Evening star., 1897-07-26
Occupation of the New Library Build
ing Soon to Begin.
TAKING VOLUMES TO THEIR new home
Wagons to Be Used in Carrying
Them Away.
NEW ART TR E A Z r E S

will be closed some day this week and
access to the books in the collection will
be denied the general public for several
weeks during .he removal of The books
to the new building. No one can estimate
at this date the length of time that will
be const med in the removal, but it is like
ly to be eight ten weeks. In the re-
movaI of the Boston library, with its small
er collection of books. seven " eeks were
required.
While this work is progressing, how
ever, there will be change in the pres
ent rules relating to admission TO the new
library building. Visitors VIII be well
coined as usual. and the placing of the
books in the stacks will not interfere with
their inspection CT the art treasures of
the new library building.
Mr. AinswGrth r. Spofford. assistant Ii
brarian-in- chief. talked interestingly to
Star reporter today about the removal of
the books.
The removal of these great collections
to he successful must be systematic. The
general features of the plan embrace the
loading of books from their present shelves
in the Capitol building into boxes. sepa-
rateiy numbered and ticketed. to
indicate the place they will occvpy in the
iron-stacked rooms of the new library.
Thus. each division will be preserved in
its distinct order and such Encouragement
and classification the detailed treatment
requires will be gradually worked out.
No More Moving for IL Long Time.
"It is proposed to leave In each library
division and subdivision sufficient shelf
space for several years growth so that no
extensive removal of books need be made
for long time to come. The method of
removal Will be by wagons, as in the por
tons of the collections already transferred.
The Toner collection. for instance, has
already been removed and has been placed
temporarily in the north wing on the same
floor he m he
determined to provide other quarters for
this collection hereafter. An attendant will
De on Guty TO give access to these books.
The collection has already been used to a
considerable extent 1t contains rare, and,
In soma cases, unique matter for American
biographers- In fact, during the last two
weeks the utility of this great mass of
material for American history has been
eVincei IN the fact that Se publishing
committee of great protective work upon
biography of eminent Virginians have
been in constant attendance at the library
copying out of the Toner collection both
manuscript and printed material which was
rot to be found at Richmond nor elsewhere
hey found a rich mass of material. they
said. in this Toner collection and have utii-
ized the find to the fullest extent.
The necessity for closing the library at
the Capitol during the period of the re-
noval of the collections arises from the
disturbance which would inevitably result
To readers from the dust and sclatter and
the noise of handling extensive mass
OF books at once. besides which the GAL
lerleS must be provided with chutes for
sending the books down to the level of rho
rctunda floor. The main and overrI,lin,
e9stacle. however, to leaving the library
open during the removal Is the necessity
oI employing all of the force now engaged
II serving readers with books in the work
OF an early removal, 50 as to render these
HiNa-utDle collections again accessible to
the public at the earliest possible date
Nearly all of the duplicate volumes in
the cchectlons have been removed together
with large portion of the musical collec-
In all 0p1'S
Carried Away by Wagon.
The removal of the books is expected to
progress with great rapidity when fairly
under way The volumes will be coasted
down the chute from the galleries nI,cad
IN their proper boxes carried by men
through the rotunda to the east front ot
the capitol loaded into the wagon and
transported to the new building. Here the
boxes Will be placed upon the elevators
leading to the different rows of hook stacks
quickly 'i
Superintendent Green of the rev library
puiidlng IS all ready for the arrival of his
new guests. Everything is in ship-shane
orcer with the possible execution of nuar-
.ers Tor the copyright department, and it
Is only necessary for the visitors to come
over and take possession. Mr. Green has
just returned from New York, where he
mas oeen looking UP furniture for the copy
ne" register oc copyrights, Mr. ThoryaId
80 9ers. will bring his staff of assistants
a1d ms collection of records over to the
new building within couple of weeks and
install them. In the meantime Mr. Solherp
- located IN an office in the new building
Removing the Dust.
Superintendent Green has devised an In
sehlous arrangement for removing dust
from the books before they are placed
upon tne new shelves. He has attached an
ordinary rubber hose to the air compressor
belonging to the pneumatic tube system,
and. to use his language. will just turn
the hose on the dusty books Instead of
water. however, a stream of air ftowine Q
out under heavy pressure, will DO the work
To the end of the hose is attached broad
nozzle one-sixteenth of an inch by four
inches in size which will enable the air to
play upon the books in a stream the shape
OF brush The plan has been tried with
success upon the collections that have al
ready been brought over, and it is ex-
pected that every book will go into its new
quarters free from dust
1t IS proba ble. said Mr.. Green to a
Star reporter this afternoon, that the
general public has very little idea of the
number of people who visit the new Con-
gressionai Library building each day. All
during the spring and early summer our
visitors averaged 800 a day Even now
with the city depleted by the summer exo-
aus the number ranges about 1.0O0 visitors
day- i am happy to say that there is a
gratifying absence of any spirit of vandal-
ism among these people. The watchmen
are very vigilant. but we have really had
to make but few arrests for this offense"
Minerva Put I'm Place.
The mosaic OF Minerva by Elihu yedder
has been finished and put in place at the
head of the mezzanine stairs leading to
the rotunda gallery from the main hall
and attracts great deal of attention and
admiration Other art works are to be
added to the collection within the near fu-
ture.
The bronze statue of Columbus for the
gallery rotunda is now being cast in New
York, together with the bronze doors for
the main entrance. and they will be In
place in the fall Two groups for the
fountain In front of the building are also
under way at the foundry, and will come
about the same time.