The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1897-10-23
A GREAT LIBRARY.
The Imposing Building Which
Holds the Governments Books.
Built for the Express Purpose OF Hold
Ing Uncle Sans Congressional Litera-
ture-Grandest Library Build
ing In the World.

The library is a noble, imposing, mon
umental structure, by far the finest
building in the national capital, in
many respects the finest public build
ing on the continent, and, in the opinica
of those well qualified to judge, the
finest library building in the world.
That building of its size, solidity.
thorough construction and elaborate
and artistic embellishments should be
completed ready for occupancy for less
than $7,0o0,000 is matter for national
congratulation. Not only will it be
completed for less than the original es-
timate, but within the time limit set
nearly nine years ago. 1t is, therefore.
both monument of good taste in archi-
lecture and the decorative arts and
testimonial to the ability of the gov
ernment, acting through its regular Of
ficials, to plan and direct great public
works, to finish them within the time
originally fixed and to keep within
original estimates of cost-and these
are no slight gains.
The building is, of course, fireproof.
Little that will burn has been used In
its construction. The exterior walls
are OF gray granite. The interior or
court walls are of creamy white glazed
brick. The framework of the roofs
and ceiling of the dome surmounting
the rotunda is of iron and steel. Fire
proof material has been used between
the iron girders in all floors, and the
partition walls are of brick. Floors
and wainscoting, stairways and baluS-
trades are nearly all of marble, and
there is good authority for the claim
that more of this material has been used
in the building than there is in any
othei building in the world. With the
exception of the colored marble in the
rotunda it is nearly all American
marble.
The library at present contains over
100000 bound volumes, besides 100000
pamphlets. The three book stacks now
completed, together with the alcoves
Immediately adjoining the central read
ing-room, will hold 1,16s,0OO volumes,
which will provide for the growth OF
the library for Is years, at the present
rate of increase, about 10000 volumes
year. The unassigned rooms will hold
/ 1,047,000 volumes, which will provide
for all additions for SO years. For the
growth after that date the main rooms
of the first and second stories of the
north, east and south sides will hold, on
the stack and alcove systems of storage,
1 $4,000 volumes, Increasing the total
to 1851, 900 volumes, which will
be sufficient for about 90 years froD.
this date. The capacity can be stiu
further increased by 100000 volumes
by the building of one-story stacks in
the interior courtyards, without in the
least interfering with the light in, the
second and third stories and only slight
ly obstructing the light in a few in
terror corridors of the first or base
ment floor. Unless the additions shall
be more numerous than is now expected
the new building will, therefore, prove
ample for the needs of the library for
l25 years, its total capacity being about
|, 100000 volumes.-E. A. Hampstead, in