The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1921-03-05

EA7Z24zSX OF c0YG22SG5 MIS- 12<s OK tx
HE Library of Congress is a COM
! plete satisfaction to the perturbed
soul of the scholarly Edward Ever
EFT, who years ago exclaimed: who
can see without shame that the fed
| NslTSN eral government of america is the
| skLES4A only government in the civilized
! W. S9M world that has never founded a
! M Nj literary institution of any description
| NaE NH or sOrt?'
! TS3E&AM So said Representative Simeon D.
/ NNnAS * Tess of Ohio the other day in the
~ " house in an address on the subject
of the library. Mr.. Fcss is scholar
himself. He is lawyer He has served as col
lege president and professor in several nstitu-
lions. He. 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, reported in the Con-
gressiOnal 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 collection Of publications
which is rapidly Overtaking the Ri5liotheque 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 ana insignificant beginning. 1t started some
time before the beginning of the last century with
the appointment of a 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
1872. The first catalogue was of nine pages nre-
pared in 1902, the Library then containing 9e4
volumes and nine maps, classified on the basis of
size into quartos, octavos and so forth The pur-
pose Oh the Library was stated by Senator Mitchn
In 1876 to be ito furnish with such materials as
will enable statesmen to be correct In their in
vestigations, and by becoming display of erud
uon ana research give higher dignity and
brighter luSter to truth"
The catalogue of 1912 contained titles of 3O76
volumes and SO maps and charts When the Can
itol was burned in 1914 by the British the Library
had cost all told about $1,000 for books and oper-
auon. The librarians salary at first 50 per
day. The Library destroyed August "a and
on September 81 jefferson wrote from bis homo
rendering his library to congress- The commit
tee was authorized by act of congress to purchase
the 1000 volumes for S239JO which was done in
January, 1915. Jefferson catalogued the Library.
which was later declared By Spofford as can adj
lnlraDe selection of the best ancient and modern
literature up to the beginning of the present CEN
fury These books were hauled from Monticello
to Washington in farm wagons.
From 1913 to 1851 the Library grew from 1000
to $500 volumes
On the evening of December % 1925 Edward
Everett discovered fire in the galleries of the
Library and he, assisted by Daniel Webster and
other members of congress- put it out In 1881
a second fire destroyed all but 10000 volumes az
Inc then handsome collection of $4,000 volumes
Only one-third Of the Jefferson collection was
saved Congress at once took steps TO rebuild the
oss Before the year was ended i'm several spe-
zinc acts 1t had appropriated $26S 7C0 for the pur-
pose Ten years later general catalogue of
V0nu
)lete catalogue arranged by subjects, was pub
ished in two volumes of liza pages.
The card catalogue was adopted about 1865
ma was perfected from time to tire to its pres
mt wonderfully serviceable system
In 1864 A. r. SpoffOrd was selected as librarian
md that year might be taken as the beginning of
ne third stage OF Congressional Library history.
congress -sympathetically responded to Iegisla-
I've demands Frequent appropriations were
oted and many private collections were secured
fter the fashion of the famous beginning in 1915
-hree years after the selection of Spofford con-
Tess authorized the purchase of the valuable
objection of Americana from Peter Force II
obtained 10000 volumes and cost 100000 1t
vas regarded as + rare collection of books and
amphets on American subjects manuseripts
ewspapers. maps, autographs and so forth
bout the same time the collection of the Smith
oman Institution, comprising 10000 volumes
Tas transferred to the Congressional Library 1t
obtained Invaluable publications of the various
earned societies throughout the world with which
he Institution had exchange arrangements
Accessons were con~-antIy made among which
7ere, in 1866, the Petigru law library; 1882. the
papers of Benjamin Franklin; 1885,
he Matthew Carpenter law library; 1892 the
oner collection of $1,000 volumes which con-
aimed. among other invaluable publications an
lmoSt complete collection Of copies of letters and
apers of General Washington.
AS far back as 1916 a provision of the copy
ght law required deposit in the Library of one
cpy of every book, map chart. musical compost