Show washington NEWS washington t b C march 16 1916 MR JMES du N I 1 have a nummi er of times resolved to write to you but have failed to enforce my good resolutions but this time alm e I 1 will try to io carry them ahem out I 1 have been quite busy lately jn in the genealogical department of the library of c congress on gress searching the records of the dark clark family when I 1 presented ali the letter of introduction given rne ine by Ser senator lator sutherland to mr morrison the gentleman in charge told him what I 1 wanted he remarked 7 you have a big work before you for or the dark clark genealogy is th elargest theS largest one in th the library and when I 1 went down in the basement where the genealogical part of 0 the library is kept I 1 found that I 1 had 36 vo volumes lumes and one large family tree to search I 1 have already spent sper eight days in the research and not quite through yet there Ss between and volumes of genealogies ea in the library I 1 was told that there were nearly two million volumes in the library building besides newspapers on file from nearly every cita and magazines and periodicals of Affie america rica and europe so no matter what a persons literary tastes may be they can be supplied there the th balding bul ding is open from 9 a m 16 p m every day except sunday the bi building ding is truly a magnificent onel one the exterior walls of white granite it is three stories high the grounds cost and the net cost of the building exclusive of the site was it ads two thousand windows which renders render sit it the best lighted library in the world the dome is finished in black copper copier with panels glided with a thick coating coaling ol of gold the entire nearly ay 3 2 acres the rhe stairway ay leading to the upper floors is composed of the finest marble the central stair hall is lined throughout with the finest italian m marble so highly polished that it is almost like a mirror and the gold that ornaments the ceiling is 22 carat one fine the library is only one of the many attractions here the famous smith conlan institute and the old and new museums where can be seen specimens and collection of all kinds from all parts of the world the earliest inventions vent ions to the latest the washington and grant relics the relics of the former consists of the uniform worn when commander commande in chiedor of the army his camp chest pewter dishes and cooking utensils used by him during the revolutionary war the grant relics consists of his sword and other memorials the bureau of engraving and print aig ng where the greenbacks green backs and postage stamps are made is perhaps one of the most interesting places to visit I 1 had I 1 the pleasure of visiting it a few days r ago and witnessing the process of ii printing tinting the greenbacks green backs and also the postage stamps we had a guld who everything but bult owing to the great noise of the presses I 1 was unable to hear but little of what she said one side of the notes is printed ata at a time each pressman bessmae prints SOO sheets a day and there chere are four notes in each sheet the imal smallest lest note minted is one dollar and the largest is a 8 gold certificate each piece of work passes through the hands of thirty different people and is carefully receipted and every count auit be ver verified 1 ifield before the force is dismissed the postage stamp division is equally as interesting with the best wishes for your sue suc cess and happiness I 1 am as ever your friend and well wisher J R RCLARK CLARK |