On September 1, 1898, a newspaper reported that hot weather in Washington, D. C., was sending people to the hospital.
The thermometer climbed up to the 93 degree notch yesterday, and the season's record for number of cases of heat exhaustion was established yesterday. The Weather Bureau promises no relief from the heat today.
"Heat Causes Exhaustion." The Washington Post (Washington, D. C.). September 1, 1898. Page 2.
On the same day, Paul Laurence Dunbar in Washington wrote to his wife Alice Moore Dunbar in West Medford, Massachusetts, about an unpleasant task he had been given at the Library of Congress where he was employed.
It is dreadfully hot here and we are working very hard at the library. I should like to resign if I dared. They have set us to counting one by one the books on the decks, and you know I have 70,000 on mine alone. It's awful.
Paul Laurence Dunbar to Alice Moore Dunbar, September 1, 1898. Paul Laurence Dunbar Papers, Ohio History Connection (Microfilm edition, Roll 8).
The building where Paul worked had opened ten months earlier. It was the world's largest library and could accommodate millions of books. Of the nine decks (or stories), Paul was responsible for the top three.
There is just now completed at Washington, to contain our National Library, the most extensive structure ever erected for such a purpose. In the center is the octagonal reading-room, occupying a magnificent rotunda. Extending northward and southward from the reading-room are the great twin book stacks, each of which is nine stories in height and will contain 800,000 volumes. Abundant provision is made for the increase of the Library up to 5,000,000 volumes.
"Our National Library," by W. I. Fletcher. The Month (New York, New York). April 1897. Pages 350 - 351.
When Paul threatened to resign, Alice encouraged him to be patient. She joked that she could help support the family, if only editors would accept her writing.
I feel for you, counting all those awful books in that weather. I wish too, that you dared resign, but don't unless you are sure, sure. If only the pig-headed editors of this country could be brought to realize the absolute genius they're spurning when they reject my articles, what a help I could be.
Alice Moore Dunbar to Paul Laurence Dunbar, September 3, 1898. Paul Laurence Dunbar Papers, Ohio History Connection (Microfilm edition, Roll 8).
I've been trying to write to you all morning but did not get the chance: I have been so busy. Now at the library they threaten to have me entirely rearrange my books, because Murray has so horribly mixed them up. I believe that he did it on purpose. The work with the counting would take me six good months and at night I should be too tired to do anything literary. Such is my situation. I am ripe for a library revolt.
Paul Laurence Dunbar to Alice Moore Dunbar, September 13, 1898. Paul Laurence Dunbar Papers, Ohio History Connection (Microfilm edition, Roll 8).
In his letter, Paul complained about Daniel Murray, who also worked at the Library of Congress. Although Paul had more notoriety, Murray earned more income. Paul's annual salary was $720.
Daniel Murray, attendant in the national library, is an unusually intellectual Afro-American. He receives $1,400 a year. Librarian Young about a week ago conferred a similar position upon Paul L. Dunbar, of Ohio, the celebrated negro poet.
"Well-Paid." The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky). November 15, 1897. Page 3.