The Republican journal., 1902-12-25
BOWDOIN'S NEW LIBRARY.
1t Cost 100000 and was the gift of Gen.
Thomas ii. Hubbard.

Through the generosity of Gen.
Thomas Hamlin Hubbard, of the law
firm of Butler, Stillman & Hubbard of
New York city, and the business asso-
ciate of Coils p. Huntington. Bowdoin
College will soon dedicate what is said
to be the largest college library build
ing in New England. What makes this
occasion the more memorable is the
fact that the college was opened at
Brunswick, on the banks of the Andres
coggin River, 100 years ago. The age
of the institution, however, exceeds
the century mark by eight years, mas
much as the charter for the institution
was obtained in 1894.
The transfer of the books from Kings
Chapel, where they have been stored
in the sides and rear of the building for
the last half century, to their new home
has brought to light a number of
legends which cling to the names of
Longfellow, Hawthorne, President
Pierce and other illustrious graduates
of this institution. At the time that
these men were at Bowdoin, the library
was in an old wooden chapel, which the
more stately Kings Chapel supplanted
at later date. From 1918 to 1855 the
books were in the second story Of this
old sanctuary, and in these alcoves
LongfelloW and Hawthorne, both of
the class of '25, wrote their first produc-
lions, and drew from these books their
earlier literary nutriment. The color
ed panes of the windows and the music
of the chapel services are thus said to
have inspired the poet with the spirit
ual reverence which is to be found in
''The Hymn of the Moravian Nuns;
whereas it stimulated Hawthorne with
the weird and the supernatural intlu
ences found in almost all his books.
Franklin Pierce, who was graduated
year ahead of Longfellow and Haw-
thorne, began his study of law here,
and the inspiration of the chapel lib
rary finally carried him to the White
House as the 18th President.
When Gen. Hubbard was pupil at
Bowdoin the books of the college were
taken from the old chapel and placed
in the new Kings Chapel so named in
honor OF William King, the first Cover
nor OF Maine. Gen. Hubbard was of
the class of 81, and at that time the
new library in the rear of Kings Chapel
was regarded by many as adequate for
was then boy of 10, saw far enough
into the future to say to one of his
comrades:
1.-THE time will come when this uni
versity will have to have a library by
itself. If ever I'm able to do it, I'd like
to build one" Nearly half a century
has passed since then; but the boy has
at last fulfilled his wish.
-Four years after his graduation from
Bowdoin Thomas H. Hubbard was cal
led away from the law by the outbreak
of the Civil War. He had just begun
the practice of his profession at AL
bany, but decided that he wanted to go
to the front. He went back to his home
at Hallowell, Me-, and joined the
Twenty fifth Regiment of Maine Volun-
teers. After the war he went to New
York and resumed his practice of law,
which has been chiefly in the interest Of
large corporations. In the life of Coils
p. Huntington Gen. Hubbard was
| closely associated with the head of the
Southern Pacific Railroad. He was not
only Director and Vice President of
! this road, but also President of the
Mexican Central Railroad, and connect
ed with other ramificatiOns of the Hunt
ipgton interests.
The Hubbard Library looks more like
a building for soldiers than one for
books. The feature of it's facade is the
battlemented tower 80 feet square and
100 feet high. 1t is of various kinds of
material-Harvard brick, granite and
limestone. Besides providing space for
100, 900 volumes, and reading rooms for
professors and students, the building
contains large assembly hall, lecture
hall and administrative offices. In the
tower will be the famous private library
Of James Bowdoin, the Massachusetts,
Governor after whom the college was
named. The main building is 176 feet
long and 40 feet wide, with wing &c
feet in length. The main library room
has floor space of 5000 square feet,
shelving for $1,000 volumes, and tables
for 40 workers. The cost Of the build
ing was 100000.
Lady: "Your references don't seem t.
me quite satisfactory" Applicant: stNOl
to me, ma'am. But they're the best could
get"