The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-12-08
WANT 10 KNOW SONETRTNGY
WANT TO WRITE A PAPER ON TO
MAKE a SPEECHR

Pu HOu ON inc Track n9 Almost ANY
Information and Does 1t Tor NOthinw
Gets ThOusands ~ Inquiries q Year.
WARRINGTON. Dec. T.-0Denin@ into one
OF he corridors Of the Congressional Ia
brary there IL a wide door over which the
following inscription might we'll be placsd:
National Bureau OF Information" Mthsrs
is anything you want very much'tO knows
write to the man behind that door.
Pretty soon you will receive a neat type
written note telling you what books have
been published on the subject az your in-
quiry. He may even answer the question
outright. -5.,
In view OF the fact that the man and his
assistants are already besieged with people
who want to know things, ie may not be a
good turn TO them il tho news Of their help
fuiness is passed along. But the work
they do IL so astonishing that Il simply
demands description. ,. i
The man behind the door IL A. p. G. Griffin;
and his title is a. long as his name. He
Is chief OF the division OF bibliography.
Though his name and his title are long,
bis memory IL longer still. THE SUN
reporter asked him offhand for the best
authority on half a dozen absurdly in
congrnous topics. IL was furnished 40
promptly IA IL Mr.. Griffin had been a slot
machine Of obscure information.
When the reporter marvelled Mr.. Griffin
dug up a list, a partial list. OF the topics
on which the American people nave hun
gered the past year for information. These
inquiries come from every look and cor-
ner of the land.
Writers. lawyers, politicians. lecturers,
editors, teachers. club women, students,
merchants. people OF all occupations and
OF all conditions, write to the library for
information on all probable subjects and,
as it seems. on good many of those which
seem improbable. Turning over a few
letters on the chiefs desk there was found
this group of inquiries: for sources Of In
formation about the slave insurreccion In
Santo Domingo in 1791-l7p3; for the names
of firms engaged in the manufacture Of
excelsior in certain States; for material
to assist in the preparation of a biographical
sketch; for information ON the best way
OF catching mink. .a &C..
The last request was from a Southern
trapper and was answered specifically,
although it 10 not strictly in line with tho
work Of the bureau. OF course. the sx-
celsiOr inquiry was turned down. The
library does not distribute information 90
much as it tells where to find IL.
These inquiries come by the thousand.
About 10000 Of them came last year by
mail, and these formed only a small part OF
the total.
OF course the library is primarily to serve
the members OF Congress. and while that
body is in session Mr.. Griffin and his as
~sistants are constantly digging up fects
and authorities for use in debate or in the
committee room. At all times Of the year.
but especially during the session Of Con-
gress. the division OF photography 10 con-
stantly called upon not only by letter but
by telephone and personal application for
literary steering.
Every bit Of this service is freely given.
1t is the right Of every American with a
serious purpose behind the request 70 ask
the aid of the library in getting facts upOn
any subject.
We may be forgiven IL we prod the
national bird into giving at least a mild
screech of pride, for thik is the only country
where such aid is given. And the library
at Washington 10 tbs only one in AmeriOa
where the country at large 10 served in this
undiscrimiDating way.
For instance. among hundreds Of cases
take these few: To one OF the Justices of
AelhOu otAi was AuFutnUcu "a N1CllO-
randum on land tenure in East Greenwich.
A member of the Virginia Legislature
sent an inquiry for matter ranging from
the attitude of Massachusetts ON Nulliica-
ton to the anti-slavery views held by
Southerners before he war. The material
was at once assembled for him. 60
The Belgian Minister applied for material
ON American railways. DIR. Lyman Abbott
NOT Inflammation mhntnf alvKaakizn - Al.
South. A member Of the State Banking
Commission OF Rhode Island was supplied
with references on the banking laws Of
this and OF other countries. Az for the
subjects upon which the people at. large
consult the library their number 10 as
tOnishing. Here are a few Of them:
A~oetylene gas, Russell A. Alger, ancient
roads and vehicles, Angora goats. artistic
iron work, a~ssaying, balance of trade,
BalZac, bee keeping, black letter type,
blue books. Boston tea party, Barbara
F~rietchie, cremation, church liturgy. care
Of dogs, casting Of lots, construction OF
passenger cars, conversation Of Napoleon
III. at C~hislehurst, costumes worn in Cali
fOrnia in 1853, eagle stones, empirical for
muis, export duties, feeble minded children,
fossil horses, German university life, glanO
islands, great men who were not studious
in youth, gifts OF Mr.. Carnegie. inCrustation
on boilers, home missions, Japanese gardens,
Jewish fiction, kites, Iemuel Roberts, manu-
lecturers OF plush. Mormon rebellion,
monuments OF the Abruzzi, manufacture
Of shoes, Napoleon's last words, o
sinners, petrifed forests, ostrich farming,
partial payments, personal appearance Of
George Washington. oyster culture, poetry
Of civil war, TOrt charges, prominent Jews
Of America. ready reckoners.
Some inquiries are made so often that the
library has printed lists of books, Of articles
and OF references to the subjects dealt with.
For instance, there are printed lists relating
to child labor. to Government regulation
of insurance, TO railways, to trusts. 70 ship
subsidies, 10 tariffs Of foreign countries.
TO municipal ownership.
Thousands Of copies Of these lists nave
been printed in order to supply the demand
for them. In addition the library has
furnished typewritten copies Of about
200 other lists less in demand. IL all this
work doesn't entitle the division Of bibh-
u--u-L., a. 10 naIIaA 4. w.Asr,.I h.,-n.s. -