Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (July 6, 1902)
1 Beautiful Carnegie Public Library at Lincoln """"V r"HF ""tf- - i V - B P.f 4rf1n j ilJHii-li - ..'-v';:"?f;:. I - J . ... 1 0 " u .1 1 no ' ' V j 'TtMTTJ I 11 i i IN TIIK CHILDREN'S ROOM. MAIN HEADING ROOM. IN THE REFERENCE ROOM. I re 1 OFFICE OF THE LIHRARIAN. HE people of Lincoln point with pride to I tit' magnillcelit Carnegie library build. tig, fur 11 Is mil only ono of I hn Mm"."! pieces of archi tecture tn llii- city, lull Ih de- most laudable educational pur- hiia already brought forth voted to pose, whirl) good results. In the liittrr part nf September, 1 '.'!', t lit- Lincoln pulillr lil.iury existed Himi'ly In name, Mini tin' only property In any way connected with or owned by It was a charred catalogue of tin- valuable collee tlon of hookH, magazines and papers which were destroyed by fire on llii' night of t lit Ulth of that month. For a week after the llro t licit' was no hik Ii thing In Lincoln us u public library of vein nil literature. Three houiH of fiirioun lire had inadi' coin plct. the ilesl met ion. Hut nlnce that nlKht nnolhcr tnolaiiiorpln-iH In tin- affairs of thit library Iiih taken place, which U of far Krcnler niiiKnitudo thuii the lire which left the biiibling without homo and pripcrty. It was the donation of $70,000 by Andrew Carni'Kie an I the build 1 n k with that money of ono of the finest and best equipped library homes in th wchI. Tho patronage of the Lincoln puldii library has more thin doubled since it re moved from its temporary and inconven ient quarters in the Oliver theater a month iiko to the new bulldiiiK erected tliruunli the beneficence of Andrew Curnenle. Tin books of tho Institul ion go Into all kinds of homes and deliKht several thousand per sons. The rich and the poor enjoy equal rights and privileges In this libraiy, and they putroiil.e it alike, thoiinh the pi'oplc of the latter class, of course, preibiiuiliate. In planniiiK '"id construct n the Car nt'Kie bulldiiiK more attention was kIvcii to its Kcnerul Hcrvicealulit y than to lis architectural beauty. It Is tho only ab solutely fireproof building In tho city. Its location Is almost at the center of the WORK ROOM OF LIBRARIAN. c ty's populal b n. There are now upward of 1.".,ihiii volumes on tho library's bhelves. They have been selected with ureat care and taken as a whole the collection ex ceeds In value the one which was dcstroyid by lire. Tile d. nut ion was Kivcn without condi tions, cxecpliiiK that the buildiiiK be main tain! d by the city at public expense. Tlit funds for the building site were donated by general suiter pi lull, as wus al o most of the money used for purchasing tin books. Mr. CarncKlo made an addit iutial donation of $.',ihmi for tho fixtures in the building. The CarucKii' library bulldiiiK s'ands on a site a quarter of a bio. k square, at tho northeast corner of Fourteenth and N streets. The main structure Is tlSxKM feel (in the Kiound, facing the west. At the rear 1 an extension 20x43 fiet, afTordini; space for the slack room, and another ex tension, 1!'x27 feet, for tho executive rooms MAIN STOCK ROOM. of the library. The foundation Is of Iled ford stone. The main walls lire of gray pursed brick with terra cotta t rliiiminKS of the Fame color. The roof is of red tile and surmounted by a low dome. No wood Is found in the buildinn except tho doors, wind.iw fraims mid Hours, which are laid over cement. The basement rltsi s to a height of ten ft et above the ground. H contains a larg" room for a museum, two class or club loonn. a bicycle room, several storage and packing rooms, lavatoriei an 1 looms f ir employes. The books are kept on the main floor, which Is so arrangi'd that one attendant at the C'junter has command of the whole In stitution. This floor i entered by a broad flight of easy steps, leading through an en trance floored w.th in trble and ha ids in.e tiling wains oa. el in colored marble and decorated wi;h elaborate plaster work, all beautifully tinted. On the wall In the vestibule Irf erected the bronze tablet com memorative of Andrew Carnegie, bearing tho Inscription: "In Commemoration of the Philanthropy of Andrew Curnegie, Who Cave tho Funds for the Erection of This Iluilding, the People of the City of Lincoln, in Cratitude to Their Ht-nefaetor, Have Placed Their Table:, A. I). P.ml." Tho vestibule leads directly into the tna'ii library room and Immediately faces the t'e livery desk. In the center is the dome, decorated with figures of the muses, names of great literary men of nil ages and these eight eminent AtncrieaiM: Franklin, Web ster, Whittier. lb lines, Lowell, Emerson, Iugfellow and Mann. The floors are of oak and Italian tile, the wainscoating and base-bnards of marble and th; partitions or plate glass. The book slacks are of steel. The architects of the building are Fisher & lawrie of Omaha. The plans were drawn under the direction of S. L. tjeisthardt, chairman of the build ing committee of the library board. The building was formally dedicated on May 27. Episodes and Incidents in the Lives of Noted People f lilNCRESSMAN LANIUS wasprals I I ng tleneral Funsion It the lal- I I , . u..ivlces In the orient and spoke of his gallantry in bwIiii ii l ii if it riillionlne river. "He- Hides," he added, "the gent ral once swam the Yukon river in Alaska." "Nonsense, " said Representative Sul.er, "the Yukon Is too cold for such a trip. Why. the natives have a saying about thut river. 