Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-10-22

| patch is then laid on with a paste
made of the finest Hour obtaiEable ant.
containing arsenic 10 prevent its be-
coming the food of cockroaches or
other insects that live about among
books and papers.
The manuscript then passes on to
| another cmploye, who pastes upon the
back a hinge of fine linen tracing
cloth. and upon the front OF outer bor-
der of the leaf Il rim of the same ma
teral. The hinge is generally about
!, three-quarters Of an inch in width,
while the border is about one-half of
an inch wide. The entire manuscript is
then inclnsed between two sheets of
tracing cloth. pasted upon the front
and back, thus completing the process
of rehabilitation. In its finished state
the paper is clear. plant and service
able in every respect and ready for the
peculiar files.
The process last mentioned is EN-
ployed however. only in the case OF
manuscripts of ordinary or secondary
value. In the case of papers of consid-
cradle value the treatment is some
what different. After the bath in
water, drying. patching. etc. the letter,
closed between two sheets of what is
known as .'crepeiine. pasted on front
and back with the same variety OF
paste that serves for all the manu-
scripts repaired in this department.
This '.crereline' is manufactured in
France. and the library of Congress is
the only institution of its sort in
America that uses this material.
The vatican library at Rome was
about the first institution of its Kind to
employ ..cerepline' for the purpose of
repairing damaged manuscripts, and it
was from there that the process was
introduced into the other great Ii
braries Of the continent and Great
Britain. The material in question is
made entirely of silk. and is. in fact.
the finest grade Of what is known as
nuns yelling. Held up to the light II
appears as thin as gauze or the finest
spiier's web. and once that it Is placed
over q renovated manuscript it REQUIRES
oversight of unusual keenness to detect
its presence.
The manuscripts thus treated ana Iii
their finished state are sent to another
worker whose business ii is to mount
them by the hinge of tracing paper on
from there they are removed ana
nIaced in large book covers. the ar
ranrement of which is altogether pc
culiar. having originated among tne
workers in this section of the congress
sional library. To try TO attempt 70
bind these manuscripts would be out OF
the question for the reason that
every now ana then it becomes neces-
of thern
purpose or other. and, as such papers
and letters are constantly accuihuia.,
ing il is necessary to, every now am,
then. insert fresh ones in the bindine
containing the boards or covers made
for their reception.
Another highly interesting phase Oh
the work is the treatment OF manu-
scripts that have suffered mildew- Inc
color left on paper by mildew cannot
be reno, ed. this being about the only
difficulty in the work of repairing
manuscripts that the division workers
have been unable to overcome. Inc
sodden, murkey color left by miidcw IS
as fast. in fact, more so, than thar OF
the strongest and most durable veIcta-
bic ink or dye. and can no more be ef-
faced than rust or the effect of rust
can be taken from iron.
Such being the case the workers OF
the division have made the best of
matters. ana have done the next best
thing in selecting the paper for the
repair Of a widowed manuscript as
near the color of the original as possi-
bic, and right well have they succeed
ed. A nildewed manuscript, full OF
holes, is repaired With patches THAI
arc cut from paper of nearly the same
color, and thus. when finished, the
manuscript is harmonious even in its
defects. presenting nothing out OF
place or disagreeable to the eye, as
would be the case were the dark brown
mildewed manuscript repaired with
paper Of perfectly white color
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