214 REPORT C)B^ NATIONAL MUSEUM, 190^. 



necessary to take down the high northern tower. Colonel Alexander, of the Engineer 

 Corps, however, has informed the committee that he thinks $100,000 will be required 

 to make the necessary repairs and improvements. 



The committee can not conclude without adding that, in their opinion, the occur- 

 rence of the fire ought not to l)e allowed to interfere with the active operations of 

 the Institution, on whicli essentially depends the reputation it has established 

 throughout the world and its efficiency as an instnunent for "the increase and dif- 

 fusion of knowledge among men." To the support and extension of these opera- 

 tions, therefore, the annual interest from the original fund should, as far as possible, 

 continue as heretofore to be conscientiously applied. 



At the same meeting measures were discussed for the repair and 

 improvement of the building", and the opinion was expressed by the 

 Congressional Regents present that an appropriation for the purpose 

 would be made by Congress without opposition, ))ut such relief was 

 not obtained. 



The joint committee of the Senate and House of Representatives, 

 above referred to, made its report to Congress on Februar}^ 21, 1865, 

 after visiting the building, having adopted the report of the Smith- 

 sonian committee. At a subsequent meeting of the joint Congressional 

 committee Secretary Henry was requested to describe his connection 

 with the Institution, to give an account of its objects and operations, 

 the origin of the building, and such other facts as might be of public 

 interest. Secretary Henry's statement, together with the report of 

 the committees and of the testimony, were printed conjointly as Senate 

 Report No. 129, Thirty-eighth Congress, second session, February, 

 1865. 



At a meeting held on March 1, 1865, it was resolved by the Regents: 

 "That the whole subject of the repairs and reconstruction of the 

 building * * * be intrusted to the Chancellor, the Secretary, and 

 the executive committee." This committee reported annually during 

 the three years from 1866 to 1868, inclusive, and the following extracts 

 are from that source: 



1865. The first step toward the reconstru(;tion of the building was to secure the 

 services of a competent person as architect and engineer to prepare plans and super- 

 intend the work. For this purpose Mr. Adolph Cluss, who had designed and 

 directed the building of the principal schoolhouses of the city, was employed. 



The next thing to be done was the making of a critical survey to ascertain the 

 actual state of the walls, and to determine what parts it was necessary first to rebuild. 

 This survey forced uj)on the committee the conviction that the original construction 

 of the building, as a whole, was very defective, and, in many respects, unsuited as a 

 receptacle of records and other valuable articles, the loss of which could never be 

 repaired. The exterior of all the walls consists of a facing of red sandstone, bound 

 to an irregular backing of l)]uestone of verj^ bad workmanship. In the main build- 

 ing and in the lower jiortion of the large south tower was inserted a 4-inch brick 

 lining separated by an air space from the main walls. This lining is not bound to 

 the walls, and, therefore, does not add to their strength. It is merely a furring, 

 intended to prevent dampness by the condensation of moisture from the atmosphere. 

 This furring is open at the toj), and it was into this Ihat (he stovepipe was inserted 



