REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 13 



for the erection of the entire building in granite, at a limiting cost of 

 $3,500,000, was adopted b}^ the Senate, and the measure in this shape 

 was finall}' agreed to in conference between the committees of the two 

 Houses. The bill as passed, being an item in the sundry civil act for 

 1904, was as fellows: 



Building for National Museum: To enable the Regents of the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion to commence the erection of a suitable firei^roof building with granite fronts, for 

 the use of the National Museum, to be erected on the north side of the Mall, between 

 Ninth and Twelfth streets, northwest, substantially in accordance with the Plan A, 

 prepared and submitted to Congress by the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution 

 under the provisions of the act approved June twenty-eighth, nineteen hundred and 

 two, two hundred and tifty thousand dollars. Said building complete, including 

 heating and ventilating apparatus and elevators, shall cost not to exceed three mil- 

 lion five hundred thousand dollars, and a contract or contracts for its completion is 

 hereby authorized to be entered into subject to appropriations to be made by Con- 

 gress. The construction shall be in charge of Bernard R. Green, Superintendent of 

 Buildings and Grounds, Lil)rary of Congress, who shall make the contracts herein 

 authorized and disburse all apjiropriations made for the work, and shall receive as 

 full compensation for his services hereunder the sum of two thousand dollars annually 

 in addition to his present salary, to be paid out of said appropriations. 



At a meeting of the Board of Regents held on INIarch 12, 1903, a 

 connuittee to represent the Board in connection with the work of con- 

 struction was designated by resolution as follows: 



That the Secretary, with the advice and consent of the Chancellor and the chair- 

 man of the executive committee, ])e authorized to represent the Board of Regents so 

 far as may be necessary in consultation with Bernard R. Green, to whom the con- 

 struction and contracts for the new Museum building are committed by Congress in 

 the act making an appropriation for that purpose. 



Messrs. Hornblower & Marshall, of Washington, who made the ten- 

 tative plans, were selected as architects and before the close of the 

 fiscal year their part of the work was well under yvay. It is expected 

 that about four or live years will be required for the construction of 

 the building. 



