Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-09-18

by the gift OF n man named Hans
Sloan, one hundred and fifty years
ago. 1t was first kept In one Of the
duCal palaces and for a time was
called the Kings library, George ~
desired to sell II at one time, when he
was hard up, but when he found that
he could not do so he gave II To the
people. 1t has since been largely in
creased by gifts. Just now ! under
stand that there is n fine collection Of
Burns works In this city 1t is owned
by william II. Smith, the superutend-
ont of the Botanical Gardens. and IT
~ said to be one OF the finest Burns
collections In the world. | have uu-
derstood that he expects to give II to
the Masonic library Of Washington,
but | have written him that he should
give IT to the National library Why
should not some rich man buy col
lection of this kind and give IT to the
library Take some OF our milllon-
aires, such as John Mackey. Rookie
Teller 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 col
lection, and to be always called by
their name? | would like to see ma
tlOnal pride aroused in the library. Ii
Is a library for the people.and we hope
to make IL so accessible That II Will be
at the command OF every one who
comes TO Washington"
WASHINGTON AS A LITERARY
CENTER.
"Is not Washington already one OF
the best literary centers Of the
Union?"
yes, 1t Is" was the reply. ut is fast
becoming the seat of great collections
The National Library IL only one of
number. There should be general
catalogue published of all the books in
Washington. stating where they may
be found We have here what is said
to be the bestmedicnl library OF the
world. This is known as the library of
the Army and Medical Museum. 1t has
more than 100000 volumes and about
10000 pamphlets. comprising, 1t Is
said. copies of about three-fUrrths of
all the medical literature published,
and copies of nine-tenths of all the
medical books published within the
last ten years. Doctors now come from
all parts of the country to consult this
library of the British Museum, and
that of France. The Smithsonian
Library Is very rich In scientific mat
ter. 1t contains something like 100000
volumes and pamphlets. There will he
about $4,000 of these books stored in
the National Library and accessible
there. Then each of the great depart
ments has n liubrary. The Patent
Office Library is one of the finest of its
KIND. IL contains ABOUT bO,Uu 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 sur
vey has a fine library of travel and
science, and there are other collections
of value, all of which are open to the
public A great deal of scientific
work is steadily going on in Wash
ington, and there is no reason why II
should not be the chief literary CEN
ter OF the country"
IN THE NEW LIBRARY.
At this point Mr.. Young spread out
the plans ofthe floors OF che iibrury
and showed me how he expected to
arrange the diff crent departments.
We first took the third floor plan.
Here" said he, I'VE will have n
lecture room. which will seat 500 peo-
pie, and which may be used for
scientific and literary conventions. We
shall use one of the rooms for the
Smithsonian Institution collection.
so that II may be right near the lee
ture room. In the south gallery we Will