Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-07-06

GRAND STAIRWAY, CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY.
national library at Washington, doubt
if there is anywhere a great collection
of books more beautifully, deliberately
and conveniently housed than the 30O,-
600 or more volumes which compose
the Chicago library. Boston has mag
nificent public library building. So has
Milwaukee,, and these are about the
only ones, excepting, of course. the Ii
brary at Washington, that can be COM
pared either in extent or elegance with
the Chicago library.
! In connection with the Chicago H.
brary there is a novel and convenient
system of free book delivery Substa-
tions are established throughout the
city, where patrons may obtain books
without going 10 the library. This is
good from q utilitarian point Of view,
| but not an unmixed blessing, since those
who are thus supplied miss the inspra-
ton which visit to this magni cent
repository Of books must give. A visit
to the Chicago public library, with its
grand stairway its great reading room,
its tier on tier Of tones, its elegant ap-
!
most liberal education. Chicagoans,
or any one else for that matter, cannot
visit it too often.
Speaking of books and libraries it is
gratifying to note the growth and adj
vance in this direction all through the
middle west Time was when the east
was supposed to have something of a
monopoly on culture. If there ever was
such time, it is now past. Well select
ed and we'll patronized public libraries
are as common in the cities and towns
of this section as they are in New Eng
land or New York.
The preparations for the autumn fes-
tival, at which time the cornerstone of
the new federal building will be laid
with imposing ceremonies, go on apace
and quite satisfactorily, though there
has been good deal of sparring over the
location of the stadium, wherein will
| be held the entertainments connected
| with the festival. The plans for the
stadium, which have Just been submit
ted, outline handsome structure / 240
| feet in length by 600 feet in width, in.
closing in the form of a semicircle an
arena 500 feet long and 200 feet wide.
Public interest in the much talked Of
waterway to the Mississippi is revived
by the report of Major Marshall on the
! Illinois river Improvements. He says
that the project 10 connect the southern
end of Lake Michigan with the waters
Of the Mississippi river is completed so
far as relates to the construction of locks
and dams in the Illinois river.
In the Chicago river l1le miles Of
the channel has been improved. On the
main and south branches 6l9 miles have
been dredged and 500, 9SS cubic yards
Of material removed, On the north
branch the channel has been improved
for distance of 90 miles. The Calu-
met river has been dredged from its
mouth TO its fork, a d'tance of 81
miles. giving a channel 200 feet wide
and 6 feet deep, except for a short dis
lance, where the width is reduced to 50
feet
For the purpose of connecting the H.
linois and Desplaines rivers a survey
ing party will be put into the field, The
survey is TO determine the cost of this
improvement. which is expected to ex-
tend navigation from the Illinois river
to Lake Michigan at or near Chicago.
Speaking of the progress of the work
on the Hennepin canal, Major Marshall
says the eastern line of the canal has
been definitely located from the Illinois
river to the feeder junction on mile IS,
and the right of way has been condemn
ed and paid for, On the western section
the route from the feeder junction to
the Mississippi river has been approved.
Nearly four miles of canal trunk have
been completed, together with the
guard locks, the northern and southern
dams and the railway and highway
bridges. The right of way has been To-
Gated from the feeder Junction 10 the
Rock river, and much of the land has
been acquired. Thus, without much
stir or blowing of horns, the work pro-
crosses on the great waterway from
which the producers and the shippers
of the middle west expect to derive SUBJ
stantial benefits. SAMUEL HUBBARD.