NATIONAL MUSEUM BUILDINGS. 269 



the Geolotjficiil Survey in tlic now hiiildino-, pursuant to the wording 

 of House bill No. 5781, presented to CoHj,a-ess in ISSI, and of the 

 several estimates subsequently submitted. The chancellor stated as 

 his opinion — 



That it was desirable tliat new luuseuin buildings should l)e erected in any ease, 

 l)ut that since by act of Congress a certain part of the public ijrounds had l)een set 

 apart and appropriated absolutely and exclusively to the Smithsonian Institution, 

 lie for one did not want to see anything else placed on these grounds. 



He further said: 



If the Sniithsouiau Institution is to grow, it will need them all, and whatever is put 

 upon them should be under our exclusive cfmtrol. 



The following extract from the report of Secretary Langley for 

 1888 has reference to this subject: 



Among other matters discussed at the last meeting of the Regents was the erection 

 of a new INIusemn building. On this occasion the Regimts tacitly reafhrmed their 

 resolution of 188:^, recommending to Congress the enlargement of the National 

 Museum by the erection of a fireproof building on the southwest corner of the 

 Smithsonian reservation, similar in style to the present National Museum; but on 

 viewing the sketch plans, which had been prepared subsequently to the resolution, 

 so as to include offices for the Geological Survey, they added an expression of their 

 opinion that the new building should be planned exclusively for Museum purposes. 



It was not at first intended to take action in this matter during the present year, 

 but the overcrowded condition of the Iniilding, on account of which not only the 

 current work but the proper development of the collections is greatly impeded, 

 seemed to render innnediate action necessary. A still more urgent need appeared to 

 be the unsatisfactory sanitary condition of the new ^Museum building. A commit- 

 tee, consisting of Dr. J. H. Kidder, chairman. Dr. James M. Flint, U. 8. Navy, and 

 Mr. J. E. Watkins, was appointed on April 14, to make a careful study of the water 

 supply, ventilation, and drainage, and in May submitted a preliminary report, from 

 which it appeared that an alarming amount of sickness and mortality has been mani- 

 fest among the employes since 1881 — a mortality which can not be attributed to the 

 location of the building, which has sometimes been pronounced unsanitary, since 

 there has been no corresponding percentage of ill health in the old Smithsonian 

 building adjoining. The number of days lost bj- employees on account of sickness in 

 1886 was 796; in 1887, 875; and in 1888, up to May 10, 2\3, by far the largest part of 

 this loss of time being attributed on the books of the ^Museum to miasmatic diseases. 

 The committee states that there is no reasonable doubt that some, if not all, of the 

 ten deaths since 1881 were hastened or induced by the unwholesome condition of this 

 building. The committee suggested repairs and modifications of considerable extent, 

 including the construction of continuous cellars under each of the four sides of the 

 building, which, in addition to the other necessary expenses, would cost in the neigh- 

 borhood of $40,000. This state of affairs seemed to demand decided action, and it 

 being absolutely impossible to make any changes in the present building without 

 entirely vacating a portion of it for a considerable period of time, the exigency for 

 more accommodation seemed a great deal more urgent than had been at first 

 supposed. 



While it became evident, on study of the question, that for the ultimate needs of 

 the Museum, a building of but one story, occupying the same area as the present 

 Museum, would be insufficient, the question of immediate action was unexpectedly 

 brought up in May by one of the senior Regents, a member of the Senate, who, when 



