Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-18

think the building win cause il to do better
as to the book fund than 1t has in the past.
a year. and one-third of this has gone to
the Supreme Court. The new library build
ing cost $8,00o.000. The interest on the In
vestment at 9 per cent is 100000 year.
As long as the United States is paying
$Spooo year for its library, IL ought
to add the small sum of S2OOoO or
S'o.oO more for the purchase of books.
which would keep it abreast of the great
libraries OF the world. As II is. we have
great many good nuggets in the library
we have. for instance, the first folio edition
OF Shakespeare. a volume which is worth
from $1,000 to 5000. 1 think we SHOULD
have not only every book but all the e,ii-
tons of the greater writers that can be
found"
Chance for Rich Men.
There is one idea that I would like to
see grow in the minds of the rich men of
the United States,' continued Mr.. Young.
"and that is. that one of the best places
to leave their money to is to the National
Library. The British Museum Library was
founded by the gift of man named Hans
,s.oan; one hundred and fifty years ago. 1t
was first kept in one of the ducal palaces
ana Tor time was called the Ein-'s
Library. George " desired to sell II at
one time, when he was hard up but when
ne found that he could not do so he gave
1t to the people. 1t has since been largely
increased by gifts. Just now 1 understand
mat there is fine collection of Burns
works In this city. 1t is owned by William
H. smith, the superintendent of the Botani-
cal Gardens. and is said to be one of the
nnest Burns collections in the world I
nave understood that he expects TO give
IL 10 the Masonic Library of Washington.
=, nu. nave written him that he should give
II 10 the National Library. Why should not
some rich man buy collection of this kind
and give Ii to the library. Take some of
our miliionaires, such as John Mackey,
rockefeller and others. What better mon
ument could they leave for themselves than
a big collection of some kind to be known
In the library as their collection and to
be always called by their name? L would
IKE INK TO see national pride aroused in the
library. 1t Is library for the people, and
We hope to make it SO accessible that ii will
De at the command of every one who comes
to Washington"
Washington as Literary Center.
rs not Washington already one of the
best literary centers of the Union?"
fes, 1t is" was the reply. 1T is fast
becoming the seat of great collections.
The National Library is only one of a num-
Der. There should be general catalogue
published Of all the books in Washington.
stating Were they may be found We have
here what is said to be the best medical IL
brary of the world. This is known as the Ii
braray Of the Army and Medical Museum
1t has more than 100000 volumes and abou,
l"oooo pamphlets, comprising. it is said.
copies CT about thre--fourths of all the med
ical literature published, and copies OF
Eine-tenths of all the medical books pub
iished within the last ten years Doctors
now come from all parts of the country to
consult this library. Along some lines IL sur
passes the library of the British Museum
and that of France. The Smithsonian
Library is very rich in scientific matter. II
contains something like 100000 volumes
and pamphlets. There will be about us,oo
OF these books stored in the National
Library and accessible there Then each
of the great departments has a library.
Inc Patent Office Library is one of the
finest of its kind. 1t contains about ,lnp
volumes. and is rich in scientific works
and periodicals. The State Department
has many valuable books and manuscripts
and the War Department and Navy De-
partment are rich in publications along
their own lines. The geological survey
has 4 fine library of travel and science and
there are ether collections of value all of
whlch are open to the public. 4 great deal
of scientific work is steadily going on in
washington. and there is no reason why
II should not be the chief literary center
OF the country"
In the New Library.
At this point Mr.. Young spread out the
plans of the floors of the library and SHOW
ed me how he expected to arrange the diff
ferent departments. We first took the third
floor plan.
Here" said he. I'VE will have a lecture
room. which will seat 500 people, and which
may be Gsed for scientific and literary con-
ventions. We shall use one of the rooms
for the Smithsonian Institution collection.
so that 1t may be right near the lecture
room. In the south gallery We will have a
coiiection OF the graphic arts of the United
states, making here an art gallery in which
people can see what our people nave done
along these lires since the government has
been founded. This collection is the out
growth of the copyright law. but hitherto,
owing to the lack of room, il has not been
shown Walking around the third floor You
next come to the side of the building fac
ing the Capitol. Here will be a department
devoted to early Americana aud early print
ed works of Americans. On the north side
of the building | have decided to put the
maps and charts. This will be a very in
terestlng collection. There are many maps
winch were made by our officers during the
revolutionary war. Some were drawn on
the battefelds and not a few were made
by British, French and American engin-
GERS.
and the building will be so arranged tina.
scholars who wish to work here will have
all conveniences."
A LcofS Into the Reading Room.
Tell me something about the reading
ROOM Mr.. Young" said l.
Here it is on the library floor" replied
John Russell Young, as he took another
Plan ana spread II out before me. 1T is
about hundred feet in diameter. and We
have the desks already in though not the
chairs. L think We shall be able to seat
:il1 people and give them plenty of work
ing space. The librarians will be in the
center OF the room, and they will be con-
nected by telephone with every part of the
building and with both houses of Congress-
Ihey VIII have pneumatic tubes running
from their desk TO every story of the book
STACKS There are carriers which ruin on
endless chains from every part of the book
stacks to the reading roonl so that within
five minutes a librarian can get a book from
any part of the library. AT the right of
the reading room as you go cut will be The
once OF the librarian, and near it will ba
The offices CT Mr.. Spofford, Mr. Hutcneson
ana others of the assistants In the north
west corner have decided tc put a library
Tor the bind. We have a large humber of
DOCKS with raised letters printed foc the
use OF the blind. We could give these ON.
IN the main reading ROOM but / fear thai
the people reading in this wly would at-
tract attention and sightseers might botbcr
them, SO L have decided to give them n
room to themselves
CnfniOguinS Department
Here along the north side of the b,,,a-
ing the library fcor NJ Uo,,.~-