38 EEPOKT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1913. 



remedy for this condition, and during last year the ceUings over all 

 or parts of four halls were so treated. Some of the walls were also 

 pointed up and painted, and the renovation of the toilet rooms, 

 begun the previous year, was completed. In the Smithsonian build- 

 ing the many large windows in the main or exhibition story, which 

 have received but slight attention for many years, were found to be 

 so dilapidated as to necessitate the entire renewal of 45 of the sashes 

 and the extensive overhauling of the others. The roofs required 

 some repairs, and the west basement of the building, formerly occu- 

 pied by the alcoholic collections, was partly renovated, though its 

 floors, which are badly rotted, have still to be replaced. 



The power plant was operated satisfactorily and with comparatively 

 few repairs. As in the previous year, it was closed down during two 

 months of the summer, July and August, for overhauling, the work 

 being done by Museum employees and such electric current as was 

 required being purchased from the local power company at greatly 

 reduced rates. The consumption of coal amounted to 2,660 tons, 

 and steam was generated for heating purposes from October 1, 1912, 

 to May 17, 1913. Improvements made in the distributing pipes to 

 the older buildings are expected to result in a much more economical 

 service. It is also interesting to note that in the production of ice 

 by the plant introduced for that purpose three years ago a saving 

 has already been effected which exceeds the original cost of the 

 plant. Among new mechanical features added were a central air 

 compressor plant for more economically furnishing power for certain 

 minor purposes, and three thermostats for automatically regulating 

 the temperature in the auditorium. The installation of devices for 

 automatically opening and closing the doors on the north passenger 

 elevators was begun, though not completed, before the close of the 

 year. 



Electric-lighting fixtures were added in places not heretofore 

 permanently provided with them as foUows: A circular Frink 

 mirror reflector, carrying 56 40-watt tungsten lamps, above the eye 

 of the ceiling dome of the rotunda; a series of 24 suspended fixtures 

 in the second gallery of the south paviUon; and a system of low con- 

 cealed lamps in the upper gallery of the pavihon, with reflectors 

 arranged to throw the light upward against the walls and ceihngs. 

 Before the end of the year a contract had been concluded for fur- 

 nishing 8 bronze electric-Ught standards to be placed at the corners 

 of the pier balconies at the height of the first gallery for the general 

 illummation of the rotunda; and the work of replacing the drinking- 

 water faucets in the pubUc halls with sanitary bubbling fountains 

 had been commenced. 



The furniture acquired during the year comprised 192 exhibition 

 cases, 256 storage cases and pieces of laboratoiy furniture, 271 pieces 



