The evening times., 1899-11-15
THE new CITY LIBRARY
Superintendent Green has the Spec
ifications Nearly Ready.
Ground Soon to Be Broken for the
Mount Vernon Square Structure.
The Plans Adopted-A Description
of the Building When Completed.
The Arrangements for t-:= Books.

The work of constructing the Washing
ton City Library from t:e funds donated
by Andrew Carnegie viz probab,y begir
in about one month. The plans were re-
ceived by the commission in charge of ths
work some time ago, and they are now il
the hands of Bernard Green, the superin-
tendent of construction, who is preparing
the specifications. 1t is the intention o.
Mr. Green that these papers shall be COM
piete in every detail. In order that the Of
flee work shall be Iessened when the ac-
tual construction of the building is com.
meneced.
1t is said TIT the building will bs
erected by contract, and it is the purpose
of the commission to give explicit in
structions to the contractor at the start
SO that he will be able to go ahead on all
parts of the work without stopping to pre-
pare, estimates and specifications for the
various details as they come up for con-
sideration.
The plans as prepared by the architects
are very complete, and are said to leave
no room for mistakes in construction. The
work will be commenced as soon as possi-
BILE. and will be supervised by an officer
OF tne DlStrlct government, VINO Will nave
complete charge.
Mount Vernon Square, where the library
is to be placed has been stripped of all its
ornamental fencing and fountains. and in
a short time the workmen will get to work
clearing away the trees and bushes There
is a great deal of shrubbery at this place.
which will have to be destroyed, but 1t is
not thought that all Of the trees will be
taken down. The library building will not
cover the entire plot and the commission
is desirous of having some foliage on the
ground surrounding the structure.
The library building will be constructed
after the Grecian style of architecture and
will be two stories in height with a large
basement. The principal reading rooms
will be on the first floor where will also be
situated the children's room and the dis
tributing room. The Offices of the various
officials will be on this floor also. In the
basement will be another children's room
and the room of the various subordinate
attendants of the building. On the second
floor there will be a memorial hall and
several private reading rooms. The most
important feature of this floor will be the
large lecture room, which will be used for
the purpose of explaining and teaching lit
erature and works of art.
The book stack will be constructed in the
rear Of the building proper and will almost
be a separate building. The library Will
face south and the stack will be placed cn
line with the north side of X Street.
The question of opening the library en-
Sunday will probably be considered by the
commission as soon as it has disposed Of
the estimates for the work Ii is claimed
by many persons that this building of all
others should be thrown open to the pub
lie on Sunday, as many people have no
other tine TO get books or read them. The
reading rooms will be thrown open at
night and a force will be on hand TO at
tend to the warts Of all persons desiring g
books. up to 10 o'clock.
The building will have accommodations
for several hundred thousand volumes, and
the library trustees expect that many do
nations of books. or money with which TO
bdy them. will be made when the building
is completed. The gift of Mr.. Carnegie
only provides for the construction of the
building. and the purchase of its furniture.
Already large donations have been made
and the building on New York Avenue
in which the library is now located is filled
with books that have been presented.