'Overboard, dead." and that about settles it." . - Hrevct Major (leneral l. H. Rueker. lute q,uurli'rtiiHBter general of the I'lilted Stats army and now retired, entered the urmy as a dragoon sixty-five years ago. when the nllliurv force consisted of a scant 10,0o0 ottlciTS and men. Michigan had Just be come a Btate when he was nominated from It to the senate to be a lieutenant in the First regiment of the Culled Stales dragoons. He now enjoys a gre. n old age, having the other day witnessed the gradu ation of his only grandson. Philip H. Sheri dan (the son of the lale Lieutenant (Jeneral Sheridan, who married deneral Rueker1!) daughter), from thf I'nitcd States military academy. President Cas.satl of the Pennsylvania railroad was for a number of seasons In the foremost rank of .American owners of raclnn tables and held the highest office In I In famous racing association at Monmouth p;k. He retired from the active ruiininn of thoroughbreds many years ugo and de voted himself to the development of colos sal railroad enterprises. Hut he did not give up his breeding farm. H horse, Eurua, wou the Suburban In lv7. Re cently he hud the pleasure of seeing the son of his great sire, The Hard, and of his excellent mare, Heel and Toe, win the Suburban of 1U02. ' A New York con t spondi lit who hud a close view of the former pros dent at the famous harmony pow-wow at the opening of the TUden club says Mr. Cleveland has aged a great deul since he left the Wh '.to House upon the completion of his second term. He Is euormcusly fat, but the lines of his face are greutly deepened. His hair bus become perilously thin, and his voice, never of great volume, seems to have be come considerably less full Nor does he speak so distinctly as be once did. Mr. Cleveland's niuvemeuts were labored nd he had a certain pursy feebleness about him that was observed by tliose who re membered his former vgnr. At the con clusion of his address there were many streams of perspiration running from his face, and he seemed to be quite exhausted when he sank Into his chair after his effort. Mr. Cleveland did not appear to take a great deal of Interest in the proceedings, a ml he was noticeably fidgety and ap parently anxious to leave the club after he had finished making his own address. The Missouri papers are telling this story of Mark Twain's recent visit to the state: A big crowd gathered at a railway station to meet him. A little boy knew that somebody whb coming, but he did not know Mark Twain from Hossle Francis. This kid perched himself on the top of a freight car. where he could see what hap pen! d. The train rolled In, and as Mark stepped off the people beeutne excited, and shouted: ''Here he Is! Here he Is!" The k;d on the boxcar thought a great criminal had been caught, and shouted, "dtt a rope! Oil n rope!" Vr. Clemens laughed till the t. ars run out of his eyes. When Hon. Michael Henry Herbert, wh.i Is soon to succeed tho late Lord Paunce fote as liritish umbassador to the 1'nited Slates, was in Washington, during the first Cleveland and Harrison administrations, cs secretary of the Engl sh legation. Pres ident Roosevelt for a part of that time was a member of the Civil Service com mission. Mr. Roosevelt and Mr. Herbert soon btcanie close friends through the love of each for all outdoor athletic sports. Mr. Roosevelt was fond of base bull; In fact, he was iu those days what the devotees of the sport called a "fan." He Initiated Mr. Herbert luto the mysteries of the great American game, aud It was not long until the Engllshmua was as great a "fan" as bis sponsor. Never a gumo did they miss attending together when both were lu Washington on game day, and they were such constant attendants that whenever it happened that one or both were not In their accustomed scats In the grand stand the other "funs," as well as the players, remarked on It as a feature of the game. Among bis intimate friends In Washington Mr. Herbert was called "Mungo," the significance of which Is not known; but it is not doubted that when the formalities of his reception as ltri:lsl, ambassador are over at the White House his i ld base ball chum, tho president, will slap him in the back and call htm 'Mungo." It Is not recalled that ever be f. re has so intimate a personal fr endshlp existed between a president of the I'nlted States and a foreign diplomat us that be twetn President Roosevelt and Ambassador Herbert. News from Madrid is thut though young King Alfonso has been on the throne only about a month he already has revealed some traits of will and iucliuai Inn. In everything thut concerns the army he takes a deep In terest, but intends to be very much his own muster, on occasion upsetting plans laid down by no less a personage thun the war minister, Lieutenant Cienerul Weyler of C nl an fume. He shows a dcs.re to become acquainted personally with officers of Iu ilhl lu.il regiments an 1 seems .desirous of showing perfect confidence ill his subjects, occasionally riding through unguarded streets many yards ahead of his glittering staff or stopping his carriage to say a few gallant words to a pretty flower girl. One of the most picturesque candidates iioniinut.il for congre.