REPORT OF THE BUILDING COMMISSION. 127 



Having tlius prepared the way to a commencement of active opera- 

 tions, specifications were at once prepared and proposals invited i'or car- 

 rying on the work. Ground was broken on the 17th of April, 1879. 



The concrete foundations were begun on the 29th of April, and the 

 mirk-work of the walls on the 21st of May, the main walls being com- 

 X>leted on the 1st day of November. 



In consequence of the low prices of the more important building 

 materials, very favorable contracts were made, especially for the brick 

 required and for the iron-work, since the price of iron advanced very 

 materially within a few months from the date referred to. The same is 

 true with regard to glass, bricks, and, in fact, almost all building mate- 

 rials. 



For details of construction, as well as for a statement of expenditures 

 to date, the board is referred to the appended report of the superintend- 

 ing architects. 



The estimate (f $250,000 for the construction of a museum building 

 did not include the heating apparatus. As the work progressed, how- 

 ever, it became evident that all the underground piping for water, gas, 

 and steam, at least, could be obtained from the fund. 



In anticipation of an appropriation for the purpose, it was deemed 

 best to obtain provisional bids for a steam-heating apparatus. Accord- 

 ingly proposals were invited: first, for the underground pipes; second, 

 for the boilers; third, for the radiators. The aggregate of the estimates 

 for the three items varied from $13,940 to $55,080. 



The lowest bid was rejected on account of inadequacy of the supply of 

 heat. The next to the lowest was that of Messrs. Baker, Smith & Co., 

 for $19,708, which was accepted, and a contract made for the under- 

 ground pipes for $5,770. 



An appropriation of $30,000 has been asked of Congress for the com- 

 pletion of the heating apparatus throughout, for the gas and water fix- 

 tures and the electric apparatus required for clocks in the building, for 

 signals, alarms, &c. 



Before the building can be occupied it must, of course, be furnished 

 and lifted up with cases, of which, as might be expected, a large provis- 

 ion is required. According to a calculation, the cases that will be needed, 

 if placed end to end, will extend to a distance of more than 8,000 feet, 

 with a total of shelving surface of about 75,000 square feet. The front- 

 age of the cases will be over 14,000 feet, so that, allowing for the cross- 

 ing trom one case to another a journey of at least three miles will be 

 required even to take a cursory glance at all the objects in the collection. 



The question of the best material for the cases has not been definitely 

 settled, the choice lying bet ween iron and hard wood. In order to assist 

 in determining this question satisfactorily, arrangements have been 

 made to obtain working plans of the cases used not only in a number of 

 museums in the United States, especially in Cambridge, Boston, and 

 New York, but also in Europe. The new building now being erected for 



