Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-18

| building commission through Mr.. H. B. F.
/ Mcfarland, it's president. to Theodore w.
| Noyes, esq, as president of the trustees OF
| the public library, and formally delivered
and presented to the citizens of Washington
| in the presence of the donor, Mr.. Andrew
| Carnegie, the President of the United States
| and a large assemhlage of distinguished
| citizens, with impressive and lifting cere-
monies. With this act there passed into
! the possession of this city the completed
! structure cut in white marble, beautiful in
| design, and capacious in extent, GROWING
! a conspicuous reservation in the heart or
! the city, which now is, and hereafter is to
| be- the home of the Washington Public LII
| brary.
In looking backward over the history of
events which have led up to the erection OF
| this structure, the inception of the idea may
be found in a suggestion in a city neWSpa-
per in January, 1891, wherein in adVertlng
to the liberality of Mr. Carnegie in endow-
ing libraries for the city of Edinburgh
Scotland, intimatiOn was made that his aid
might be invoked for n like purpose in this
city.
In March 1894 this Board of Trade, in
adopting n report of it's committee on pub
lie library, committed itself to the purpose
of organizing and establishing pubilc IL
brary, and it has constantly and persistent
| ly pursued this purpose to successful ac-
compshment.
This report of the library committee may
be properly deemed the corner stone upon
which subsequent efforts rest.
In June, 1896, Congress created the PUP
lie Library. and in June 1898. made the
first appropriation for its maintenance.
The First Donation.
On January r. 1899, Mr.. Carnegie ten
dered his first donation of $4,000 toward
the erection of the building, and in March,
1899. Congress provided a site and appoint
ed a commission to erect the building.
April IA, 1899. Mr.. Carnegie made further
donation of 0.O0O, and September %, 1899.
another of $4,000, to which has since been
added, on May %, 1903, supplemental do
nation of $4,000 to furnish and decorate
the interior of the building. AS the build
ing approached completion Congress made
a specific appropriation of $4,000 for the
purchase of books.
So much has been accomplished.
The completion of the building will be fol-
lowed immedia tely by the necessary i'm
provement of the grounds and approaches.
AS some regret has been exp pressed at lie
occupancy of park as a site for this libra
ry, attention is called to the fact that while
the square contains 13O,219 square feet, but
1891 or less than one-seventh, is covered
by the structure, which stands in the cen
ter, east and west but near the north line
of the square, leaving a large space at the
south. In the contemplated Improvement
of the grounds design adapted to the
architectural character and practical pur-
poses of the building, but preserving to the
fullest extent possible the character of tn
reservation as a public park. has been
adopted. For this purpose Congress has
appropriated $4,000. but for it's completion
and the Improvement of adjoining streets
an additional appropria ton of $1,000 is re-
quired.
Branch Libraries.
The establishment of branch libraries in
remote sections of the city at some time
after the complete n of the central library
has been looked forward to as natural
result but the unexpected announcement
OF MI. Carnegie, at the close of the dedi-
cation ceremonies at the library. that he
would provide the means therefor makes
their creation in the immediate future pos
sible, if the sections to be benefited can
provide tie sites and means of mainte-
nance. '.s.-.
Several sections of the city have already
made praiSeNOrthy efforts to comply with
his conditions. '
Books From Other Libraries.
The initial step in securing the transfer
of many thousand volumes of miscellaneous
character now stored away in the various
government departments and bureaus, to
the public library for the use of the general
public, was taken by Congress at its last
session by the authority given in the Iegis-
lative appropriation bill to make such
transfers Under this authority something
like one thousand volumes have already
been received from the Department of
Labor. The advantages of the transfer of
these volumes to the custody of the public
library, where by reason of the removal of
the restriction of their use by governmental
employees alone their accessibility during a
much longer period of the day, from 10
a m. to pm, the conveniences and cour-
teous attention extended to the public at
the library building. will awaken a strong
sentiment in this community Sin favor of
the transfer, which will aid materially In
ACCOMPLISHING the desired result
Donations of Books
The unoccupied shelving of the new build
ing and the newly aroused demand for
reading matter require an immediate in
crease in the stock of books
In addition to the help expected from the
transfer of volumes from the departmental
libraries, the trustees appeal strongly to