260 ilEPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 11>08. 



have a sepandc l)nilding for tlieir reception and preservation. There are at present 

 no suitable accommodations for these collections. ) 



In 1885 Secretaiy Baird remarked that — 



Although the present building is ])ractically tirei)roof, yet shoul<l a tire b(^ started 

 in the vicinity of these [the alcoholic] specimens it is probable that much damage 

 would be done by the ignition of the many thousands of gallons of alcohol, and the 

 destruction of the specimens and of the jars in which they are contained. 



Again in 1886 he refers to the danoer of tiie destruction not only of 

 the alcoholic specimens themselves, but of other near-by collections 

 should fire break out among the former. All of these propositions 

 failed to receive consideration and the matter was not renewed, as it 

 was then expected to make provision for the alcoholic specimens in the 

 proposed new Museum building. 



In connection with the appropriations for I8t)9, however, an esti- 

 mate was submitted to Congi'ess for a larger fireproof building to 

 serve essentially the same purpose, fronting on B street south, ])etween 

 the National Museum and the Army INIedical Museum, ap])r()priate in 

 appearance to the former l>uil(lin^-. It was designed to be 130 feet 

 longb}^ 50 feet wide, and intended to be used for both workshops and 

 storage purposes, thus replacing all of the temporary liuildings then 

 in use. It failed to receive favorable action, however. The wording 

 of the item was as follows: 



For the erection of a fireproof building for workshop and storage purposes for the 

 National Museum, said l)uilding to be constructed mider the direction of the Super- 

 intendent of the Library of Congress in accordance with the approval of the Secretary 

 of the Smithsonian Institution, $50,000. 



TEMPORARY AND RENTED BUILDINGS. 



The crowded conditions in the Smithsonian and Museum buildings 

 have necessitated the erection from time to time of small frame struc- 

 tures on the Smithsonian and Armory squares, and the renting of build- 

 ings south of B street south, for the requirements either of workshops 

 and storage, or of the preparation of exhi})its for expositions. The 

 use of the Armory building and the erection of a brick laboratory have 

 already been referred to. 



In 1882 a shed was built to the westward of the Armory building, a 

 part of which was used for the shelter of Fish Commission call's, and 

 the remainder filled with the collections received from the permanent 

 exhibition l)uilding in Philadelphia. A second shed was subsequently 

 added for the purposes of the National Museum, but only one of these 

 now remains and is utilized by the Museum. 



The larg(> amoimt of work incident to the preparation of collections 

 for the exhibitions at Cincinnati, Louisville, and New Orleans made it 

 necessar}' to put up a s|)ecial frame building, which was done at the 

 expense of the exposition fund during the summer of 1884. It meas- 



