Evening star., 1938-12-04
Fifty Years Ago
In The Stur


n, and construction Of
Ne" '.o"s the new national IL
ro1 I'o'oV brary building" says
OF Congress news story in The Star
of December I, 1888. He presents .
complete set Of new plans for . building
within the limit Of cost provided by Con-
gress, based upon the old plans OF Mr..
Sm!thmeyer.
He says that, taking the old plans as
a basis, work on the plans was begun
at once with the necessary force. Mr.. Paul
J. Pelz being employed to make the
plans. The new general plans were COM
pleted on November Al and submitted to
the Secretary OF War and Secretary Of
Interior for their approval. Should they
approve the designs the work will be
begun at once. Photographs Of the plans
are submitted.
"The same style Of architecture is re-
tanned and also the number and height
Of stories, the general arrangement and
relative location Of reading rooms, books,
magazines and rooms for exhibits, ad-
ministration and other library work, as
in the original plan. The center building
and the reading room are essentially
unaltered from the old plans, while the
length OF the whole building has been
considerably reduced and much of the
crowded space in the middle Of the plan
omitted.
THE new extreme outside dimensions
of the building, not including projections
Of the center building on the west 'front.'
are 1873 feet north and south by 3l8 feet
inches east and west, while those Of the
old design were, respectively, 463 feet 1lh
inches by 1872 feet . inches.
This building will occupy and utilize
considerable part Of the cellar excava-
ton and drainage system all Of the con-
crete foundations for the rotunda, and
the central building OF the west front,
and also minor parts of the same for
the curtains of the west front, already
prepared for the original building.
The front walls will be of light
colored granite and the remainder of
the building chiefly of brick and iron.
fireproofed throughout. small quantity
only Of plain-cut granite being used In
the courtyard walls. The construction
Of the building is to be solid and substan-
tial. and generally plain in the exterior,
excepting the rotunda or reading room
and the main stair hall or vestibule,
which will be suitably enriched in mar
BILE, iron and stucco. In the preparation
Of the plans and estimates. special pains
have been taken to secure the largest and
most appropriate building for the pur.
pose of the Library Of Congress that the
limit Of cost will permit without sacrifice
ing the dignif1ed and monumental char
acter demanded by its object and loca-
ton. To this end the exterior retains
the same degree of finish that was con-
templated in the old design, while the
interior enrichment is to be confined
almost entirely to the main stair, hall
and rotunda.
Book alcoves, stacks and shelving are
provided for 1,16S,000 books. At the
present rate Of growth of the library, say
$4,000 volumes per year, this shelving will
be filled in about 10 years from this time,
or about l3 years after the completion of
the building. The remaining space not
absolutely required for administration
and for the display Of engravings, maps,
current periodicals, etc., will accommo-
date l.047,000 volumes more, making an
ultimate total capacity in the building of
2,2l5,000 volumes. This space would be
filled at the rate Of growth assumed in
about 81 years from the present time.