New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-26
A GREAT LAW LIBRARY.
THE INTERESTING AND VALUABLE COL
LECTION OF CONGRESS.
HOUSED IN GRANTED. ILL-vENTILArED AND
BADLY LIGHTED oUARTERs-A PRESSING
inv TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE]


CALL FOR IMPROVEMENT
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE]
Washington. Dec 25.-The law library at
teched TO TIE Library Of Congress Is one "a
the most interesting places about Washing .o'
70 all persons studiously in clced. Inc "onue'
To all such is. however, not how so sieh'
collection of technical works was got tose'"e''
hut how It was disposed TO a'y adVaa'ase III
room so III adapted to the purpose HIS ie-
mar, which will be made by all WHO enter 'e
library, receives its appropriate answer only III
ahor, s,ud,, Of the history Of the library.
Following that sketch it Will De necessary ~
..o,, what the resources Of the collection are
ond what are the demands for Improvement III
order 70 render the library most eiflcien'.
nt ,ou, library now occupies that portion of
.,o Cen,to basement which Is just north OF
~. ~ - and Is Immediately under the pres
ont sunreme Court chamber 1t was Formerly
-, r.roor having been used first in
.,o,st 1901 At the time of the partiai oe-
,r,ot,on of the Capitol by the British in loIf
a. was only slightly injured but the court TOT
. u,bi,e occuoied the building across the east
>ront nov, used as a residence by Justice rleio'
Tn 1850 the Supreme Court moved It's quarters
,,,etairs into the chamber at present occuP'eo
nv that eminent tribunal The Ia" library
which was before that time in the room acio''
the basement corridor. now useo as co'iei
ence room by the court was then re'noNeu "
IA roor, of the court and has continued
49, s,rca OF all the labyrinthine offices in
A., ,o,to,n NJ the vast Capitol building the
library Is perhaps the most diffcut 10 iil'u'
ord when found is seen to be the least suItaoie
for tts purpose. 1t is overcrowded, huge COL
lection OF calf-bound volumes being piied one
,non the other, tier upon tier in such manner
that II Is a great credit to the skill and ln'eih-
eence Of the librarian and his assistants 'ha'
o., nor, Of I, IS readily made available for the
uses of students 49,.
pofora proceeding. 1t should be said that the
I,brarv's ORIGINAL basis. between l.3oo ana i'foo
volumes. was Mr. Jefrersons law library pur-
ch,sed with the rest of his books by congress
This has grown - the present considerable pro-
.,o-.,ors nv concentrations OF Congress. no gifts
~ anv extent having ever been made 10 'ne
oo,act,on. w. w. Story. the sculptor, presented
a handsome marble bust of his rather 'us''e
Glory IN the library and it adOrns the room at
aso,+ A careful examination Of the books IN
.,o ,,brarv was made on January u. lN3o-'nc
,aet according to the official records maze pe
,ora the nresent season. In 1890 the total num-
bo- ~ volumes including duplicates. was oooi"
These duplicates are kept in separate roo'''
erd consist Of third fourth or fifth copies OF GER
tain publications, textbooks or reports so'''e
volun,As discarded by the judges from t''ii o""
SETS and some unbound copies OF seriai pune"
t,ons. It ought to be said here that the JUS
ara nermItted to retain copies OF Id" oo'"''
such as they require. at their rooms. oiiS III
.o,aro, wav are these included as part OF the
law library
NEARLY 10000 VOLUMES.
On october /, 1897. there ware 9''olo Vo'u'nes
IN the law library. according 10 the 'a
enumeration made under direction OF the o"P"
HE librarian, Mr.. Clark. Of Alabama iheSe ~"
.,,,do ,extbooks reports session laws Qncludins
combinations and codes. collections IN ioreisii
,ona,agae trials. briefs and records. sections Oh
the Toner collection. periodicals. inciudins case'
a., tho neriodical room Of the Library Oh WI"
gress. o,.,o, T., .ha
In the library there are l3,2l4 volumes III '"e
-un,;ca,e room. In the conference room OF the
svnreme Court. as a part of the library 'here
orc 10 600 volumes. which may be calieu Sp7
Cial library of the Supreme Court. .ou. 20 ,ho
Visitors find something curious IN It" p ~ ' .,
ala IsfYerson books, autographs. etc. but II
&c better to pass on here ana devote a,ten'io Az.
~ real wants Of this admirable Dut pau!
rIaced collection Of law books. FIRST, tle 'in
was never planned for a library anu 80 ~
never be changed into one TO auNdh'ase rho
No. U.bot The expenditure OF money. Inc
space is too limited for either the noonS o." r
attendants the persons VINO IcSoit cHn so,,ap
a. forrne tion The floor area Is only Zoto squaic
feet the equivalent Of a room apout my Ic,.
souare Not only Is IL too smaIi. IL Is pooI.9
ventilated and is SO placed with respect ~ nv nv
rest OF the Capitol the Ventilation cdNhot pe
imurove6 The crowding together or so many
thousands constantly increasing IN nu in"'.
Of volumes into 50 confined a spaVe mas I'm
nailed the free use OF artificial lights; ana sun
with the freest possible use or these lheie ar
many hooks where il is a matter OF eNrt s
difficulty 10 find book NO one VINO goes i ,bo
the room even for a moment viii IAN 70 see 'he
inadenuacy Of the present arrangement II -
9 matter Of vital importance, II the GoVetlilileii'
Is to keep up this splendid conecll9n %
cal works so necessary 10 the adrih'sti 49,. .
Of Justice IN the country. mat new qud''e
should be selected forthwith
USE FOR TIE OLD LIBRARY OF CONGRESS-
Fortunately it happens that at the 7re5ent
moment with the removal OF the Library Vi
Congress to the new and elegant building across
the plaza quarters every way better than the
present, and approaching to the admlraDie ohe3
required for the purpose are now vacant, anu
can be had, If II be the VIII or Cohsre3s' 10
concede them TO the library. \ ereat deal has
been said of taking the rooms OF the Oh Library
OF Congress for restaurant purposes. me spe-
cious argument is advanced that JOINT res'au-
rant is required. and that this situation Is the
ideal one Tor a Congressional restaurant. Now,
whether a joint restaurant snail be es,anllshed
or separate restaurants one for eacn nous ,, y,
Congress shall continue. is q matter with which
the public is not at al concerned, but thcy
are deeply interested in two things:
First-That there Shail De III anu su''a"io
place for the law library.
Second-That the main front entrance OF me
great Capitol building Of the United States shaIi
not be used for cooking ana eating; !'naslne
the feellnrs of q refined visitor on first enter
ing the noble edifice his ofactories are re-
called with the smells Of tie kitchen ana the
table Faugh' The rooms Of TIE old Library
of Congress are fairly well lighted and vent-
lated They could be made wan slight altera-
TONS easily accessible ~ the supreme court
and the houses Of Congress. EeslGes making
the present collection more useful one immedl-
ate effect Of removing IL 10 better quarters
would be to develop a tendency 10 improve IL
along modern lines. 1t is as constituted. large
ly a collection of copyrighted works. 1t is de-
fcient in certain classes OF books not to be