26 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1008. 



considerable importance, as follows: The old slate roofs over the 

 south hall and the southeast and northwest courts of the Museum 

 building were replaced with tin roofs of a superior quality, similar to 

 those constructed over other parts of the same building during the 

 two previous years. This work, completed on November 3, 1907, also 

 included the substitution of new tin valleys for the old ones on the 

 south and east sides of the northwest court and the north and east 

 sides of the southeast court. Other exterior repairs consisted in re- 

 newing worn-out flashings on the ranges and in repainting the roofs 

 built the year before, besides attending to many minor matters per- 

 taining to the roofs, walls, and windows. The only roof which now 

 remains to be replaced is that over the central rotunda. 



In view of the expenditures in connection with the roofs, but little 

 means were available for continuing the isolation of the exhibition 

 halls as a measure against the spread of fire, as explained in former 

 reports. Some progress, however, was made in this direction. The 

 several window oj^enings between the northeast pavilion and the art 

 gallery were completely closed with macite, and fireproof doors were 

 substituted for the wooden ones, thus placing the latter hall in an 

 exceptionally safe condition from this point of view. Macite parti- 

 tions were also erected to a limited extent in a number of other places, 

 where the requirements seemed most urgent. The western hall and 

 adjoining range in the Smithsonian building, the walls of which had 

 become much defaced, were partly repainted, 12 of the windows in the 

 former were thoroughly repaired, and certain fireproof walls and 

 doors were added in the basement, so as to completely shut in the 

 alcoholic storage. 



Steam was first raised in the heating boilers on October 10, 1907, 

 and was continued with little interruption until the 10th of May 

 following. The fuel consumed amounted to 880 tons of coal and 52 

 cords of wood. Some changes were made in a part of the conduits 

 carrying the electric lighting wires in order to secure better insula- 

 tion. This system, which now embraces about 28 miles of wire, with 

 about 2,000 lam])s, 9 motors, and IGO fans for hot weather, together 

 with the call box and fire alarm systems, was maintained in good 

 condition. 



At the close of the year there were on hand 2,369 exhibition cases, 

 2,461 storage cases, and 1,621 pieces of office and other furniture. 

 Sixty-six of these were made during the year in the workshops of 

 the Museum, 54 were purchased from contractors, and 24 obtained 

 from expositions. Storage drawers to the number of 1,212 were also 

 acquired. A number of old and worn-out pieces of furniture were 

 condemned and sold. The experiments looking to the construction 

 of fire])roof furniture for the new building, noted in the last report, 

 were continued. 



