The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1897-05-13
A GREAT LIBRARY.

Most Nsgaihcsnt building Of Its Kind In
tn. world -Cossrs = Hioek. Cost So
900. 900. and Contain. 400. 600 Books.
~. Louis Globe-Dsmocrat
Ten years after the United States
Of America came into existence the
library Of Congress had lis begin
ming. Congress was about TO move
from Philadlphii. La. seat Of gov
eminent was TO be transferred On
two sloops to the District Of Column
bia. There was u co lection Of town
lots, but not much else, in Washing
ton. so long az they remained in
Philadelphia the senators aud repre-
sentatives made use Of the l.Oganian
library. When they came to con-
slider the needs of the new location
they appropriated $1,000 to buy
Looks, and ordered a room get apart
for them in the capitol. The grand
father Of Ambassador Bayard Wac
one Of the committee which carried
out the provision. Two years later
Congress employed "A librarian at 81
day to take care OF the books, but
stipulated that the pay was for only
such time Az he was actual y at work.
The early appropriations for the
library were $50 year. It took
fourteen years to get together 1900
books. Then came the British un-
der General Ross, entering Wash
ington in 1911. They burned the
capitol and the library went up in
flames. The neat year Congress
made another start by purchasing
the 500 books of Thomas Jefferson
for 1928, $50. In lS5l the library of
Congress, as it is officially know, had
grown to about 10000 volumes. A
tire on Christmas day destroyed 3d.
600 books and part Of the capitol
From 10000 volumes in 1852 the
library has reached iJs present col
lection Of 100000, and now takes
possession Of the finest library build.
ing in the world, which cost ST., 600.
900, and was nine years in course Of
construction.
A pnblic building covering a
block of ground and without a dark
corner is something novel IN archi.
lecture. Yet that is what the new
library is. Such result is made
possible by 1900 windows and by an
arrangement of courts within the
exterior rim of halls. The reading
room is in the very centre, but a
Hood of light pours in on the cloud.
lest day. 1t is under the golden
dome. IL is an eight-sided room,
with Ike elevated desk of the libra
rian in the centre, and all of the ap-
paratus for communicating with as
sistants around and beneath. The
desks for readers are in circles fac
ing the librarian. The distance
across this octagonal room is 100
feet. l;otunda is "a better descrip-
ton than room, for the ceiling is
the vaulted interior of the dome.
The walls of this rotunda for forty
feet from the floor are of amber
tinted marble, rich enough in polish
and color to be mistaken at first
glance for onyx.
Opening into the rotunda on the
eight sides ale alcoves, where ency-
clopedias, books of reference, die
tlonaries aud works for which there
Is almost continuous use will be kept.
These alcoves are on the level of the
Hoor. Readers viii be allowed to 20
into them and consult such books
as they may reed. Sitting on his
high perch in the centre of the TO-
tunda, the Librarian or his imme-
diate representative occupies posi-
ton muck like the lookout's in a
modern penitentiary. lie not only
has every occupant of the reading
room under his eyes, but he can see
into every one of the alcoyes which
are open to the public. These refer.
ence alcoves will be the only parts
OF the library containing books to
which readers will have direct ac-
cess. The book racks are compile civ
isolated.