The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1909-12-16

Inc educational system. The build
ing was erected entirely at the
public expense. 1t cost $1,000.
600 and ranks among the largest
and finest library buildings In
the country. It's 1921 by 146t
feet, and the top of Its cornice is
80 feet above the sidewalk, exclu-
slve of the crowning balustrade.
1t contains three principal stories
with two intermediate floors and
basement. The building Is
practically incombustible. The
exterior is of Bedford limestone
with granite base. 1t is com
bination of various styles of ar
chltecture, the lower part being
in the neo-Greek style, with wide
arched windows; and the upper
part In Greclan style with pillars
and colu INNS, separated by win
dows. The entablature is of Ro
man character, with heavy pro-
jectlng garlands and lions heads
sculptured on the frleze. Enter.
ing the building from Washing
ton street, the visitor finds him.
self under the MASSIVE elllptlcal
arch Of the main stair case, at
the foot of which, EN- bedded IN
the green and white mosaic floor,
is large bronze replica of the
corporate seal of Chicago. The
delivery room is reached by
means of wide marble steps.
Italian statuary marble from the
famous quarries Of Cdrrara, is
used IN this part of the building
richly inlald with mosalcs of
glass, mother of pearl, aud semi.
precious stones, and IN the balus
trades on the staircase, with
small center pieces of the rare
and beautiful Connemara marble.
On the third floor landing, panels
OF mosaic design, with suitable in
scrlptlons and the names Of great
writers, are set In the walls.
The Delivery Room Is 1874 by
As feet. The walls above the
arches OF this room are covered
with mosaics, into which are work
ed the devices of the early print
ers, and other appropriate de-
signs. The wings of the Deliv
cry Room are wainscoated IN Car
rara marble, above which extends
a frieze of glass mosaic, contain
ing large panels of green serpen
tine marble, inlaid with white IN.
scrlptlons IN ten different Ian
guages, and also In various char
acters, from Egyption hierogly-
phlcs to modern Roman.
The Reference Room Is 1873 by
38 feet and seats 225 readers.
The Reading Room for period
calls and newspapers, Is 142 by
50 feet, and seats 450 readers.
There are 365, 1856 volumes in the
library, among which there is an
attractive collection of HOO vol
umes for the blind, including two
current monthly magazines, print
ed IN four systems of raised char
acters. There are also about 60,
600 unbound pamphlets. There
are seventeen branch libraries in
the residence districts of the city;
besides seventy-slx delivery sta
tlons throughout the city. The
stations are established in small
stores, under the care of the
storekeepers, who are paid for
their services. Lists are made
everv day and sent to the Library
and books are returned by auto.
mobiles, which make daily deliv-
cries. There are 1913 employees
IN all the departments of the Ii
brary.
have described only a few of
the rooms, but this will give the
reader an idea of the grandeur of
the building, which to appreciate
is to see. If you will pardon me
for taking more space and time,
l will quote few of the inscrip-
tions on the walls:
"A good book is the precious
life blood of a master spirit, en-
balmed and treasured up on pur
pose to a life beyond life. Mil.
ton.
"The real use of all knowledge