New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-23
RARE RUSSIAN WORKS
Congressional Library Secures Fine
Collection.
TFrom The Tr'bane Bureau. !


Siberian miner, who had spent years in col
lecting the books and who had built library
twice the size Of his own house to accommo-
date them. The collection consists of about
$4,000 volumes.
The negotiations for the purchase have been
in progress for three or four years. Mr.. Putnam
oouGded recently to members of Congress con-
nected with the supervision of the Congressional
library the facts about the deal no public
announcement Of the transaction having been
made. The price asked for the books was
$4,000, but Mr. Putnam says that he did
Tot pay this much for them.
This is probably the finest collection Of
books relative to Russia. its history literature
and Institutions that exists outside of Russia"
said MI Putnam. in speaking Of the new acdui-
sition 4 first heard Of it in Russia about three
years ago. II was formed by a wealthy miner
IN Siberia. He has been a bibliographer and
has published three volumes on the literature of
Russia He had collected almost exactly what
we should wish if we were forming a collection
Systematically II IS not the collection of a
mere specialist; it is we'll balanced collection.
He had actually expended more than $4,000
on the collection when I first heard Of It, and
when we purchased It fully $4,000
Ever since we have been in correspondence
with him his imagination has been more and
more stirred al the idea OF its location here.
He is growing old, realizes that Russia is now
in state OF ferment. and. somehow I do not
know. he wants TO feel settled. The last time
our agent went 10 him he sgniied his
willingness TO take much smaller sum for
the collection. consulted with the authorities
about it, and even took the matter TO the Pres
tdeHt I cabled back for our agent TO pur-
chase il.
out Of the 10000 volumes. from 1900 10
$1,000 books are in languages other than Rus
sian. They are very rich in Siberian matter.
Some manuscripts relating TO early Alaska
included. There is going to be a great exploita-
ton Of Russia and her institutions by and by.
For instance at one Of the universities that
know Of there We're last year ninety men taking
courses in Russian history. language and lit
erature This field is little represented in Amer
lean libraries to-day. SO I felt it our prime duty
to provide American scholars with what they
cannot get already. That is to be the great
democracy of our work as a library"
Mr.. Putnam finds il one Of the most difficult
problems OF his work to get money TO buy rare
and peculiarly valuable libraries and historical
papers. His ambition is TO get a library appro-
priation like the one given the British Museum.
He hopes to secure 100000 from Congress this
year TO purchase books. Ordinarily he is OPP
posed TO special appropriations 10 make pur-
chases for the reason that it becomes known
Just how much he has to invest. There are in
the library now nominally 100000 volumes,
but that probably represents only 10000 titles.
Mr.. Putnam estimates that there have been
l. 060.000 books printed since the invention OF
that art. so that the government has barely
started in the gigantic task Of collecting MEM
orable library.
4 suppose there is no question that the
tional library Of the country ought TO have the
competest collection procurable Of eighteenth
century American newspapers said Mr.. Put
nam. For eighteenth century newspapers,
however, YOU have TO pay from 50 to 50 num-
beT-not a volume, but a number. We had 20
pay finally. after delay and conjunction, $500
for q set Of The Pennsylvania Gazette from
lbs down 20 17SS. which even then was not
complete. It embodies material for the history
II this country in the eighteenth century not
procuIable anywhere else. and is not repro
duccd. Sometimes old books are reprinted, but
these newspapers are not
Take the eighteenth century law. We had to
pass last year a collection Of the statutes OF
Georgia from 100 to 17S0-only ffty-one little
pieces. but the price was 50 800 Last year we saw
the University of California buv the Hubert Howe
Bancroft libIary-a library Indispensable TO the
history % the West beyond the Mississippi and
the Spanish settlements Hubert Howe Ban
croft had collected it for years. He wanted
100000 for it. They paid him S150OO0 These,
IL our case they are bitter
I have considered what we would have TO do If
We should undertake to construct here for this
country a sort Of British Museum, so far as the
library is concerned. OF course the British gov
eminent goes far in such directions 1t thought
proper 10 spend $3jOOOO for single Raphael
for The National Gallery. Take the publications
in England which induced the colonization Of
Virginia-important historically and important
seutimentalIy Now. the British government
would not permit competition in the case OF
Virginia tract. and yet II IS only the BRUSH
Museum. not the national library Of the United
States. The books we need very expensive.
The competition is much keener. Libraries are
multiplying rapidly. Endowed libraries and COM
petition among individuals have run up prices
enormously"
Much valuable material comes into the pos
session Of the library by reason Of the national
character Of the institution. that Mr.. Putnam
has found that he is able to secure books and
manuscripts in this way where money would not
be considered. The purchase Of the Russian IL
brarT partly illustrates this.
From Mrs. Ridgely Hunt. of MOrrstown. y. j.
has come as an unsolicited gift in the form Of
ger PeU. a collection of valuable books and
prints The books number fOrty-threc volumes,
ana include specimens Of early and famous
printers. such as Anton Sorg, of Augsburg;
Anton KoDurger IN Nurnberg; Aldus Plus Ma
netius and Aldus Manutius, the younger, print
ers in Venice; Johann Pruss. Of StTasburg and of
fao ElZeYiTs in Leyden and Amsterdam. II IS in
such works these that the library collection is
deficient having realized the necessity Of
quiTing from its appropriations research mate
rial rather than rare specimens.
ne prints include the works - the well known
. ugraEers OF the Dutch, English Flemish
French. German and Italian schools. In the gift
are several original etchlngs by Adrian Jams