XJHLK amVUA UJKJKWISIAIS, JtrOKTluAJSJJ, SJESiTEULBER 3, 1903.
Si
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS IN WASHINGTON
Many of Its Most Important Features Shpn in
Government Exhibit
0
3 'JM . flfcfcWW
Bb9v .- - ; - - fear
WMM Ml M Ml Ml lfcUJ3Hft 1
t "'nil M l
lilW
Pcrcrxr
Si
T
SCIENTISTS say that away back in
O the prehistoric ngos man's first
method of communicating thought was
with piles "of rocks. Later man dis
covered that he was endowed with
vocal power.", and learned to express
and communicate through articulation.
The Egyptians learned to preserve
thought through their hieroglyphics,
which were engraved upon the face of
stone. The American Indians were the
originators of picture-writing. The
monks of the old monasteries of Eu
rope, after many years, of resoarch,
learned to write on cloth, and then on
paper. Later came the hand 'press.
Thus is had the evolution of the book.
When the Library of Congress was
erected in Washington, six paintings,
masterpieces of art descriptive of -these
stages of the evolution of the book,
were hung in the main entrance of this
magnificent structure. Many hundreds
of visitors stop to admire and wonder
at these plcturesevory day, as they
enter the building. All are impressed
with the appropriateness of the pic
tures, and they were the subject of no
little comment. So interesting Wave
they been that when the Library of
Congress was given space in the Gov
ernment building at the Lewis and
Clark Exposition, the officials did not
think their exhibit would be complete
without the pictured evolution of the
book. The valuable paintings could
not be removed, so costly reproduc
tions were made and brought to
the many people who daily visit
the Library of Congress, the series of
pictures of tho evolution of the book
deeply Impresses the hundreds of vis
itors to the Library of Congress ex
hibit in the Government building. They
also comment upon its singular ap
propriateness, and they become deeply
engrossed in the interesting exhibit
before them. They realise more keen
ly that the evolution of the book has
gone hand in hand With tho develop
ment of mankind, and tho treasures of
the literary exhibit become the more
Interesting and absorbing. While the
exhibit of tho Library Congress Is at
tractively arranged and pleasantly,
situated, to the hurried and frenzied
Exposition sight-seer it has but little
charm. There are no working exhibits
in the Library of Congress depart
ment, and it consists largely of mod
els, relics and pictures, all of which
are of great Interest t0 the reading
public.
The library of Congress, at Washington,
is universally conceded, both at home
and abroad, to be the most wonderful in
stitution of its kind in tho world both
the magnificent building and the standard
and completeness of the library itself be
ing taken Into consideration. A model of
the building, cross-sectioned in such a
way as to show its interior, is therefore
one of the most interesting parts of this
exhibit It enables tho visitor to form a
conception of the manner in which nearly
2.000.000 volumes of books are stored in
one- building, to bo had upon a few mo
ments notice.
The building .of the .Library of Congress,
thlch is shown complete by the model in
the exhibit, is the largest and most oostly
library building In the world. It Is lo
cated on Capitol Hill, a quarter of a mile
east of the Capitol. It was begun la 1SSS
and completed in 1867. at a cost of J5.S47.
M. exclusive of the site, which cost KS,
WK). Tho building occupies three and a
half acres. Iits internal arrangement
are planned to secure the greatest pro
tection of its contents from loss or in
jury that Is consistent with the public
use of Its collections. For the preserva
tion of maps, manuscripts and prints, spe
cially constructed cases are provided.
Steel cases of special design and make aro
used for the more valuable manuscripts.
All parts of the building are patrolled
night and day. It has space for KXO peo
ple In the roading-room. The library In
cludes tho following divisions, each under
the supervision of a chief: Order, copy
right office, catalogue. Bibliography, reading-room,
periodical, documents, manu
scripts, maps, music, prints, Smithsonian
deposit, and law library; and two divis
ions, ftnail and supply, and binding, in
charge of two assistants.
