The Saint Paul globe., 1899-02-12
THE MILWAUKEE, PUBLIC LIBRARY.

open daily with special library books
in raised letters.
MILWAUKEE FINE STRUCTURE.
Perhaps the finest library building
in the West is the new 5000 library
building recently completed at Mil
waukee. The history Of the Milwaukee
! public library is not unlike that of the
st. Paul library. For years the Mil
waukee institution was housed in an
edifice built for the purpose by John
Plankington. a citizen of Milwaukee
Later it became strictly a municipal
institution.
The double purpose of the building
Is uncommon under just such relat- -ons
as the two institutions, the public IL
brary and the public museum, bear to
one another. Both are under munici-
pal control, and each is governed by an
Independent, coordinate board of trus-
tees, having but two members in COM
mon, those who represent the common
school system, the president of the
sohcol boacd and the superintendent of
| schools. The building was erected by
the two boards acting together as a
joint body in the utmost harmony and
good feeling
Early in the discussion concerning
the proposed building the attention of
some of the trustees was attracted by
the library building of the University
OF Leipzig, and many of the local de-
signs submitted in the competition for
! plans showed the influence Of this
building. The accepted design, made
by Ferry & Clas, of Milwaukee. was
| undoubtedly thus affected, but a care
full comparison of the two buildings
lessons the sense Of resemblance be-
tween them. Both are buildings on
classic lines. with three stories and
| basement. but the Milwaukee struc-
tuTe shows the influence of the Italian
school and has but little in common
with the German building, while the
addition Of the low dome, which was
50 successfully used in some of the
best Worlds fair buildings. adds an
individual beauty and distinction to the
design.
DETAILS OF THE STRUCTURE.
The material used is an Indiana
limestone, known as buff Bedford. -
1t is warm light gray in color, rot
dark enough to obscure the charming
effects of light and shade which are
brought into play in classic architec-
! ture. and Of fine enduring grain for
| the carvings of the rich Corinthian or
| nament.
! The dominant feature of the building
| is the entrance in the center of the
Grand avenue front. This accentua ton
| Is architecturally correct, because ii is
| In harmony with the spirit of the build
| ing, for only in this entrance, and the
rotunda to which it leads, do the two
institutions occupy common ground.
| From the .rotunda the museum rooms
| open toward the west and the library
| rooms open to the north and east.
Across the whole facade of the build
| Ing. which is twenty-five feet back
| from the street, is a terrace, enclosed
by balustrade at the street line. This
| terrace, with fight of eight broad
steps, secures beauty and dignity of
! approach Three arched entrances lead
| into a vestibule, which itself opens by
| three large doorways into the rotunda.
| The rotunda is the common ground
OF the two institutions the center
where all visitors to the great building
will enter. Here they will form their
| first impressions, and from this point
they will gradually divide as they. seek
the various departments Of both insti-