Evening star., 1902-01-04

corner stone of the present magnificent in
Stitution.
By this act 5000 was appropriated for
the purchase of books and for fitting UP q
suitable apartment in the Capitol to con-
tain them, the purchase to be made by the
secretary of the Senate and the clerk of the
House OF Representatives, under 'such di-
rrections as shall be given, and such cata-
logue as shall be furnished by joint COM
mittee of both houses of Congress, to be
appointed for that purpose
A Modest Beginning.
The next act dealing with the library was
passed January 26, 1902, and provided for
placing in one room of the Capitol the
books which had been purchased by the
first appropriation. together with the books
or libraries which had been kept separately
of suitable rules and regulations by the
President of the Senate and the Speaker of
the House of Representatives, and the ap-
pointment by the President of a librarian
at a salary not to exceed 81 per diem of
necessary attendance. The uneXpended bal
ance of the sum of 5000 appropriated by
the act of April "a 1900, and all sums later
appropriated, to be expended under the di-
rection of joint committee, consisting of
three members from each house.
John Reckley of Virginia, clerk Of the
House of Representatives was appoint ed
librarian by President Jefferson, January
20. 1902. In April, 1902, less than three
months after the appointment of Mr.. Beck
ley, the first catalogue was issued. 1t filled
ten octave pages end contained the titles of
964 volumes and nine maps. The books
We're classified by size, folios coming first
then quartos, octavos and duodecimos, fol-
lowed by the maps
Wide Range of Subjects.
1t is Interesting to note the character of
the books whose titles are given in the first
catalogue of the library, issued in April
1902. Senator Mitchell, in a report from
the Senate library committee, January 90
1906, states that the aim in purchasing
books should be ito furnish the library with
such materials as will enable statesmen to
be correct in their Investigations and by
becoming display of erudition and research
give higher dignity and brighter luSter
to truth" The wide range of subjects COW
cred by the small collection of less than
1OCO volumes shows that a wel-drected
effort was made to place in the library the
best standard works on law, archaeology
history. geography, politics, political econ
omy, theology and translations of the
Greek and Roman classics. Light reading
is represented by set of the British Es-
sayists. Fiction is entirely absent, and the
only poet admitted is Burns.
-Four other catalogues were issued be-
tween this date and 1872 the last catalogue
printed prior to the destruction of the
library in 1914. The catalogue published in
1872 filled 1O1 octave pages and contained
the titles Of 3.O76 volumes and fifty-three
maps, charts and plans. AS this catalogue
was printed toward the end Of the year It
gives approximately the contents Of the
library when it was destroyed eighteen
months later. An additional appropriation
of $1,000 yearly for five years was made
February u, 1906, and similar sum De-
cember 6. 1911. These three appropriations
of $1,000 each, with annual appropriations
for the salary of the librarian and for con-
tlngent expenses. amounting to little over
$1,000 comprise the whole sum appropriat ed
for the support of the library prior to it's
destruction by the British soldiers, August
-. 1914. and of this sum from 5000 to
5000 had not then been expended. John
BeckIey remained in charge of the library
till his death, April 8, 1897. and on Novem-