168 EEPORT OF BUILDING COMMISSION. 



of iron and other building materials ; of the fact that the cost of the 

 heating apparatus was not included in the estimate of $250,000, and that 

 therefore an appropriation of $25,000 for this item had been asked of 

 Congress ; and, finally, of the then pending efforts of the Commission to 

 settle the question of material for the cases, whether this should be wood 

 or iron. 



Besides information upon the points above specified, an ai)pended re- 

 port of the architects presented %n interesting technical and descriptive 

 record of the i)lan and design of the building and a detailed exhibit of 

 the expenditures on account of construction to the close of the year 1879. 

 In the present report, therefore, it is only necessary for the Commis- 

 sion to review the operations of the year just ended. 



The iron work of the roofs was satisfactorily completed by the latter 

 part of March, and the tin work and slating early in April. 



The i)lastering, which was done partly by day's work and partly under 

 contract, was begun early in March and finished by the latter part of 

 July. The plaster of the slate roofs is laid directly on the slate, and that 

 of the low, flat roofs on gratings fastened between the iron girders of the 

 roof and rendered fire-proof by a filling of mortar comjiosed of i^laster 

 of Paris and ashes — a form of ceiling suggested by General Meigs. 



Tlie painting and glazing has been satisfactorily done. In the inter- 

 est of economy in heating, it was decided to put both an inner and an 

 outer glass in the sash of all outside windows. 



The supply-pipes for water and gas were laid by the close of February 

 and the work duly insj)ected and approved. 



The wood floors have all been put down, excepting in the four square 

 halls. In the four main halls, or naves, and in the rotunda of the dome 

 it was originally intended to lay concrete, but owing to urgent remon- 

 strances against the use of this material as not being in keeping with 

 the architectural beauty and design of the building, Congress has been 

 asked for an appropriation of $25,000 to defray the exi)ense of a marble 

 or tile floor for these halls. The request for this appropriation was in 

 accordance with a resolution of the Board of Regents of December 9th, 

 1880. 



The heating apparatus is also in, and, with the exception of bronzing 

 a number of the radiators, Messrs. Baker, Smith & Co. have comi)leted 

 their contract for this work. During the recent severe weather the ap- 

 paratus was subjected to a test more severe than will be likely to occur 

 again for a number of years, and it is a matter of congratulation to the 

 Commission, as well as to the contractors, that the work gives entire 

 satisfaction. 



A most economical arrangement connected with this heating appa- 

 ratus is that of two automatic trajis whereby" the condensed steam is 

 again brought to the boilers. While by this arrangement both time and 

 fuel for heating fresh water are saved, the fear of a lack of supply of 



