476 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1903. 



pu))lic. Ill 1803 the corner stone of the edifice was laid, not fai' from 

 the former Fort Dearborn, whose garrison was butchered l)y the 

 Indians in IS12, and wliich was the first permanent settlement in the 

 swamp upon whicli Cliicago hiter arose. The building comprises a 

 quadrangle between Washington and liandolpli streets and Michigan 

 avenue, its long east front facing a park along the lake. The site is 

 immediately adjacent to the principal business center of the city, and 

 occupies about li acres of ground, the building itself l)eing 330 feet 

 long, 146 feet wide, and 100 feet high above the pavement (exclusive of 

 the balustrade). It is well orientated as to the sun, in that the free, 

 long side faces toward the east: but opposite the remaining sides are 

 high houses. The funds for the building were raised from 1891 to 

 1896 by six annual tax levies, amounting to $2,000,(K)0, which was 

 borne most willingly by the people of Chicago, an example of the 

 public spirit of that city often unjustly charged with worldliness.^ 



Fig. 57. — Chicago Public Library. Plan of third floor. 



The disposition of the interior was more or less determined ))y the 

 rights of the adjoining property holders, who stipulated that the 

 entrance should be on the narrow side, but especially by the fact that 

 the building must include a large memorial hall with many accessory 

 rooms for the (xrand Army of the Kepublic, the memorial hall in per- 

 petuity, the accessory rooms to be devoted to this use for some 50 

 years. 



The hands of the architects were somewhat tied by these and .several 

 other restrictions. The location within the cit}', where sulphurous 

 gases arise from soft coal used, forbade frescoes and other usual kinds 

 of decoration. As it was not wished to renounce rich external orna- 



« Frederick Harrison, one of the most eminent English historians and writers, says, 

 in the report of his recent visit to the United States {Niuetee^itlt Century, June, 

 1901): "Chicago struck me as l)eing somewhat unfairly condemned as devoted to 

 nothing but Mammon and pork. Certainly during my visit I heard of nothing but 

 the progress of education, university endowments, people's institutes, libraries, 

 museums, art schools, workmen's model dwellings and farms, literary culture, and 

 scientific foundations." 



