Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-09


ties in all parts of the world. many Of which
are now out of print and unateaiHabie.
The Toner collection of books. periodicals
and manuscripts, presented to the govern.
ment in 1SS2, and accepted by special act OF
Congress, may be we'll accommodated in
one of the corner pavilions on the main
library floor. This collection, especially rich
in history and contributions to early Amer1-
can medicine biography, and having as one
of its special features full collection OF
literal verified transcripts of all the letters
and journals and other writings Of George
Washington, is annually increased by the
liberal and pubic-spirted donor And this
example of a large private collection dedi-
Gated to public use and reference may be
worthily followed by others, now that Con-
gress has provided a great government
library building, fire-proof and ample in
accommodation. for their permanent care
and preservation as works of reference.
In that building there are numerous apart
ments and alcoves specially adapted to re-
ceive such collections of books. manuscripts,
works of art or other mementos of historic
interest, their owners may desire to pre-
sent to the national library
Pictures and Maps.
'In the reorganization of the great collec-
tons now stored in the Capitol, the works
of graphic art form an important class, de-
handing special treatment. These embrace
more than half million engravings, pho
tographs, chromos. photographers. etchings
and pictorial Illustrations Of every kind
many of them of great beauty and value.
acquired without a dollar of expense to the
government through the steady operation
OF the copyright law for twenty-five years.
Whe1;~franged in classes, with proper dis
elimination in selection, they would pre-
sent a most instructive Illustration of the
progress of the arts of design. One of the
larger galleries in the library building is
specially adapted for the arrangement and
display of these treasures, SO long buried
from view. and so interesting both to art
students and to the general public.
THE large and rich collection of maps.
numbering over twenty thousand. which
the library has accumulated. will also re-
qure one of the large halls in the new
building for their proper classification and
arrangement. Many of these are original
manuscript maps Of the revolutionary Pc
Rod. drawn by British, French and Amer
lean engineers. and illustrating camps,
marches and battlehelds during that MEM
orable struggle. The engraved maps, from
the early period Of settlement in America
to the most modern examples, form a most
valuable series illustrating the boundaries
and Topography of the country in every
part Tney have been largely used in cases
before the Supreme Court of the United
States and to establish the history of state
and local boundaries, and when arranged
in progressive series and systematic geo
graphical order their utility will be immeas-
urably increased.
THE immense accumulation of musical
the requirements Of the law of copyright,
now numbers about 100000, or, if dupli-
Gates We're counted, 100000. This class of
publications, from the nature of the case,
could not be thoroughly arranged in the
existing library. but has been stored in
piles. like the works of art, duly stamped
with the proper copyright numbers and
dates of deposit. AS multitudes of these
compositions involve property of much
commercial value, and frequent calls are
made for Identification of various pieces of
music for judicial purposes. 1t will be neces-
Sary to distribute this great mass of copy
right material In some of the larger rooms
Of the new building. in such order as will
insure ready and complete reference.
Another extensive room will be required
for the systematic arrangement Of the cur
rent periodicals received by the library in
continually increasing numbers Most of
these come in under the copyright law, al
though subscriptions are kept up for many
foreign reviews, magazines and Journals
nd for representative American news
papers from each state and territory. No
department of the library Is more contin-
ually drawn upon, both for the uses Of Sen
ators and Representatives and for general
public reference than it's stores of periodi-
Gals.
The Newspaper Files.
Another department of bound newspa-
pers. believed to be the largest IN any
American library, now crowded and piled
in five apartments In the crypts and attic
of the Capitol. demands an ample provis-
ion for its orderly arrangement in strict
series, chronological for each journal.
THE space required for the copyright rec
ords and accompanying index system, with
room for the clerical force constantly
ployed in this division of the library work.
must necessarily be a large one. This bus
mess grows in a ratio of Increase which
has DOUBLED it III every ten years since the
beginning. The enactment of lnterna tional
copyright in 1891, already reciprocated by
nine European nations has enlarged the
area of copyright, and brings annually In
creased accessions to enrich the collec-