Besides tho miniature reproduction of
the building, many of the Interior work
ings of the Library of Congress are shown,
such a models of book stalls, systems of
Indexing, photographs of the departments,
including the copyright office, etc. The
photographs of the copyright office are
colored, behind which are electric lights,
producing a very pretty effect. All the
departments of the copjTight office are
pictured in this manner.
The exhibit contains many very "calu
able and interesting relics, which ap
peal particularly to the people of tho
Pacific Coast This idea was in view of
the officials when the exhibit was se
lected. Among the relics is a copy of
the first Issue of The Oregonlan, pub
lished in Portland, December 4, 1SE0.
It was then a weekly. A copy of The
Oregonlan is shown two years later,
published upon common wrapping pa-pers.--Both
of the newspapers aro yel
lowed with age, and old fashioned in
style, but are of great interest to the
visitors. Copies of many of the oM
established papers of the Pacific Coast
are also shown. letters of historic
value comprise an Important part of
the exhibit. Letters, wrltton by 22
Presidents of the United States, are to
be seen. There aro on" exhibit letters
and communications from nearly all of
the greatest men of the country. Among
them Is a message to President TJiomas
Jefferson from Captain William Clark,
accepting the commission to explore the
great unknown Northwest with Cap
tain Lewis.
When the library of Congress was
built, the Government did not overlook
the blind. Desiring that they should
also derive the benefits of this great li
brary, a special reading-room has been
reserved for them. Here those afflicted
with the loss of sight can interpret the
the most ancient and modern books of
the day by the aid of raised letters.
There Is a large collection of raised
letter books for the blind. Some of
these books are exhibited in tne de
partment of the Library of Consrres In
.thja Grernpafin .hull j in s, inairjiv
10J Of TfZZJZAXY
or cosGeJS ckojs
Ac5TJ?AJLF
) ment Is also on exhibition by walci;
, blind can communicate on paper to
jtaor persons similarly jiff fluted. Hole
Hre'-.puncheQ in paper.' the. rough edge
j of which are nearly tli-same as ral J
letters. The alphabet is srior toned. t-
method resembling that of shorthan.
Another exhibit Is that of the travel!,
j libraries, which penetrate nearly all :
the villages and hamlets of the Uulon.
Thefe books can be had to read by the
' Government officials at the building,
i The American Llbrarr Association
aselstdii In the collection of part of
the exhibit in the Library of Congress
department In the Government build
ing. The exhibit Is the property of the
Library of Congress, which furnished
nearly all of the valuable relics and
manuscripts. C. II. Hastings, of the Li
brary of Congress at Washington, in
stalled the exhibit. Mr. Hastings has
returned to Washington, the exhibit
being left in charge of G. R. Morse, also
of Washington.
When Cities Gaze in
Each Other's Eyes
Thing Political and Pithy From
the Bay City
SAN FRANCISCO. Sept. 2.-(Spedal.
The commercial rivalry which has bean
growing for several years between San
Francisco and Los Angelas canve to a
head when the representatives of the two
cities met in Sacramento this week be
fore the State Board of Equalization in
an effort to adjust the assessments. It
was claimed by the people of the southern
city that the San Francisco officials had
underestimated values, with the result
that Los Angeles was paying more than
Its share of the state taxes. The session
was turned Into a battleground, on which
was fought out all the old questions that
have made the two cities eye each other
at times with ill-concealed Jealousy. The
result was a triumph for this city, for
the State Board refused to alter the fig
ures presented by the San Francisco offi
cials. The state tax rate was fixed at 48 cents
on the hundred dollars, the lowest figure
since 1E92. In that year the rate was but
3S cents, but was too low to meet the
necessary expenses of conducting the
regular business of the state. It was
placed at that figure for political reasons,
and the Governor, who was responsible
for It. was an unsuccessful candidate
for the nomination lor a second term.
Politics Warms Up.
