PROCEEDINGS OF THE EEGENTS. 127 



public will be given the opportunity of judging of the importance 

 and varied character of this notable gift to the Nation. 



MARKET SHEDS. 



"A bill has been introduced in the Plouse of Representatives at 

 this session (H. R. 19127) which provides for the erection of steel 

 shelter sheds for nuirket purposes in the vacant squares, known as 

 Hayniarket Square, directly opposite the north front of the new 

 building for the Museum. While these sheds might tend to make 

 the square more tidy and presentable than it is now, the placing of 

 such structures there would point to an intended long occupancy for 

 market purposes, which is much to be regretted. A sketch plan of 

 the square was shown. 



INDIAN MEMORIAL BUILDING. 



" Identical bills providing for an American Indian memorial and 

 museum building and the assembling of a collection of objects re- 

 lating to the Indians of North America were introduced in the Sen- 

 ate and House at the beginning of this session. They are numbered 

 S. 3953 and H. R. 16313. 



"The National Museum is the legal custodian of the ethnological 

 and archaeological collections belonging to the Government, and these 

 are now assembled and their public exhibition amply provided for 

 in a monumental building which has cost $3,500,000. It is not im- 

 probable, however, that the movement instituted by the Order of Red 

 Men of the United States might result in bringing to Washington a 

 very large additional amount of Indian material which would be of 

 value ; but, should the measure receive favorable action by Congress, 

 the memorial should be placed under the supervision and control of 

 the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution instead of the Secretary 

 of the Interior. Only by such an arrangement could the proposed 

 new" collections be properly correlated with those belonging to the 

 national collections; and, furthermore, such relationship with the 

 Institution would insure greater economy of management, as the 

 Institution already has an experienced administrative statf in the 

 National Museum. A representative of the Improved Order of Red 

 Men has given assurance that such a relationship to the Institution 

 would be entirely agreeable to the order, and, accordingly, when 

 requested by the chairman of the House Committee on Public Build- 

 ings and Grounds to indicate the Institution's view of the bill, the 

 following letter Avas sent: 



January 22, 10] 2. 



Dear Sir: I beg to acknowledge tlie receipt of your couununieatlou of the 

 13tb instant, inclosing a copy of II. R. KJol.''), I)eing a bill "Providing for the 

 erection of ;m American Indian meniorial and nuisenni building in the city of 



