Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-03-11
MEMORABLE EVENT IN
DURANCO'S HISTORY
A Perfect Day Marks the Laying Of the Corner Stone Of
Durango's Public Library, a Gift
[x from Andrew Carnegie

will be an object of architecture
beauty as well.
There will be displayed in this build
ing different form or orders of ar
cbitecture.
Architecture as we behold it today
is the composite work of all the ages
and races of men, and Is orderly In
proportion to the wisdom and ideals
of the people. utilizing any of the par
ticular forms.
Primitive man had some ideas in
architecture which were forced upon
him by his necessities. When the
rigors of the seasons obliged him to
contrive shelter from the inclemency
of the elements, he placed trees up
right and bound others across the
top to support a covering. The up
right trees were also bound at the
| bottom and this practice gave rise
| to the idea of the base and capital
Of pillars, and from this simple lesson
proceeded the more improved art.
There are five orders in architec-
ture, but the principal ones are the
| Ionic, Doric and Corinthian.
The Ionic has a delicacy and in
genuity displayed in its construction,
| the invention of which, is attributed
to the Ionians. The famous temple of
| Diana at Ephesis was of this order.
Y Is said to have been formed after
| me model OF an agreeable young wom-
an of a beautiful form, as con-
| trast to the Doric which was formed
after that of strong, robust man.
| The Ionic, from the skill and in
| w in TO trttpf
| is emblematc of wisdom.
The Doric is plain and natural and
the most ancient. and was invented
| by the Greeks. 1t has few ornaments
on base or capital, is the best pro-
portioned of all the orders and is
founded upon the natural position of
massive strength of its structure, is
emblematic of the column of strength.
The Corinthian is the richest of all
the orders, and is deemed a master
piece of art. 1t was invented at Cor
inth by Calimachus and from the ex-
uberance of its ornaments is emble-
matte of the column of beauty.
! Thus we have in architecture these
columns which are symbolical OF wis
dom, strength and beauty; the neces-
| SdTy tltlHtntS pOSstSScu ny uOi MAJ
man and must be utilized in all of his
handiwork, in proper proportion In
order that harmony may prevail, and
IA pleasing effect produced. There
must be wisdom to design, strength
to stand and beauty to adorn.
| This event marks a great step to-
wards progress in this community.
This structure has been donated by
an individual. and preparation has
been made by the officials and tax
payers of Durango for its furnishings
and maintenance.
In commemorating the event 1t
might be well for us to pause and
contemplate the meaning OF this gift,
and express our proper appreciation
to the donor, and in doing SO, let us
apply good Judgment and measure the
acts by the never failing tests, the
plumb line. square and level.
| Let us go back about half century
and visit the land of Robert Burns.
There we find a frugal, Industrious,
God fearing people, living a simple
life in the hills and valleys OF fair
| Scotland; the right conditions for the
production of great men and women,
Among that population we behold a
little boy without means or infiuen
tial friends, and apparently without
opportunity. He had high ideals and
while still a lad set out for the new
world. He crossed the Atlantic in a
slow sailing vessel and settled in the
| state of Pennsylvania, then in Its In
fancy so far as its industries were
developed. At that time the steel ant
iron industry had made but little prog
ress. What steel was required fol
the building OF our railroads CANT
from abroad and cost about 800 pei
ton.
Andrew Carnegie, for he 1t was
came to this country in an oppor
tune time. He learned the steel bust
ness and became the most potent fac
tor in the building up of the steel in
dustry in the United States. 1t hai
advanced to such a stage of perfec
ton that the price of steel is nov
about one-fourth OF what 1t used t,
be. We no longer purchase our stee
, from abroad, but, on the contrary
we are sending 1t into all the mart
of the world.
The training of the boy enabled tn
/ man to turn the channel OF wealth hi
: way and when the flow was starte
7 1. came with such volume and contint
ity that he was flooded with wealt
E almost beyond human calculation. On
of his great store he has donated mi
lions for the construction Of librarie
in every nook and corner OF the lane
These libraries are dedicated to tn
!. free use of the people in the respe'
tive communities and the object OF tn
| donor Is to elevate the standard {
citizenship in this country and bull
up human character to correspon
!, with his ideals.
Mr.. Carnegie, we thank you for ii
+ donation. We thank you for the gre.
love you have shown towards u
y adopted country and its future, ar
J, we thank you for the great love II
the race and your efforts to place
on. higher plane.
!; There II another picture which
NJ HAafpA - nAfat Hnss