250 REPORT OF NATIONAL MITREFM, 1903, 



inadc((ujite to keep out the moisture or impurities froui tiie soil. The 

 «;alleries have materially increased the amount of space, and the new 

 skylights were rendered necessary by their introduction. These fea- 

 tures ma}' be briefly referred to as follows: 



In some of the preliminary drawings for the museum building a tier 

 of galleries is shown in each of the exhibition halls, but in the plans as 

 finally adopted and presented to Congress these features were not 

 represented. The height of the several halls, however, was made 

 sufiicient to permit of their introduction at any time. In view of the 

 failure to secure earl}^ action by Congress toward the erection of a 

 third building, it was decided to urge the construction of these gal- 

 leries, in order that some additional space might be acquired. The 

 entire sum needed for such a purpose was not requested at once, but 

 the estimates for 1893, 1894, 1895, and 1896 each contained an item of 

 $8,000, These failed to receive favorable consideration by Congress, 

 but the amount named was appropriated in the sundry civil act for 

 1897, and other aj^propriations followed, namely, $8,000 in 1898, 

 $10,000 in 1899, and $5,000 in 1902, making a total of $31,000 for this 

 purpose. From this amount galleries were erected in all the halls, 

 courts, and ranges, except the north hall and the northeast and east- 

 north ranges. In the southeast range the galleries have been extended 

 so as to form a complete second floor. Though intended primarily 

 for exhibition purposes, it has been necessary to assign certain of the 

 galleries to the storage of reserve collections and as workrooms, as 

 elsewhere explained. 



The only substantial floors laid in the beginning were those in the 

 rotunda and the four main halls, as already described, the former 

 being of encaustic tiles, the latter of marble squares. The remaining 

 floors in all parts of the main building were of wood. The latter 

 were allowed to remain until thoroughly worn out, being graduall}^ 

 replaced by more durable material. These changes began in 1891 and 

 were not completed until 1900, The first of the new floors, and, in 

 fact, the greater naml)er, were constructed of cement, granito, and 

 granolithic; the last four were made of terrazzo pavement, small 

 irregular pieces of marble, laid in cement, and are the most satisfac- 

 tory , in appearance at least. 



The other work of repair and alteration, conducted at the expense 

 of the general appropriation for this purpose, need not be analyzed 

 here. It has produced, as a whole, many marked improvements, 

 though for the most part it has been directed toward maintaining the 

 building' in as fair a condition as the funds have permitted. 



