.0 RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE WEST WINCJ OF THE SOCIETY'S BUILDING 1913-1914 Providknci: Printkd roR THi: Socif.i v 1914 Oop^.- - n 1 7 ' IH Tl 1 1'^ " ('a iiix K'l' " or l)uil(lin,L; of ihc Ivhoclc Island 1 lislorital Societx' was ()ri^iiiall\' a Iwo-storx slrucUirc, nioasurin^' 50 b\' 30 tcct, designed b\' jamcs ('. lUicklin. It was constructed in 1844 on the lot on Waterman Street, one-half of which had been L;i\en to the Societ\' 1)\ t lie heirs of Nathan Waterman for tliis ])urpose. Tlie cost of tlie l)uild- ini;-, as reported to the Societ^•, was $5260. Three thousand dollars of this amount was the }iroceeds of a rijj;ht to hold a lottery, i;'ranted b\- the state Ici^islature, and sold b)- the Society to a lottery-broker. The remainder was raised by subscri])tion. In 1891, two three-story wini^s, each 50 bv 22 feet, and a domed lecture-room and picture-i;allery 30 feet sc|uare, at the rear ol the orii;inal Cabinet, and between the wind's, were added, i;i\inL;' the buildin,i;- the shape of a squat T. The jilans for these additions were drawn by Alfred Stone, who was for many years deeply interested in the welfare of the Society. The cost, about $20,000, was contributed by subscribers whose names appear in the printed l'r()ceedinL;"s for 1892. The outer walls of 1844 were rui^'gedly built ol rubble, coxered with plaster. The same construction was irsed in 1891, for the outer walls, the ])artitions beini;' of brick. The main ffoor of the 1891 addition was of wood laid on brick arches. The other floors, the stairways, and the interior fittini;s were of wood, the construction bein_L;" hii;hl\- inflammable. The dan.^er from fire was so apparent that it was frequenty discussed, and yarious ]:)lans were sui.;"i;"ested for doing" away with the constant likelihood of a catastrophe. At a nieetini;" of the Library Committee held on TY^Druary 17, 1913, this danger was discussed, and it was decided that the most practical scheme would be to make the west wing of the building fireproof. lY'ntatiye plans which had been submitted by the Librarian to the Committee were approyed and it was yoted to ask the I^>\ecutiye Connnittee ot the Society to consider the immediate reconstruction of certain l^arts of the building. On March 21, the yote of the Librar)' Committee was reported to the L.\ecuti\e Connnittee, together with plans, s])ecifications and estimates. The lv\ecuti\e Com- miUcc a})i)r()\c(l the pi'oposetl ,L;c'ncial plan, and referred the matter to the Committee on (irounds and Buildini;-. This Comnnttee ,u,a\'e the details of the plan eareful eonsideration, and at its rec|uest the Librarian drew up the specifications and secured deiinite bids. At the (|uarterly meeting of the Society, held April i, the Committee on Crounds and Building;' reported to the Society, recommendini;- that the west win,^- of the Cabinet be made fireproof, and sui;^estin,L;" that the })lans embodied in the report be carried out as soon as funds could be secured. The Society thereupon voted that a Special Committee be api^ointed to raise the necessar\- money for reconstructini;' the west win;;'. This COmmittee consisted of Prof. Wilfred II. Munro, President of the Society ; lion. Charles Dean Kimball, Chairman of the Committee on (irounds and Building-; Mr. Edward Aborn Greene; Mr. (ieort;e Parker W'inship ; and Mr. How^ard M. Chapin, Librarian of the Society. b'ormer Governor Kimball, on account of business engagements, was unable to serve on the Committee. Mr. Greene was a])i:)ointed Treasurer of the Committee. This Committee sent out a circular letter, the cost ot which was contributed in part b)' Mr. D. Berkeley Updike, to all the members of the Society, explaining the need, the purpose and the scope of the work contemplated, and asking for contribu- tions. The Committee also appealed directly to a number of persons who were known to be interested in the welfare of the Societ\-. The\- were encouraged to do this by the fact that two subscri]:)tions, one the smallest and one of the largest, were brought to the building after the first announcement of the plan in the newsj^apers, and before any personal appeals had been made. At the regular c|uarterly meeting of the Society in July, the Committee reported sufficient contribu- tions to justify beginning the work of reconstruction, and explained in detail what was proj^osed to be done. Idiis re- port was accepted b\- the Society, and the Committee at once proceeded to carr\' out the plans. The Librarian had made a careful stud)" of the plans as first submitted, in consultation with practical builders and fire in- surance experts, and a nund)er of economical changes were a: introduced witliDUt saci"ificin<;- an)' essential conxeniences. These plans ha\'ing been approved by the Committee, they were submitted to Mr. Cieori^e L. Shepley, Mr. Charles B. Mackinnev, Mr. Knij^ht C. Richmond, and Mr. Henry T. Grant, who very generously offered to examine them from the point of view of fire insurance experts and who sui;<;ested a few chanLi'es which were incorporated into the plans. 