The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1897-06-02
WASHINGTON NOTES.

America came into existence, the Con
gressional library had its beginning.
Congress was about to move from
Philadelphia. The seat of govern
ment was to be transferred on two
sloops to the District of Columbia.
There was a fine collection of town lots
but not much else in Washington. So
long as they remained in Philadelphia,
the Senators and Representative
made use of the Loganian Library.
When they came to consider the needs
of the new location they appropriated
$1,000 to buy books, and ordered a
room set apart for them In the Capitol.
The grandfather of the present Ambas-
sador Bayard was one of the commit
tee which carried out the provision.
Two years later Congress employed a
librarian at 50 day to take care Of
the books, but stipulated that the pay
was for only such time as he was ac-
tually at work. The early appropria
tons for the library We're $3.50 year.
1t took fourteen years to get together
1900 books. Then came the British,
under Gen. Ross, entering Washing
ton in 1914. They burned the Capitol
and the library went up in flames. The
next year Congress made another start
by purchasing the 600 books of
Thomas Jefferson for S23 $50 In 1851
the Library of Congress, as 1t is official
ly known, had grown to about $4,000
volumes. A fire on Christmas Day de-
stroyed $4,000 books and part of the
Capitol. From 10000 volumes In 1852
the library has reached its present col
lection of 100000, and now takes pos
session of the finest library building in
the world, which cost $6000,000, and
was nine years ii course of construc-
tion.
A public building covering a block of
ground and without a dark corner is
something novel in architecture. Yet
that is what the new library is Such
a result is made possible by 1880 win
dows and by an arrangement of courts
within the exterior rim of halls. The
reading room Is in the very centre, but
a flood of light pours in on the cloud
lest day. 1t is under the golden dome.
1t is an eight sided room, with the ele-
waited desk of the librarian in the cen
tire, and all of the apparatus for COM
munieating with assistants around and
beneath The desks for readers are in
circles facing the librarian. The dis
lance across this octagonal room is
100 feet. Rotunda is n better descrip-
ton than room, for the ceiling Is the
Yaulted interior of the dome.
Opening into the rotunda on the
eight sides are alcoves, where encyclo-
paedias, books of reference, dictlon-
aries, and works fer which there are al
most continuous use will be kept,
These aleoves are on the level of the
floor. Readers will be allowed to go
into them and consult such books as
they may need. Sitting on his high
perch in the centre of the rotunda, the
librarian or his immediate representa-
tive occupies a position much like the
l0okouts in modern penitentiary. He
not only has every occupant of the
reading room under his eyes, but lie
can see in every one of the alcoves,
which are open to the public. These
reference alcoves will be the only parts
of the library containing books to
which readers will have direct access.
From the eight corners of the rotun-
da, between the pairs of alcoves, rise
the massive marble columns which
support the golden dome. They are of
deeper and richer colored marble than
that which forms the walls. Forty
feet above the floor spacious gallery
encircles the rotunda. From this Wis
itors who come on sightseeing bent
will look down upon the practical OPP
grafton of the library. Only those per-
sons who wish to read or to consult
books will make use Of the main floor
of the rotunda. All others must go to
the gallery. In this way the librarian
expects TO make the reading room a
place for study without interruption,
although he will have from $50 to 300
readers under his supervision when the
room is full. On the edge of the gal
lery are perched sixteen bronze fig
ures. On one side of the rotunda, al
most on level with the gallery, is a
marble clock, six feet across the face.
AVAh tht VI iut lilt
visitor will gain a comprehensive idea
of the workings of the library. Look
ing down, he will see the applicant for
book come into the rotunda by way
of a curtained aisle, and make known
his request on n slip of paper at the
great central desk. He will follow the
movement of the attendant to a tele-
nh MT
per will convey the order. Turning
about and looking through the heavy
plate glass into the book stack he will
find the attendants on one he nine
floors receiving the MESA : at the
other end of the telephone. lie will
see the attendant go to on Of tie book
cells, take down the volume wanted,
and drop it In a little iron box on the
endless chain. Returning his attention
to the centre of the rotunda. the Wis
itor will presently have the satisfac'
ton of observing the box come up
from beneath the floor in the rear OF
the librarians desk, and deposit the
book there for the intending reader.
Between the utilities and the artistic
IudSulucellce Oh tne scene the NlSltoF
may well be lost in admiration. Be.
low will be the busy scene of the Ii.
brary in use. Around above are the
richly tinted marble columns and
walls extending upward 10 the int
rior of the dome.
1.-The book capacity of the parts of
the library finished off" said Mr. Spot.
s;s oh 4 4
all of the space of each floor not at
present used was to be fitted up for
the storage of books. the building
would hold 100000 books More
over, posterity may build book stacks
In the spacious courts to contain ..
00o, 600 more without any violence to
the uses or architectural symmetry of
tho prasant edifica -