New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-01
A GREAT CLEANING.
THE RENOVATION OF THE BRITISH
MUSEUM LIBRARY
From The London Globe.

From The London Globe.
The great British Museum Library has been
undergoing its semi annual cleaning ana al enc
beginning of the present month emerged spick-
and span from the hands of an army OF attend
ants 1t takes 120 able-boded men I'VE OF SIX
full days of hard work to renoVate the HpT'ry,
The cleanings occur during the first and second
weeks of April and September OF each year me
cost of the labor and of the materials us"u
varies considerably. but If the wages Oh t"'
workmen be considered il never falls lower
than $500 Through the courtesy of the CLERK
of the Works of the Museum, MI Chares III
man and of sundry members of the stan the
following facts concerning the autumn anu
spring clcanings were obtained.
The library IL closed for the perl"C ASH
ing save III the cases of Few specli.' 'T.'neis,
the urgency of whose work induces IA, Neepsl
of Printed Books to allow them access TO the
Long Room. These privileged people howeVei'
must be prepared to put up with cohsiderape
discomfort, the horde OF mop ana p,ool''
wieldcrs are relentless in then pursuit Oh ciean-
Illness Indeed the cOrporals guard Oh reanc's
thus permitted to remain are SO haIlieu anu
chased from chair TO char, ana from tape W
table. that they frequently do theiI Work a'op
Of a ladder so as to be out of the way OF uust
and distraction. The cleaning Is thoroush'
Every square inch Of the kamptullcon cOnposi-
ton with which the floors are covered II care
f,,IIv insnected Wherever "A piece shows signs
of being worn, il is cut out ana repiaceu ~
laycr Of gum is spread over the noor, ana on 'h's
the kamptulicon is l;tid. Then an iron rolel VI
the kind used on suburban lawns Is passed over
the surface until every Wrlnkle mas nee'i
smoothed out. When the kanptulcoh is al III
place the washing brigade gets down TO "oih'
II takes statute mile OF lndla -f"Dpei P'p'ns ~
carry ine water to these tOilerS ana this IL
must be remembered sufiices only 10 cieahse d
section of the vast area at "a 'Iho. Wl'" o
mile Of gallery and reading room mas peth
flushed and washed the hoscpipe Is shifted to
While the Nashermen are splashng hitheI ana
,bithor The desk inspectors and book inspectors
ar. not Idle The duty of the former Is 10 eh-
anime all the desks and chairs III the hpr"ry
and report III every case where Iepalls az az
needed About Sky chairs get broken OF SCR
ousIy damaged every half-year. Nearly nun
dred lose then casters The inkwels attached 20
Tho #, Sis have TO be cleaned out ana the iaiiPs
and shades rigidly Inspected. Ihe booh-cAa'nin-
or. do not omen each volume That IS done sys
tematically throughout the year. ihey h,'i ~.
remove the volumes, dust them ana spi'hh' Wv
shelves with equal portions OIL poWue''u ' an.
,s,or and finely chopped tobacco. 1his ~ zone
10 keep off the insdous bookworm ana ,h. 10
baccO bill of the British Museum anh"ay 70,
onod. that of a dozen smokers. the tobacco
Io.yee are spccially chopped by WeH- KNOW"
firm of tobacconists. and the dust u oiown ir r,i
a bellows-ke apparatus along the hhe's'o. 80
will explain what has long puZzieu ieau'I" w., VI,
u,h,, ,hare attaches to all British Museum DOORS
a faint flavor of the herb nicotiah. All ,' "ona
whereof the bindings appear IN n pau ."n .
are either doctorcd on the spot OF SEM ou. W
reminding The dilapidated leather is p'as'eI ','
with paste TO fill up holes, and the beaten yo.h
~ an egg is then laid on with sponge. bei"le
th. composition dries a not iron II pass" wv
I, .u,l IN, bnding looks almost as good as he"
There are "A number Of old recipes ioi cie"n"s
and ronovating books. removing snalhS' ~, r',
mr., served in the library archives. THESE nave
been handed down from generation 10 Seh'i'.
tiou ana some of them are secrets Wh'h many
ardent bibliophilcs would like to possess.
when H.. general washing and inspecting are
over the painters and pOiishers begin 'i''
task while "A regiment of women 'not 'nu',. ~,
ated in the regular force, but set down ny 'le
Cl.rL of the Works az "auxiliares') start hres
through the reading rooms and corridors H'a,
ia absolutely necessary after the cleaning. ~