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��Hon. Rodney Wallace.
��by him in carrying out the details of his proposed undertaking ; and that we de- sire Jicre to place upon our records our keen appreciation of the generous spirit which has moved him to tender this munificent gift,"
The new library building fronts on Main street:, and looks out upon Monu- ment Park and the beautitul Court House of North Worcester County. It is of Greek classic style, and is built of Trenton pressed brick. It has sand- stone trimmings. It has a frontage of seventy-four feet on Main street, and is sixty-five feet deep, The basement is ten feet in height. It is two stories above the basement. The library floor is sixteen feet high. The second story, which contains the picture gallery, is ten feet high on the outside, and thirty-two in the centre. The extreme height is therefore fifty-eight feet. The front of the building is especially imposing. It has a projection in the centre, twenty- five feet wide and six feet deep, which extends the whole height of the struct- ure and terminates in a gable, which is surrounded by a decorated pediment. The main entrance is approached by massive steps of granite, twelve feet wide, flanked by heavy buttresses. At the top of the steps is the entrance porch, eleven feet wide, six feet deep, and arched overhead. Polished granite columns with carved capitals on either side support the archway above. In the belt of sandstone above this arch is cut the legend " Library and Art Build- ing." Above this belt is a row of wind- ows separated by columns of brick. Above these is a sandstone belt in which is cut the name of the donor, by vote of the City Government. The title of the structure is therefore " Wallace Li- brary and Art Building." Above is a row of circular windows separated by sandstone columns with carved capitals.
��The hip roof of the building is crowned by a monitor top, which admits light into the art room below. Over the en- trance is to be the city seal, in antique and Venetian glass. The whole struct- ure is amply lighted by a large number of windows.
The basement provides for a store- room, a work-room, and reading-room, which opens off Newton lane. The public will have lull access to this room. It will specially accommodate the work- ingmen. The late Honorable Wm. H. Vose left $i,ooo, the income of which is to be used in supplying suitable papers for this room. There are also in the base- ment a coal room, and the boiler which heats the whole building. On entering the building one stands in a large hall, on the right of which is a reading-room for magazines, and on the left is a large reference room, and a winding stainvay by which the second story is reached. Across the whole rear of the building is the library room, which is high enough to admit of galleries. Ample provisions are thus made for all the possible future needs of the city. In the second story is the art gallery. Around it are five other rooms, which can be devoted to any of the uses such an institution may require. When com- pleted the inside will be finished in hard woods, and according to modern ideas of taste and elegance. The art gallery will be a model of its kind.
With a collection of books and of works of art to match the thought of the donor expressed in the building the library will be a lasting blessing to our city. A gift so timely, and so well adapted to the needs of a city like Fitchburg, with its population of young people, could not fail to commend itself, and win the gratitude of every right-minded citi- zen. Therefore, any one who will stand in front of this building for an hour, and
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