The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1901-02-09
The LIBRARY
OF CONGRESS
Splendid Description BY a 81
ltm Gentleman.
Addressed TO The Boys and
Girls 0i tie Lincoln
Public School.

AID girl, beceute % Dr. thr Hi"efs
treasure house Of oar patton, che gfsa'-
ct Library IN America aud the most
b su,itul library IN the world, ue u
brsry ol Congress. My Grst visit 20 it
was In the eyenif g, sud a. walked %
tbs rising gronpd Known as tho Capipl
Hil, ihe beauty Of The scene reminded
me oi the old world words Of sir Waller
scott;
"Ii thou Wonldst yies iair Melrose
Alright
Go, visit ID by the pale moonlight
On one hand, clear cnt in the white
light Of the moon. the towering cal itol
dome stood ont against the bIne of
Heaven; ami on The other hand, at
some 300 yards distance. ihe congrss.
sional library. brilliantly lighted from
within. seemed 10 invite one 20 enter
The library is large builling So is
your school. But, suppose the Lincoln
school 10 be- made larger $50 IL covered
the girls playground and the boys
playground, aud extended across Lib.
srty street and occupied halt Of the next
block, then II would be- almost a. large
a. the Library Of Congress. which covers
"a acres Of ground. This great edfce
vas completed about three years ago.
Its frame is of sieel the outer wall Is Of
gray granite, and the inner wall Of pol.
i.hed marble.
The drst thing 10 aitRc. attention
Il the fountain on the street
'front.'. The central figure Is a bronze
statue OF Neptune
On each side Triton on a sea horse
heralds his praise, and around IN the
great basin n the fountain are the crca,
lures Of the sea. In summer these
throw jets Of water on Neptune. But IT
this season Jack Froet is king and de-.
priyes Old Nep. Of that glory. In rear
oi the fountain, granite staircase con.
lucts 20 the main hjor. entrance "a
which is by beautiful bronEs doors.
three In number These doors are the
works Of art Ia the Rrch over one door
u seen Tradition, relating stories TO a
listening child other attentive figures
are a NUrseman, a man Of the stone aye,
a shepherd aud an Indian. whose face
ia that Of Chief Joseph oi the Nez
Pcrces, name not unknown ~ Oregon
pioneers Above the other doors ARE
depicted tho arts Of writing aud aint.
inv
Beyond the doorway, the visitor pass.
es through screen Of marble arches
into the main entrance hall or, raihor,
'nto fairy land. realm oi beauty.
The iloor is almost too pretty to trea {
upon IT, centor, a brass sun, shows The
points OF the compass; around this is a
leaign OF lovely colorcl marbles. win
the brass signs Of ths zodiac inlaid al
! lteryals In tho horier On either s De-
a richly ofnameuted staircase winds
around pillar which supports figure
ia bionEe, holding aloft torch, the.
lame Of which isa bunch Of electric
hshls. saiwase, pillau. piers, arches.
walls, all are Of polished shite Italian
marble, Language cannot picture The
nagnihgence oi form aud color la ,his
beautiful bailiing wish you opu'd
wllk through the yaulled CORRIDORS aud
%, the heauliial a,ors ihe mosaic cru.
ings, the gliding and thc noble palnun.s
oa the walls,
A peep into the rutunda shows ihe
r,'iing room with hs cif,los oi dysks.
i'le grcat wheel. OF which tho Abar
th's countef h. the central hub Here
tho columns, wallsani arches arcoi l,shi
and dark marbles, cream ami coh,e
inis An oclagona gallery extended
,roant Tho sevoni ni1C Great cd
umns flae in the CORNERS II ihs oc.
t'gon and surmolni, ~ them are surs.
ol Religion, Commerce. History, Art.
Philosophy, rply, las aui Sgienr,,
fhllc ou She ma hlo bluIral. bsia,eu
The piIlae stand co.osal bronze statues
oi Che worlds greatest mon lu seisnss
And the arts Columbus, Michael An,
sclo. Shakespeare fuli1n and oiborssa
tnsu la all, fhs rotnnia bit cloak at.
tmeis noticc. ltis a mosaicol colofol
precious uarhlss, and thu haads a-e
sldei and vc'ud. Aad aaag hIsh
overhead fisr tho dome. Amani hs
rentrai c.nl' ane p,iauugs represent
the nau'us oi ths world. a.l, .n
,hroash inls elfcle. ina liits csuop,.
q nating iH tle sgy. isa rcpls .snistan
y. Human Dojorslaud,ns s.eklus SOFA
anoo irom un high. Tho rouHla .a
HUNDRED ieei 'o diauoisrand apu,le.r
irom thr ID be Co ihc canopy p.ibm mif.
iame, ght oi oue huujuI ana
,eeui, ,'d,e tssi,
lAhan mrms h1'sty tHs .msr.
has BOOK smapy ha iss. m,is ibtau al I
iaa hooss; n' ,h,t rcaIus oae l.sl I
lay AZ NnN.i ifks ueaf.y iafpe thoasaaI /
years 90 rosi t,am aIl. ani ass ba1ss I
'le oont'Ant.y c'mias la. Toe Ubay
,e1s two cap.vs II escry pnheau
'opytlshlol la ,he uol,ei states. F5r
aga gosvfamcui' sen3 many boass. ana +
he contributions ~ tls eors. oi immof
ftenos su orer the safll 90 tAe sm.ih. /
ssian insiiiat'on ace deposited hrrc
'aeehase' Al hons aud abfoai ars a.sls I
fhen ne'v'safy 90 make thcAtfary oom. /
'isle Ia aus dsIaumsot lisrs ani
hsTs, shn,ash slass laoss aaJ sini,as 4
.ua'pses may hr adoi lbs n.,a,s atsr, Z
ha hsiks are Ava Nfafn .s-h "a.