402 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 



village did not offer other sufficient accommodations. 

 Baird had therefore laid the case before the Appropria- 

 tions Committees of Congress and been authorized to 

 add a residence building to the permanent Fish Commis- 

 sion group at that point. This was completed during the 

 summer of 1884 and proved a great relief and convenience. 

 The party returned to Washington in October. To Baird's 

 handicaps of illness and overwork were now added others 

 in the shape of petty squabbles between some of the old 

 Smithsonian clerical employes, which needed a deal of 

 patience to alleviate, and which a less considerate man 

 than Baird would have summarily settled by instant 

 dismissal of the parties. Then there arose in Congress 

 a discussion as to whether the National Museum and Fish 

 Commission should not be separated from their relations 

 with the Smithsonian and placed in charge of some of 

 the Executive departments, incidentally affording politi- 

 cal "plums." Charges were also made against the Assist- 

 ant Commissioner by a discontented subordinate. All 

 these gave Baird much worry and without doubt decreased 

 to some extent his physical powers. These dissensions 

 and their consequent investigations were long drawn out 

 and were by no means at an end with the year. The 

 Professor was seriously ill by the 24th of February and 

 confined to the house until the 5th of March. Warned 

 by his increasing disabilities, husband and wife prepared 

 for the future by making their wills. 



The conditions in Washington during the year follow- 

 ing the fourth of March, 1885, were unique. Before the 

 outbreak of the Civil War government business had been 

 carried on with looseness. Much was left to the judgment 

 of the executive officers, and it is probable that these 

 officers were as honest and faithful to their trust as any 



