270 KKPORT OF NATIONAL MUSETTTVI, 1903. 



Yisilinji tlie INlusenin with some frieiuls, noticed its crowded and unsatisfactory con- 

 dition. Havinj;; learned from me of the mortality and sickness of the employees, he 

 in((nin>d as to tlu^ feasibility of erecting a new building, and offered to use his influ- 

 ence to procure an api)ropriation, if I could obtain for him a set of sketch plans 

 within a week, time being, as lie stated, a very essential condition. After consulting 

 with the chairman of your executive committee, I had no liesitation in accepting 

 such an offer, but a diliicnlty arose from tlie fact that the sketch plans which had 

 been laid before the Regents in 1882 were in part for purposes which the Regents had 

 at their last meeting disapproved, and that hence they could not be used. By great 

 diligence, however, plans for a building to be devoted exclusively to Museum pur- 

 poses were prepared within the time mentioned. These w^ere l:)ased upon an exten- 

 sive accunuilation of notes and drawings, eml)odying the record of the best recent 

 work of museum construction in this country and in Europe, and they were for a 

 building, as far as was consistent with these improvements, like the existing Museum. 

 The report submitted by Senator Morrill, to accompany Senate bill 3i;^)4, .contains 

 the correspondence on wluch action was taken, and I have discussed the acts therein 

 presented elsewhere under the proper heads. 



The following bill was introduced by Senator Morrill on June 12, was passed by 

 the Senate on June 20, and at the end of the fiscal year was in the hands of the 

 House Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds: 



"A BILL for the erection of an a(l<iili()Uiil fireproof l)uiklinj,' for the >ise of the National Museum. 



"JSe it enacted by the Senate and Houseof Reprcxenlatlrcs of the VnUed Staler of America 

 in Congress assembled, That the sum of five hundred thousand dollars is hereby 

 appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise approjiriated, or so 

 much thereof as may be necessary, for the erection of a fireproof building for the use 

 of the National Museum, to cover three hundred feet square, and to consist of two 

 stories and basement, to be erected under the direction of the Regents of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, in accordance with the plans now on file with the Committee on 

 Pul)lic Buildings and Grounds of the Senate, on the southwestern portion of the 

 grotmds of the Smithsonian Institution. vSaid building to l)e placed west of the 

 Smithsonian Institution, leaving a roadway between it and the latter of not less 

 than forty feet, with the north front on a line with the south face of the building of 

 the Agricultural Department and of the Smithsonian Institution; and all expendi- 

 tures for the purpose herein mentioned shall be audited by the proper officers of the 

 Treasury Department. ' ' 



The building, as proposed, covers the same area as the present Museum, and is of 

 the same general style, so far as is consistent with the introduction of a second story, 

 thus affording nearly three times as much accommodation under the same area of 

 roof as the building now in use. The arrangement of the interior of the proposed 

 new structure is, however, consideral)ly modified, as the result of the experience of 

 seven years' occupation of the present building. The eighteen exlubitiou halls on 

 the two main floors are completely isolated from each other, "and are capable of sub- 

 division into smaller halls. The lighting will be equally as good as in the present 

 building, the ventilation will be much better, and in other important respects the 

 sanitary arrangements will be far more satisfactory. 



A l)asement story is absolutely necessary, not only with a view to jiromoting the 

 (;omfort and health of visitors and employees, as well as for securing greater dryness 

 and better preservation of the specimens, but also for the purpose of providing large 

 apartments for storerooms and workshops. These proposed improvements in 

 arrangement will not, however, interfere with the possibility of constructing a build- 

 ing which shall conft>rm in the essential jjoints of exterior proportion with the main 

 features of the present building. 



