The times., 1897-08-01
FAREWELL, OLD LIBRARY !!
Lovers Of Books VIII No Longer
Haunt Its Halls.
NOW CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC
Yesterday the Last Day In the
Present Quarters The Work OF
Removing the Million or More
Volumes to the Beautiful New
Home VIII Now Begin in Ea arnest.

AS the minute hand OF the old marble
clock over the door reached Az the last
reader to make use of the Old Congress
sonal Library stepped over the doorsiil,
and, simultaneously, tie great brass bolt
in the iron doors shot in TO place, closing
the library to the punlic until it is lodged
In is new home;
Monday the work OF transferring the
hooks VIII begin, and thousands upon
thousands of volumes on every topic on
which man has written viii be carried
out and placed in position on the shelves
which have been allotted them in the
maryei .,f art and sculpture opposite-the
ncw Congressional Library.
The ioNers OF Looks weIe out in force
yesterday. Up TO the hour Of closing every
table had its little gathering OF readers,
each with pile OF Looks befoIe him.
There were ole men with snowy hair and
threadbare brJadcloth. There were men
in the vipor Of their strength-younG men,
women, giils--all affordng strange COD
trasts in appea rance and circumstances,
but alike in theil absorption Of the looks
before them. Many rave spent SO much OF
their time about tie cid building that they
have become identified with the place.
There are two old men, Southern
.'cplonels," who have not missed DAY
for years. Men who have been employed
at the Library for eight years say that they
had become habtues of the place long be-
fore their time. In rain or snow, they have
been al hand when the doors We're opened
and have left only when the hour of clos
ing demanded it.
Bo-h men seem TO be gentlemen in good
circumstances They are onlivorous read
err anc never tire OF peering over the musty
volumes above them. They were among
the last to leave yesterday, ana when the
top of the stairway was reached, one of
them, with hat in hand, turned toward
the room in which had centered his great
est pleasure ia life and sadly exclaimed,
Good bye, OLD place: how many days have
spent within your hallsl"
Among the women the two most nota-
ble individuals Were the widow of Freder-
ick Douglass and nne-legCed woman
dressed an BLACK, who are always seen
together.
They have been spending their time
in studying the history of the convict labor
systeni in the South, and feel most keenIy
the postponeElent of their investigation
One frequenter of the Library devotes
himself to heraldry and Burke. Yesterday
he had The Peerage,' ''The History OF
Croesus.' ''Bnrke'S Landed Families and
a dozen other kindred works With what
| object he peruses his stody no one knows
| But there are numbers Of people who
| help constitute the regular clientele Of
the Library who spend their time among
| this world OF books because it pays them
to 90 SO.
They have been accustomed to occupy
much Of the clerks time by their requests
for books on all sorts OF statistics The re-
suit or their efforts yields them g good
| income. from which they VIII be tenl-
porariIy cut Off.
1t VIII be weeks before the public is
afforded access to the books. The reading
rooms in the new Library win not be
opened until I'll the books are arranged in
/ their proper places. To a Iayman this
would seem an endless task. There are
over a million books tn be placed in order,
not to mention double their number of
| papers and documents.
At present they are piled mountains high
In the old building. 1t is almost impossible
| TO walk along the galleries on account of
the crowded condition, and every nook and
Granny OF the corridorsi S filled TO excess
with Ii literature Of every description.
| On the first floor alone there are stacks
Of books which will require a month fol-
| fifty men wi tn boxes to move.
On the shelves are maps and charts Over
head on swinging platforms are old maga
zines, newspa pers, and ri eces OF sheet
music. In cabinets are countless copyright
documents All appear to be in a hope
| less tumble, but their arrangement is SC
| perfect that there will be not even the
| slightest hitch ill determining their proper
| place after the transfer takes place.
Had not this splendid system been
| ineuguraued years ago, there would have
been an almost hopeless task before the
| librarian
But even after one is told, it hard Y
seems possible that out of the countless
volumes in the place. but few moments
is required TO produce any that may be
| called for.
When the new quarters are occupied the
method of handling the books will be even
| further s.mplified, and a system second to
| none in the world will be put in to opera
| ton.