The Portland daily press., 1897-09-24
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Its Quarters Greatly Improved by the
New Stack Room.

Fireproof Structure Modelled After the
Congressional Library-It Embodies
the Best Features in Library Construc-
ton and Makes Possible Extensive
Improvements in the Baxter Building.
When the patrons of the Public library
go there in the future, they will find
many changes and additions, all of which
are in the nature of improvements. The
big, brick building of which glimpses
may be obtained from Congress street, is
the new stack room erected in the rear
of the library building. Its location has
made any ornamentation of the exterior
unnecessary, and this serves to increase
the impression, of great strength given
by the thickness of the walls. Inside, the
building is most cheerful place. The
person who goes to the library in quest
of books for home use, will hereafter
descend the short flight of steps leading
from the level Of Congress street to the
ground floor of the building. The long
corridor has been handsomely tiled and
is lighted by rows of many incandescent
lights. At it's end one passes through a
doorway into the stack room proper. The
before it are a number of settees of oak
for the convenience of those waiting for
books to be delivered. Near by in a cor
ner of the room is large fireplace of
handsome design. Behind the delivery
desk are the book stacks of the first
floor, filed with works of fiction and
works on other topics which are in most
frequent demand. The visitor who sees
the great, cheerful room filled with its
long rows of iron cases, all glistening in
coats of white paint will be interested in
the following description which shows
that the structure contains the latest
and best in library buildings, that in
many of its features it was modelled on
the Congressional library at Washington
and that, above all, it is absolutely fire.
proof:
The building is SO feet from the ground
to the caves, is 80 feet wide and 81 feet
and inches long. The walls are 3 feet
thick, composed of the very best hard
burned brick laid in Portland cement.
The roof timbers are of steel, and the
covering is composed of porous terra
Gotta roof tile, laid in cement, upon which
is a layer of tarred paper and slate. No
wood is used in the building except in
the window frames. The first floor is 35
feet by 80 feet in size and is lighted by
25 windows. The walls are painted in
white, and the floor is of Roman mosaic
made from white marble cubes and Port
land cement. The second floor is reached
by an iron stairway from the first floor,
and is a room having % windows and
90 full stacks and 4 half stacks, and will
accommodate nearly $4,000 volumes.
These stacks are designed by Mr.. Bernard
r. Green, who is the supervising archi-
tect of the Congressional library. When
more stack room is needed, the arrange
ment is such that additional stacks can
be made by simply laying the floor over
head and adding the stacks in each story,
with very little additional cost, SO that
the building when all the stacks are in,
can accommodate 240, 900 volumes, which
is certainly all the space that will be
needed for hundred years to come.
The ground was purchased Of Mr..
James P. Baxter, the Deering heirs and
Ira +. Clark heirs, at a cost of $6,0l6.23.
The mason work was done by Mr.. N.
E. Redlon and cost in round numbers,
about $1,000. The iron work for the stacks
and roof and floors was furnished by the
Snead & Company Iron works of Louis
vile, KY, at a cost Of So, 62s. Sc. The
carpenter work on the doors and windows
was done by j. Philbrook & Son. The
mosaic floor was laid in halls and CORR
dor by the Boston Mosaic Company. The
painting was done by Mr.. D. G. Drink
water, the stating by Mr.. Bourne, the
plastering by jackson & Dugan. The
design for the building was made by Mr..
f. II. Fassett from the design of the Con-
gressional library staircase, carrying
out the ideas gained by E. A. Noyes,
Esq, after an inspection of the new Con-
gressional library. The money was Sc
cursd from the. Walker. trustees..for the
purpose.
The removal of the books from the old
stack room in the Baxter building has
made possible the utilization of much
needed space for reading room purposes.
Where is now the winow through which
books have been delivered will be door
way giving access to the new reading
room. The galleries will be narrowed
20 three feet SO that the reading room
will extend up to the handsome, timbered
roof of the building. From the reading
room doorway at the rear communi-
Gates with the new structure. The old
reading room on the Congress street
front of the building at the right of the
entrance will be set apart as room for
young people. The new stack room will
be open for the delivery of books Satur-
day morning, but the reading rooms will
be closed until alterations are completed