Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-05-21
LIBRARY FINISHED
At WINCHESTER
S250,000 Handsome Memorial is
Ready For the Public.
WAS STRANGE GIFT, INDEED

Judge John HandIey, Of Scranton, Pa,
Angry With His Own City, Made
the Virginisn City Richer BY His
Action-TotaI 5~enefsetion About
$t,eoo,ooo.
The Handfey Memorial Library,
which has recently been completed in
Winchester at a cost of s250,300, is
said TO be the finest and most COM
plete library building in the South
built with funds provided by n per.
son. AS oon as a sufficient sum of
money is available, the library will
be furnished in elegant manner, sup
piled with standard literature and
| opened to the public.
The library was built with funds
left for that purpose by the late Judge
John Handley, of Scranton, Pa, and
Just how the city of Winchester hap
| pened to be favored by that eminent
jurist came about in an unusual way,
which is not generally known. The
substance of the story Is that Judge
Handley owned the valuable Wyoming
Hotel property in Scranton, and in
spite OF his declaration that the City
Council would live to regret it, that
body is said to have permitted stock
yards to be opened directly opposite
the hotel.
1t had been Judge Handley's inten-
ton to leave the bulk of his vast es-
tate to the city of Scranton, but when
the stock yards were permitted to oc-
cupy ground in front of his hotel prop
erty he Immediately changed his
! mind In the meantime, he had visit
ed Winchester and vicinity to journey
over the Civil War battle fields. He
was an ardent admirer of Stonewall
Jackson in particular and the Confed-
crate soldier in general. He express.
ed a wish 20 be buried as nea as pos
sible to a Confederate cemetery. 1t
happens that Mount Hebron cemetery
and Stonewall cemetery in Winches-
ter, are separated only by a broad
driveway and are inclosed by al iron
fence, the gift of the late Charles
Broadway Rouss. Judge Handley
bought a lot under the shadow OF the
large Unknown Monument at the
entrance to Stonewall cemetery. and
when he died his remains were taken
there and inferred. A large granite
sarcophagus has since been erected
over his grave in Mount Hebron.
Instead Of the city of Scraton being
the recipient of his bounty, Winches-
ter, for which he acquired a strong
affection, was made the principal Legal
tee. He not only provided for the
erection OF the library which bears
his name, but he left thousands of dol
lars for the erection of industrial
schools for the education of the poor.
His total b~enefactions to the city
amount to more than 81, 000, 900.
The Handley Library stands at Pic
cadilly and Braddock streets. directly
opposite the new United States post.
Office and federal building. 1t occu-
pies the center OF a large lot, sur
rounded by lawns. Two wings, 80
feet long, extend from the rotunda.
| and on each end of the wings are en-
grayed figures in stone representing
"Art" and Industry" The building
ia IS feet to the top OF the dome, the
roof of which is of copper and the cell
ing OF stained glass. The building was
constructed OF a buff shade OF In
diana limestone and a terra Gotta roof
making it absolutely %fireproof. The
interior is finished in white, with gold
trimmings. and all the woodwork is
of hard+inished oak.
The plans for the building were
made by Mr.. J. Stewart Barney, of
New York State CMRD SHRDLURD
New York. who was the architect OF
the New York State Library at AL
ba Y and other public buildings. The
French Renaissance style was follow
ed throughout. The building was
erected by the Mankin Construction
Company, of Richmond. under the di'
rection of a committee composed OF
Nessrs. A. NJ. Baker. c. NJ. Gibbons
and DR.. William p. Mcclure, repre-
senting the Handley trustees. The
cornerstone was laid by DR.. Joseph W
Eggleston, of Richmond, grand master
of Masons in Virginia, assisted by the
officers OF the Grand Lodge.