The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1921-01-20
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
IS ACCESSIBLE TO YOU
BEAUTIFUL BUILDING HAS g.
100000 VOLUMES AND 100
MILES OF SHELVING.

Simeon d. Tess, member of con-
gress from Ohio, has a most inter
osting article in the National Repub-
lican ON the congressional library in
Washington, from which the follow
ing is taken:
East of the capitol in Washington
stands the most beautiful building in
the world, the creation of the genius
OF the architect sculptor and painter
Within its walls is found a collection
of publications which is rapidly over
taking the Biblotheque Rationale Of
Paris and the British Museum of
London, the only other Libraries which
exceed in number of books the con-
gressional library.
In this library is found the worlds
greatest collection of musical compO-
sition. as well as the first rank in the
number of maps The library, hence,
is not only the most superb in its
beauty of design, but its arrange
ment for practical use is the most
complete. The building covers three
and one-half acres and has eight
acres of floor space. 1t has 100 miles
of shelving to accommodate 100000
volumes, which may be extended to
lat least twice that amount The IL
biary service in delivering books OPP
crates almost like a metallic mind.
While the purpose of the library
was originally limited to the service
o. the legislative department. under
Spohord it soon extended to both the
supreme court and the executive, in
Guiding the various departments and
numerous bureaus under the depart
ments. The growth was so constant
that all available space where it was
housed in the capitol building was oc-
cupied In 1897. when the library
was moved to the new quarters, 600.-
900 volumes were crowded into a
space allotted for but 100000 volumes.
The rapid growth dates from the en-
trance of Spofford, in 1864, to whose
genius was due not only the fine re-
Spouse OF the public both official and
official. but also to the plans and
execution which resulted in the most
complete and superb library building
i'm the world.
The total cost of the new building
was S6,S4ZOOO exclusive of the site,
which cost s5S5.OOO.
Mr.. spofford's Dream.
The housing Of the collection Of
books in the most beautiful building
in the world was the realization of
the dream of Mr.. Spohord, who ex-
pressed the wish to leave the respOn-
sibility of its expansion to other /
heads. The former crowded quarters
had given way to a wonderfully com /
modious structure of about 100000 /
cubic feet Of space. where 1000 read
ers can be accommodated at one time /
i'm the midst of one of the worlds /
greatest collection of books, pam
phlets. maps and so forth Mr. Spot |
ford asked to be relieved and was !
made a sort of librarian emeritus, /
with John Russell Young as librarian. |
In this position Sponord continued to
his death i'm 1908. Two years after !
his appointment Mr.. Young died. |
President Mckinley sought the best |
possible talent which was found in
Dr. Herbert Putnam. the librarian Of
the Boston public library. DR.. Put
nam was the first specially trained
librarian to be selected, and he, at the
request of the president accepted the
position although at a substantial
financial sacrifice.
His service during these more than
20 years is another Of the many evil
lences Of President McKinley's re-
markable talent to call to the service
Of the government a high grade Of