1^'inal bids were then asked for, and the contract for the structural work was let to the C. H. Ma,i;uire Company. This work was be- i;'un in |ul\' and was completed beli»rc the (.late ol the annual meetini;' in January. As soon as it was certain that the reconstruction could be carried throui;h, the books and articles in the museum were removed from the west wini;" to other parts of the buildinj;". This in itself was a considerable piece of work, for there were over 30,000 books in this jiart of the building" and the whole upper floor was occupied b\- the miscellaneous and unwield} objects of the museum, the number of which it is impossible to estimate with any approach to accurac)'. As soon as the contents had been removed, all of the wood- work was taken out oi this wini;'. This inx'oKed the lemoval ot all the floors, the partitions, the windows and window- frames, the stairs and the roof. Reinforced concrete Hoors with S^ranolithic surface were then constructed for the second and third stories, and a granolithic smiace put on the brick arches supporting- the first fioor. A tile roof supported bv steel beams replaced the old one. The new roof was covered with tin so as to give as nearly as possible its former appearance and so retain the symmetry of the building. Metal window-frames and metal sashes with wired glass p^nes were put in all of the windows, which were for the first time supplied with catches. A spiral iron staircase was erected in a brick and tile fire- well which at eat'h fioor is shut off from the rest of the wing Iw- an automatic metal fire-door. All the openings between the west wing and the rest of the building were bricked up, except the one on the main fioor which serves as the only entrance to the reconstructed portion. This is fitted with a self-shutting metal fire-door which ojiens from the main room into the fire- l)roo1 stair-well. The main floor of the wing is divided into two rooms, the larj^er one containini^- the collection of Rhode Island books, while the other, which retains the name and purpose of the old " vault," is for manuscripts and more valuable books. Twelve-inch Library Bureau shelving- was set up in the vault and eight-inch shelving in the Rhode Island room as well as on the floor above. In the \ault there was an apj^arently useless triangular s))ace left by the head-room of the rear entrance to the basement. This s])ace was \er)' satisfactoril}- filled with a speciall)' constructed metal map case, containing 48 tubes 4" .\ 4" .\ 60" for the larger Rhode Island majis. The third or top floor, which is dexoted to newsi)apers. was fitted with two sorts of cases. Thirteen cases designed to hold the less used newspaj)ers in an upright position were con- structed b\' the Xarragansett MachineC"ompan\-. which also built a combination reading-table and filing-case. The current papers are ke]n in this case as they are received, until enough num- bers ha\e accumulated to make a bound xolume. while the to]) ot the case is used as a desk b\' readers who consult the newspapers. In aildition there are si.\ cases fitted with horizontal rolling sheKes which were purchased from the Art Metal Construction Comjjanv of Boston, and are used to hold those heavier newspapers which are most Irequently used. In fourteen months the mone\' for the work had been raised, the entire contents of the wing had been removed, the whole interior as well as the roof reconstructed, the books ])ut in their places on new sheUing. and the bills paid. In all, the Com- mittee had. including the interest on its dei:)osit at the bank, $8,114.68. ( )f this amount, one thousand dollars was trans- ferred to the fund for the reconstruction of the west wing, by a \()te of the Iv\ecuti\e Committee on September 11, 1913, from the money receixed for easement from the Rhode Island Com]5any on account of the tunnel under the building. Our Rhode Island collection of more than 15.000 xolumes is now all housed in this fireproof repositor\'. On the top floor we have over 6500 bound volumes of Rhode Island news- papers. This is the best collection of any single state's nevvs- ]:)apers in an\' one librarw We ha\e on the second floor our local pension paiKTs, census returns, manuscript account books, and early United States Goxernnient