New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-03-04
LAazaARY or

'S' 49, >
himself. He is n lawyer, He has served as col
lege president and professor in several institu-
tons. lie is the author of works on American
politics and history. In connection with appro-
priatiOns for the Congressional Library he was
asked TO deliver an address upon the Library as
a literary institution for the information of the
members. In his address, as reported in the Con-
gressi0nal Record, the following interesting facts
are found:
East Of the Capitol 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 Overtaking the Bibliotheque Ma
tionale of Paris and the British Museum of Lon
don, the only other libraries which exceed In
number Of books the Congressional Library.
Like all other great institutions, this had its
small and insignificant beginning. 1t started some
time before the beginning of the last century with
the appointment of Il committee TO report on need
and selection of suitable books. Five thousand
dollars was appropriated in 1900. Beckley of
Virginia was appointed librarian by jefferson in
1902. The first catalogue was of nine pages, pre-
pared In 1902, the Library then containing 984
volumes and nine maps, classified on the basis of
size into quartos. ociavOs and so forth. The pur-
pose of the Library was stated by Senator NIitchill
In 1906 TO be ito furnish with such materials as
VIII enable statesmen 10 be correct In their in
vestigntions, and by becoming display of erudi.
tion and research give a higher dignity and "A
brighter luster to truth
The catalogue of 1912 contained titles Of 3O76
volumes and 53 maps and charts. When the Cap
it0l was burned In 1914 by the British, the Library
had cost all told about $1,000 for books and oper.
alton. The librarians salary was at first 50 per
day. The Library was destroyed August "a, and
on September u jefferson wrote from his home
rendering his library to congress. The commit
tee was authorized by act of congress TO purchase
The 1000 volumes for 1880, which was done in
January, 1915. Jefferson catalogued the Library.
which was later declared by S%pofford as ian ad-
mirable selection of the best ancient and modern
literature up to the beginning Of the present CEN
fury" These books were hauled from Monticello
10 Washington in farm wagons.
From 1915 to 1851 the Library grew from 1000
TO 50 1000 volumes.
IN the evening Of December 22, 1925, Edward
Everett discovered II fire in the galleries Of the
Library, and he. assisted by Daniel Webster and
other members of congress, put 1t out. In 1851
a second fire destroyed all but 10000 volumes OF
the then handsome collection Of 5000 volumes.
Only one-third Of the Jefferson collection was
saved. Congress at once took steps TO rebuild the
loss. Before the year was ended In several spe-
ciic acts II had appropriated S263, 700 for the pur-
pose. Ten years later a general catalogue of
IBIS pages was published. In 1869 the last com
plete catalogue, arranged by subjects, was pub
lished In two volumes Of LA pages.
The card catalogue was adopted about 1865,
and was perfected from time to time to Its pres
ent wonderfully serviceable system.
In 1864 A. II. Spoford was selected as librarian.
and that year might be taken as the beginning of
the third stage of Congressional Library history.
Congress sympathetically responded to legisla-
demands. Frequent appropriations we're
voted and many private collections were secured
after the fashion of the famous beginning In 1915.
Three years after the selection of Spofford. con-
gress authorized the purchase Of the valuable
Of Americana from Peter Force. II
10000 volumes and cost 100000. II
regarded as a rare collection of books and
newspapers. maps, autographs and so forth.
About the same time the collection of the Smith
Institution, comprising 10000 volumes,
transferred TO the Congressional Library. II
invaluable publications Of the various
learned societies throughout the world with which
the institution had exchange arrangements.
Accessions were constantly made. among which
were, In 1866. the Petigru law library; 1882, the
manuscript papers of Benjamin Franklin; 1888.
the Matthew Carpenter law library; 1882, the
Toner collection of 27.OO volumes. which con-
fained, among other invaluable publications, an
almost complete collection Of copies of letters and
papers of General Washington.
As far back as 1916 a provision of the copy
right law required a deposit in the Library of one
copy OF every book, map. chart, musical compost