This month will see the political pot of
San Francisco at the boiling point for
the nominations are to be mado for Mayor
to be voted on at the election in Novem
ber. It is conceded beyond alt doubt
that Mayor Eugene Schmltz will be re
nominated by tho Union Labor party. It
it the Republican nominee that is Inter
esting the politicians. If he has been de
cided upon the secret has been well
guarded, for the Vise ones are as much
in the dark as they were six months ago.
Kuef, defeated at the primaries, has re
sorted to desperate means to control the
Republican convention, but has failed to
make any headway. His one remaining
move is to bolt the convention with his
band of delegates, and hold a little con
vention of his own and secure a place
on the ballot Whether he will follow this
course, only Rucf himself knows. He Is
up against the hardest proposition he
ever encountered in San Francisco for the
Republican League has adopted tactics to
check the little scheme that the local
machine lias. found profitable when hard
pressed.
The league Is checking off the name
of every voter on the rolls. Agents are
sent out to see that each man resides
frauds are practiced. In addition, every
votor will be-personally informed as to
tho situation, and requested to cast his
ballot for the reform movement Voters
will be reached through their friends, fra
ternal associations, and other means by
which the situation can most advantage
ously be presented to them.
As to the Republican candidate who can
muster sufficient strength to defeat
Schmitz, this much Is certain; he must
not belong to the Citizens' Alliance nor
the Employers' Association, and mu be
able to command the confidence of the
laboring classes. The full returns from
therecent primaries show that the Ruef
Republican vote added to the union labor
vote exceeded the combined Democratic
and Reform Republican vote by about
100. Tho total vote was about 40.000. At
the November election there will be a
total of at least 75.000 votes. This leaves
about 3S.CO0 votes to be fought for. If
the Democrats Indorse the Republican
candidate, as now seems probable, about
15.000 votes can be added to the reform
column. It may thus be seen that the
time la ripe for a reform victory by
means of fusion. It may alio be observed
that the struggle will be a close one.
Stanford Docs Some Hazing. .
Hazing in a mild form has appeared
at Stanford University and the faculty
may soon take drastic action. President
Jordan has prohibited "tubbing." by
which Is .meant the process of Immers
ing a fully-clothed freshman into a cold
water bath at the dormitory until his
pride Is duly humiliated. As a substitute
for "tubbing" the upper classmen have
Introduced the fag system. The new
student are made to shine the shoes of
the seniors, run their errands and per
form other menial services. On the open
ing day at the college the seniors pressed
a large force of freshmen. Into service as
baggagemen and had the newcomers
carrj" their trunks to their rooms on the
top floor. Then the seniors, from arm
chairs, directed the Intranta while they
unpacked the luggage, and did valet serv
ice for the fourthycar men.
1
tor, in Los Angeles was robbed of Its
sting by the forgiveness of his wife just '
before he passed away. Hanley, after a '
very successful career during which he '
had supported Booth, Barrett, Modjeska.
and Margaret Mather, began to go rapidly
down the hill. He gave himself up to
excesses, which estranged his friends a'nd
caused his wife, who was Miss Edith
Lcmrnert the actress, to leave him. It
was eight. yAars ago that the couple sep-
hospital In Los Angeles near to death
when his wife arrived there with a the
atrical company, not knowing that her
husband waa In the city. Hanley sank
rapidly and in his delirium called for his
wife. When the woman vheard that her
husband was dying she hastened to his
bedside. They had not tsen each other
since the separation eight years before.
Hanley revived sufficiently to" recognize
his wife and to hear-her forgive him for
the ,tm,t TSrop bo-had Mono her. -He
( clasped her to his breast and in her e"m.
brace passed "away.
j Maurice V. Samuels, a young playwright
i of this city, is sooil to have a play pro-'
duccd at a local theater. It Is called
"The Conflict" and Is based- upon Bal
zac's "Magic Skin." This is the second
play Samuels has. written. His flrstdealt
with the Medici family and was called
"The Florentines." It was highly praised
for Its literary and- poetic quallUs, but
ha3 not yetbeen'prodqeede