The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-07-05

So many celebrities were c0ncerned
In the planning, erection and adornment
OF the Congressional Library, that a
list OF them would embrace about all
the great ones in the world OF art and
architecture. With due regard to a
very few structures which cost more,
the Library is ranked as the most beau
tiful public building in America. and
one OF the most magnificent In the
world From first to last, it had the
most assiduous care Of its projectors,
and constant watchfulness made graft
that practice Of diverting the public
money to private ends so noticeable in
some other undertakings of similar
character-impossibl so that the
money appropriated went to exactly the
uses Intended There are other build
fngs of more general Importance In
Washington. The Capitol. Of course,
ranks first. and the Treasury and
State, War and Navy buildings follow
closely; but however it Is exceeded in
such affairs as pertain to the business
of the government, even the Capitol
cannot approach the Library in interior
beauty.
yhe Congressional Library represents
an outlay OF 100000. 1t covers an
area of three and one-haif acres, or
about the same as the ground area of
the Capitol. 1t is 470x340 feet In d.
mensions and has four large inner
courts averaging 150x1O0 feet. The LII
brary Is situated squarely In front Of
the Capitol. and is separated from 1t
by beautiful lawns and driveways. 1t
covers the site Of seventy residences
which were bought In the late sos at
. cost of about 100000. The founda-
lions were begun in 1889, and the build
Ing was completed in 1897. The struc-
ture is of the Italian Renaissance or
der OF architecture, has three stories
and dome. The latter Is finished in
black copper, with panels covered with
a thick coating of gold leaf The burn
Ing torch Of Science, with which the
dome is capped, reaches height of
1876 feet above ground The only jar
ring note in the whole structure is
caused by the low elevation Of the
torch, as compared with the towering
30r' feet of the statue of Armed Free
dom on the dome of the Capitol Just
across the way. One Is likely to call
the Library .'squatty'' when comparing
the two buildings. but this feeling Is
lost Immediately on entrance to the
wonders OK the main stair hall.
The lofty ceiling is arched and groin
ed so gracefully and artisticaIly and the
general effect is so harmonious, thai
the visitor almost invariably loses sight
OF the magnlficence Of the ornaments
ton In admiration OF the apartment as
q whole; that is at first.
Seated on one of the numerous set
tees. but short time ensues ere color
and decorative schemes begin to formu
late, and then the full magnificence OF
the majestic hall bursts upon one Will
dazzling effect. 1t is possible that il
the wonderful structures of India-tht
Tai Mahal, for example-there are
rooms more beautiful. How they could
be so, however. the imagination canno
conceive.
The columns. and stairways, and bal
ussrades, and arches, are all made Of
the purest Of white marble, highly pol
ished and inlaid with stones in myriad
colorings. At the sides rise lofty round
ed columns with elegantly carved Cor
inthian capitals and the arches ar,
picked out in marble rosettes, pain
leaves and foliated designs of the mos
exquisite finish The skylight is seven
ty-two feet above the floor.
There could be nothing richer o.
more magnificent than the stairways
with their festoons of fruits and flow
ers and the turnposts surmounted b.
two great bronze figures bearing stand
ards for electric lights. The staircase
are also ornamented with twenty-sil
marble figures by Martiny, representa-,
the arts and sciences and carved ii
bold relief. A master of language ha
described this stair hall as a poem II
polished stone, and 1t is by all odds th
finest marble interior In America.
The Congressional Library had its in
eeption In 1900, when Congress appro
priated $1,000 for it. From that small
beginning, the Library has grown unit
it now contains more than a million
books Every copyrighted work is rep
resented, the law requiring the deposi
Of two copies Of each publication copy
righted- A number Of special, priceless
collections are here, including Thoma
Jefferson's library, the Smithsonian II
hrary and ancient priceless engraving