documents. Un the main floor, we have in the \ault all of our more valuable manuscripts and books, our Rhode Island maps and broadsides, and our ne\vsi)ai)ers and books printed before l8oo. In the Rhode Island room we ha\e all of our books dealinj;' with the history oi the state, toi^'ether with our collection of Rhode Island ])ortraits and Rhode Island \iews, arranL;ed al])habeticall\- in a metal \ertical filini;" case. In the basement, which was htted with speciall)' constructed mo\able shehini^" designetl b\- the Librarian and made by the Narraj^ansett Machine Comj^an)', we have one room filled with the manuscript papers of our local Custom House, one of the three or fom- such collections that have escaped destruction, and another room containing' at the present time, and until it is needed for more important volumes, our duplicate Rhode Island material. I'his Committee takes much satisfaction in reportini;- that it has accomplished the work for which it was appointed. The Rhode Island books, manuscripts, and newspapers belonging to the Societ)-, and those which it holds in trust for the state, are now ]:)laced bevontl the danger of loss bv fire. This fact ought not to hide the danger which continues to threaten the rest of the Historical Societ)' building. The Committee on the west wing, in handing over the small surplus left after pa\'ingall the bills which it contracted, earnestly recom- mends that this amount be set aside, with any other money that the Society can use for the purpose, as the nucleus of a fund to be used in rendering the east wing, and especially the original Cabinet of the Societ\', fireproof. Res|)ectfull\- submitted, W'li.i" KKi) 1 1. Mlnro, Im)\\.\ki) Ahorx Grkk.xk, Geor(;k I'.\kkkr Wixsiiir, H()\v.\Ki) M. Cu.vpix, Covimittee. Map Case Above the map case is the original giant of arms made to Governor Cranston and at the left hangs the earliest map of Rhode Island 1 () 1 3 Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. -4 Jan. 9 >7 28 Fel). Marc 21 ho .April Max- June 2g RiKlDK Isi .\.\l) PilSTORlC.AL SoClKTV IX .A( (OU.NT Dr. I"() Charles B. Ma.i;uire Co. " The Church House " Edward Wilkinson & Co. " Charles B. Maguire Co. " Charles B. Maguire Co. " Smith & Carlton " Charles B. Maguire Co. " Library Bureau " Narragansett Machine Co. " H. B. Loud Electric Co. " Library Bureau " The Church House " Narragansett Machine Co. " Charles B. Maguire Co. " Thomas W. Allard " Art Metal Constructian Co. " The Church House " Library Bureau " The Church House " Narragansett Machine Co. " Narragansett Machine Co. X'oucher . No. I #850 GO " 2 17 45 ,1 117 41 " 4 2,100 00 " 5 (JOG GO " 6 144 4^1 7 678 GO " S 715 GO " 9 350 00 " 10 .1^) 50 " 1 I .vs 50 " 1 2 5 -7 ' ,1 73 00 " 14 41)0 Si) " 15 20 00 " \() 745 00 " 17 3 ()6 " iS 4 (JO 00 " 19 3 of) " 20 l^' 50 Cheque to the order of the Rhode j Island Historical Society: Bal. acct. f 150 GO #8,062 GO 68 8,114 68 Providence, R. L, June 2(|, i()i4 EiJW.AKi) Ai'.dKX GkI':p:.\e, Treasurer Edward Ar.oux ("iRekm:, Tkf.asi'kek of Special Committee Ck. April 23 28 May 16 J"iy 25 .Aug'. 19 Sept. 3 Oct. Dec. 4 Nov. I iyi4 Jan. 7 9 Feb. 9 Marcli April S May T By Subscription : John Shepard, Jr. William Ely Anna Reed Wilkinson Anthony T. Briggs Sophia Augusta Brown .Sher Josephine A. Binney R. H. 1. Goddard Stephen O. Metcalf Lyra Brown Nickerson FLstate Win. B. Weeden Mr. & Mrs. Jesse H. Metcalf Samuel P. Colt William Arthur Wing . R. I. Gammell Eliza G. Radeke . George Parker Winship W. S. Granger Henry D. Sharpe Jonathan Chace Interest to October 25, 1913 Subscription : William Gammell Cyrus P. Brown A Friend Arthur W. Dennis Charles Dean Kimbal Frank L. Day Frank H. Cranston S. H. Tingley Samuel M. Nicholson Maria L. Corliss Frank W. Matteson Samuel A. Hazard William L. Hodgman Charles \'. Chapin Nelson W. Aldrich Henry T. Grant Charles H. Warren Rhode Island Historical Soc ?>ank Hail Brown Sarah D. Kimball Eugene P. King Interest to April 25, 11)14 Subscri lotion : Stephen O. Edwards #100 00 100 00 10 GO 5 00 1,000 GO 25 GO 250 GG 500 GG 500 100 OG GO 1,000 GG 500 OG ID GO 5C0 00 25 00 10 OG 500 OG 25 00 17 g6 500 00 10 GG 50 00 25 00 25 OG IG GG 50 00 100 OG 150 OG 300 OG 300 GO 25 OG 10 00 12 62 20 GO iP-':, GO I, GOG 00 25 GG 250 OG 500 00 6gG GG 1,000 GO 500 GG 10 00 575 00 10 GG 500 GG 25 OG 17 g6 5OG GO 10 GO 50 00 25 OG 25 GO 10 OG 30 GG IGG GG I 50 OG 3OG GO 300 GO 25 00 ()0 00 300 GO 10 GO 10 00 I,02G GG 10 00 12 62 20 GO $8,114768 ^ ^ rO ■<*^ ■^5 ^% .^' ^ "%ril\\^$^.'^.° ^^'^^. /<^ 4 o. t^.0^ v ■^ ^o .0^ "oV" jA^ ° " ° -^ DOBBSBROS. ^S '^.- LIBRARY BINDING jV ^ A^ ° " " * ^ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 014 075 497 3 ir i