-s so far Is Andrew Furuscth. who aspires to succeed Julius Kahn of the Fourth California district. Fuiuscth is a Prussian Finn who used to be a sailor, and be bas sailed pretty much every stretch of open water in the world. For years he has been a labor agitator in San Francisco. He is a keen, sharp-vlsaged watchdog and does the full duty assigned h.in An artist sinking studies of faces to make up a revolutionary rrowd would find In him a striking type. His straight, hav- colored hair l long and tumbled; bis fore head sharply retreating; his face has a drawn expression of Intensity, wiih rarely the trace of a smile; hi s shoulders are angu lar and his form cadaverous. One of the plans of modern giving offers a certain sum provided an equal amount Is raised to meet It. Iu a recent rase the amount to be raised reached a tantalizing total and halted. A frleud of the institu tion that was to be enriched went to An drew Curnegie and laid the facts before him. These he drove home by all the elo quence he could command. Finally th speaker paused and looked to Mr. Carnegie for the favorable word. "My friend," said the th.' great retuil millionaire dryly. "I am not In 'More, more, more!' How much have you business." contributed to his 'rake-off' In the steel trust, bis railroad submerger? Sell a little Morgan short. Too much risk on one man Hut remember the Giascutus is a big bull t.n the country." Many thousands of reqmsts have r.'achel Washington from all parts of the country for copies of Senator Hoar's Bpeech criti cising the administration's policy In the Philippines. The applicants represent all shades of political opinion. Immediately after the speech was delivered and for two veeks thereafter the average number of re quests received was "(III per day, a record breaking popularity. They are telling this story on Congress i; an (Ircsvenor of Ohio: In tho last presi dential campaign he was chief speaker at a meeting In Pittsburg. Tho hall was crowdid and the chairman introduced the while-bearded Huckeye statesman In this fashion: "I have now the pleasure to intro duce to you the speaki r of the evening. Of course, his name is a household word with you. You all know him. He Is rne of the leaders of congress. He Is the calcula tor for the McKinley makes the figures for scarcely necessary for name, but without any present to you General admins: ration. He all tho boys. It is me to mention hU further word I w 11 CiiMisainer of Ohl i." Hallett Kilbeurne has been adjudged of unsound mind and committed to the Bt. Elizabeth's hospital for the Insane at Washington. Mr. Kilbourne was formerly one of the prominent real estate brok-rs of Washington. He became widely known about twenty-five years ago because of bis suit against the sergeant-at-arms cf the house of reprtsentatlvis to recover $100,000 as damages for false arrest and Imprison ment. The Jury which heard the testimony awarded Mr. Kilbuurne damages in th full amount asked. The sum was after vard reduced to $28,000, which was paid by cc ngress. A free lance rlrcelar called "The Wall Street Giascutus" was circulated anion New York brokers a few days ago. It voiced In light vein the sentiment that Pierpont Morgan has too much Influence In tho finances aud industries of the country. 'Roar I, Rampage I" has sevtral para graphs on that sibject, Including these: "After conquering more than he and his g. nerals can w isely control the great American Napolci n of Grab Is crying. When, some years ago, the Iake Shoie railroad put on a service of "flyers" and imposed an extra rate for tickets on the spei ial trains, John Newell, then prc" of the systtm, decided that passes, b rat tickets, etc., should not be accepted as fare on the limited express runs. Of course there was no intention that the restriction concerning pusses should comprthend the "courtesies" extended to officials of other railroads, says the Philadelphia Times, but a clerk's mistake forwarded to D. W. Cald well, president of the Nickel Tlate road, a pass inscribed: "Not good on Lake Shore limited trains." Within twenty-four hours the mails car ried to Newell a pass signed by Caldwell and bearing the Inscription in red ink across the face: "Not good on passenger trains." Newell ami Caldwell were enemies from that day until tho death of the former. Patrick Egan, ex-minister to Chile, who was in Philadelphia receutly, tells the fol lowing story illustrative of the lack of a sense of humor which characterized th.' late Charles Stewart Parnell: "Purnell though the greatest leader of the Irish racc was In many respects much like an Eug lithman," said Mr. Egan. "It took him long time to see a Joke. I remember w 1 when the old Laud league was first or panlzed In the Imperial hotel in Dublin Andrew J. Kettle, a well known Irishman, presided. After the business had be- transacted I rose and moved that Mr. Kit tle leave the chair and that Mr. Partie:! take the second chair. 'Now, Mr. Chair man,' I said, 'I move a vote of thanks to Mr. Kettle for the admirable manner i which he directed this meeting.' Farm put the motion, and in doing so eali 'Gentlemen, I need not say, in putting th motion, that tho name of Kettle has been household word In Ireland for many year-.' The burst of laughter which greeted Pai nell'g break slopped bim. Ho look, i around, confusedly, and said, sotto voce, t me: 'Egan, what in thunder are this people laughing atf "
