El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-05-07

TT OUsED in the finest building OF
II its kind i'm the world. possessing
II the third largest collection Of
books and pamphlets ever assembled
containing the worlds greatest collec-
ton of maps, and centerins its activi-
lies along lines which viii make it in
the future great national Institution,
uniting all Of the great libraries in the
country into one huge system OF ooOk
repositories in which the treasure OF
all viii be available TO the student
at any one of them the Library of Con-
gress is one of the most important
monuments to literature in the world.
Is Creation of American Architects.
The library building IS the creation
of American architects, scuptOrS ana
painters exclusively Not only IS II
beautiful structure outside and inside,
but it is the best designed building in
the world for library purposes Such as
il is intended to serve one may get
an idea of how accessible are the books
on its shelves from the statement that
it requires only IS minutes to procure
any desired book in the Congressional
library Situated in the center Of a 10
, acre plat of ground, and covering more
than four acres of this, the library IS
one of the best lighted buildings in the
world. II is built in the shape OF a
large square inclOslng a great cen
trsl court which is cut up into sec
rOtunda in the center of the square
Tt has more than 1000 windows, is three
stories high. and the central rOtunda IS
SurmOunted by a magnificent gold COW
cred dome. No other building in
America and few in the Aentire world
are so deliberately decorated with
sculptures and mural paintings. and
these possess merit that commands
praise from every critic
The main reading room Of the library
is 100 feet in diameter and 125 feet
from the floor 10 the dome IL is fur
nished in mahogany, and has seating
New Books Are Secured.
When a reader comes into the read
ing room he fills out an application
card. giving the name of the book he
desires. and, II he is familiar with the
use of the library caJdlOE. the library
number of the book and the name OF
the author, he signs mis- name to the
card and writes on II the number of the
desk he intends TO use. He then gives
the card to an attendant al the central
desk. This attendant knows exactly
on what deck. or floor. Of what book
stack. the desired book is kept. a
pneumatic tube system connects the
reading room with the various desks
OF the bOOkstacks. just as the cash
iers office IN big department store
is connected with the various counters
of the store. The attendant at the cen
traI desk puts the card into little sole
leather case and that in turn into the
tube.
BY pulling a lever the card is started
on its journey to the attendant on the
deck where the desired book is kept.
A bell is also rung. and the number
on IL tells him exactly where the book
is located Usually he is familiar
enough with the majority OF books
called for to find them without even
the number. II there is no number on
the card and he cannot locate II with
out the number. he cOnsulJs card cat
al loo Of hsr D. is sHaz d
thus able TO find the book
Endless Chain Carrier
When he gets the book he places Il
on rack and pulls lever. 4 specially
designed book carrier consists of IS
brass book baskets mounted on an end
less double chain This book carrier
starts in the reading room and goes
down vertically 10 a point below the
level Of the basement Here IL passes
around a wheel and travels through a
tunnel in a horizontal direction 10 the
center OF the bOOkstack. Here il passes
around another wheel and travels up
ward again to the top Of the stack, !
where it passes around a third wheel
and returns by the same route The
carrier travels at a speed of 100 feet
minute. When the stack attendant has {
placed the book on the rack and pulled /
the lever. the next carrier basket. I
which cOmse along automatically, lifts ]
the book out Of the rack and carries u I
down beneath the ground and then up (
is automatically discharged into a I
cushioned box at the central desk
Merely Pull Lever.
When the attendant in the reading /
room wishes to return the book to the I
stack. the carrier Is so arranged that 1t /
can be sent TO the proper deck simply I
by pulling certain lever The basket |
containing the book will pass every 4
other deck and will never deposit its !
burden except at the right place This /
carrier seems almost 10 possess human I
intelligence. refusing to carry books IN /
any way that might inJure them IN I
transit In practice, nearly an OF tne 4
books are sent from the stacks to the !
central reading room by this carrier, /
but as a rule they are sent back by I
messenger on a large book truck
Each OF the book stacks consists OF \
from nine 10 ten stories. with series /
Of castirOn frames supporting tiers and
shelves. The largest stacks are 90 Leet /
high. The shelves are OF cold rolled /
steel. and are finished as smooIh as
glass. The stacks are ugnted Dy ]
large windows of plate glass winch are
attached directly 10 the WINDOW frame 4
in such a way as 10 make them dust /
and damp tight There are no sasL .-.,- IN 1
these windows, and they are never /
opened. As bright sunshine Is harm- 4
ful to books. II is necessary 10 nave I
an Arrangement which VIII at all times I
admit light and yet keep OUT me ulrect
sunlight. OF course ii would pc ar
ffcult task to open and shut zoo WIN !
dow shades every time the sun
seeks to enter. so it has been arranged Z
that they can all be shut or opened 4
simultaneously by a hydraulic appa-
ratus by pressing q button
Capacity 100000 Books.
At the outset there were three
stacks possessing a total of A miles Of
book shelves with a capacity OF ap-
proximately 100000 Volumes Since
that time another stack mas been
built which adds another million vol
umes to the capacity Of the lib library. II
Is arranged so that still other stacks
NAV he aded and the ultimate Capaci-
ty win be more than 100000 ,, vol yolum me,
would make A single row of books
more than 100 miles .,i long ,a The new
ago is eouipped with some facilities
not possessed by the --. Others. 60 One Of
oDo,- On +l1a use OF electricity for light
ing purposes At every ~ Other the -, shelf
attendant NAV turn on the light for (
one passeageway. This continues to
burn for about six minutes. and then .
me- rfgT+e are autOma tically cut ont. I 4