The Morris County chronicle., 1908-01-07
WASHINGTON LETTER
EspeciaI correspondence.l

third in point Of size in the world,
contained l,433,848 books and pam
phlets and some 100000 other articles
at the close Of the last fiscal year The
net gain in miscellaneous books and
pamphlets during the year was 54004.
The most notable single acquisition
not included In the count was the
celebrated Yudin library of works on
Russia and Siberia Though nominal
" purchase, this collection Of over
$4,000 volumes was practically a gift
to the library, since the owner parted
with it for little more than one-third
the sum expended in gathering it.
Addition to Library.
The purchase is considered note
worthy as an indication of the broad
cning scope of the library and its in
ersasing value to scholars There is
no other collection on Russia and ST.
IBERIA of such size In America, and per-
haps none so valuable in Europe out
side of Russia 1t is rich in local his
tory, ethnoIogy and institutional his
tory. The material includes certain
manuscript records of the early Rus
sian settlements in Alaska.
Another important acquisition is a
collection of 1900 works on Japan,
mainly in the Japanese language. The
books and manuscripts were selected
in Japan by Professor Asakawa Of
Yale. whose purpose was to secure a
good working collection for the student
Of japanese literature, history and in
stitutions.
Important Gifts.
Among the important gifts were the
Shoemaker and the Kaufman collec-
tions and valuable manuscripts and
papers of the period of Washington.
Jefferson, Madison and Monroe by be-
quest from ]. Henley Smith. Other
gifts and purchases Of especial value.
including a collection of forty-six rare
books and 113 prints presented by
Mrs. Ridgely Hunt, are also listed.
Valuable Manuscripts. So
The reports of the various divisions
are summarized while that of the
manuscripts division is printed in ex-
tense as an appendix. In this field
among the notable additions by gift
were the letters of Justice John Mo
Lean of the supreme court, the pa
pers of Chaplain Joseph @. Thomas Of
the Christian commission in the civil
war, two Revolutionary orderly books
series of twenty-five papers relating
to the trial of Colonel Thomas Butler
and thirty-two letters addressed to
Cyrus W. Field. The purchases in
Guided the letters s.of Judge Joseph
Holt ofs Washington and Of Governor
William Plumer Of New Hampshire,
the papers of Edward MeP Pherson, 800
letters of Thaddeus Stevens and many
other items of INTEREST," Under the
law Of 1908 the Pickett, papers s(diplo,
matte records of the Confederate
states) were, transferred tor the library
from the treasury department and5 in
teresting Confederate ndsietherairec-
ords from tbs, postoffice department. .
Increase In Docuhnents.sn 9dt
The division dof fsdocnmertsos oshows an
Increase of 50zper cent 4lntthe number
of volumes sandlgpamphlats handled,
! the total being s98, ,426. Special atten-
ton has been given in thespasf year
| to developing the collections. Of for
eign documents, by, obtaining the vol
umes necessary to complete sets in
1.-THE library The report contains list
A Of Nthe countries with which interna-
ticnaI exchange relations have sheen
| esta bllshed, = NJ Il. ss.Vaas9 yslsYens
II Among, ( the special collections tc
Which large additions were made dur.
ing the, year is the maps division
which now hasa total of 10000
kpiecesi the. music division, which now
has total Of nearly 100000, and the
prints division which has a total OF
250,OOo. n, aag4ss aas4 q3 a9i8
i k Would Drink at Street TabIes. Il {
Men who promenade Washington's
| wide thoror gh ares with all the Ian.
guild ease of the Partisan saunterer
and who would dearly like to be call
ed boulevardiers have complaint
4 Whereas the strollers In the Champs
Elysees find dainty little tables fol
\ the serving Of refreshments the Amer
lean capital is destitute Of such at
! fractions. They want the avenues lined
| with booths where coffee or tea at
least could be served In the opinions
of the young diplomats the American
capital never can be truly great until
this defect is remedied. AS it is, they
may walk for miles and find no spot
where they may revive their failing
strength except with alcoholic drinks.
Smiths In the House.
Despite the fact that William Alder
went to the senate and George w. oi
| Illinois died, there are still five Smiths
In the house One of the new ones il
Madison r. Smith of Pennington, Mo.
who is both materialist and idealist
He says in the new congressional di
rectory he "began the active practice
of the law in 1877 since when his en-
tire time has been devoted to the pro
i fession. not merely for the emolu
ments, but for an unselfish love of iii
study"
Decorating the Station.
Although the sum of $13000,000 al
ready has been expended on the Uniol
railway station, it is estimated tina
$5000.O00 more win be needed befor,
the terminal and the approach can b,
finished. The rotunda will not be com
! nletpd IN thp naxt two months III