway of n
pattern similar to that employed in
dry goods shops for carrying bundles
and change. 1t will be ON larger
scale, however, SO as to transport the
biggest books and bound newspaper
files.
One terminal station Of the railway
will be close by the rotunda in the
Capitol AT that point an assistant
librarian will be posted, with messen.
ger boys to carry the books that are
called for by Senators and Represen-
tatives. Members of Congress will he
able to procure volumes more easily
and quickly than is now possible. The
statesmen In want of work Of refer.
ence will write the title on scrap of
paper, which will be promptly fired
over to the library. A moment later
the book will be shot back.
The underground conduit will also
contain small pneumatic tube
through which the orders for books
will be sent Through the same tun-
mel will run telephone wires, one cir
cult communicating with the Senate
and the other with the House. Thus
any member will he able to talk with
Librarian Spotford at moments no.
tice.
There are Gsj, 900 bound volumes
and $50. 600 pamphlets. The library
of Congress is the fifth largest in the
world in respect to the number con-
tanned. The Bibliotheque Rationale,
in Paris, stands at the head, with =,
225, 600 volumes. Next comes the Ii,
brsry Of the British Museum, which
claims l, 700, 600 volumes. The Brr-
lin library and the Imperial library of
Russia are about equal, each owning
1000, 600 volumes. These estimates
include unbound works of all sorts
1t is safe to say that the library Of
Congress will be the biggest in the
world some day, The new structul t
+ provided for its accommodation will
easily hold &, 600, 600 volumes.
When it is sad that $4,000, 900
bricks have been used in the building
the mind fails to grasp the idea. The
contract for granite alone called for
payment of 81, 2j0,OO Some of
the blocks of stone weigh more than
ten cons. Shut off in corner OF the
unfinished structure is one OF the big.
gest marble yards in the United States,
where forty workmen are engaged in
! carving ornamental designs with NAL
let and chlsel. In another corner
modelling is being done for the bias re,
liefs which are to adorn the inside of
the dome Many Of the patterns arc
taken from Pompeliau art WORKS
They are modelled from the clay in n
very hard stucco composition.
No such library ny this new one of
Uncle Sans was ever planned before
You must imagine, to begin with, two
iron bookcases, each siXty-iive feet
high, III feet long and forty-tive feet
wide. They tower up through the
building, story on story, in nine tiers
Each bookcase will hold 800, 900 vol
umes. The metal framework is ma lie
gridiron fashion to permit the free
! passage of the atmosphere, for books
need fresh air as much AS beings else
they rot. The floors are sheets of
/ LOu huu Hlc COlINl W. no uhllh Lt
worth mentioning, for books will not
burn; they will ouly smolder under
favorable conditions.
The library has 1900 windows.
Those which admit light to the great
book-stacks above described are single
sheets of fine plate glass. Looking
from the interior courtyards, the walls
inclosing the book-stacks appear to
be almost wholly of glass. Thus the
title on the back of every volume may
be easily read. The shelves already pro-
vided will accommodate 800, 900
books-twice AZ many as are now in
the library. The building has been 50
constructed as to afford space for
other stacks, which may be put up Mt
any time and will hold 300, 900
volumes more. A million books in
addition may be accommodated in the
courtyards, and there is room for
more besides. The librarian of Con-
gress century hence will not find
himself cramped in the least.
The reading room of the new library
already looks az if not far from com
pletion. 1t is the most noble feature
of the structure. Octagonal in shape
and 100 feet in diameter, it has for
it's ceiling the superb dome of the
edifice. The inner concave of the
dome will be lined with bas-reliefs in
designs of great variety, from con.
ventional patterns to cherubs OF the
pure st. Gaudens school. The general
tone will be cream-color, touched for
high. lights with gilt. The walls, now
all but finished, are of the yellow
notified marble of Siena, from quarry
that is owned by an Italian monastery.
In the center of this great octa-
ponal room Mr.. Spofford will have his