276 REPORT OF NATIONAL MTTSETTM, 1903. 



increase; and I ))og to ivpoat that, unless more apace is provideil, the development 

 of the Government collection, which is already partly arrested, will he almost com- 

 |)letely stopped. 



The bill was passed by the Senate as a separate iiieusurc on April 5, 

 1890, and as an amendment to the sundry civil bill for 1891 on July 

 19. In the House no action was secured, tliouo-h the bill was favor- 

 ably reported by the Committee on Public Building-s and Grounds. 



The question of placing a basement story under the existing- Museum 

 building, which had been under consideration at this time and was 

 referred to the Architect of the Cajiitol, was reported upon to the 

 House, under date of March 3, 1890, as follows: 



Architect's Office, United States Capitol, 



WashirKjton, D. C, February ^8, 1890. 



Sir: In compliance with the requirements of the act providing for the sundry civil 

 expenses of the Government, approved March 2, 1889, 1 have examined the National 

 Museum, and have estimated the cost of constructing the basement story under that 

 building. 



It is thought that the only portion of the basement available for workshops and 

 suitable for storage would be a cellar running around the outer walls of the build- 

 ing and extending inwards 30 feet, so that the rooms thus obtained may have light 

 and air. 



These rooms should be roofed with brick arches supported by iron beams. Pro- 

 vision is made in the accomi>anying estimate to floor with tiles the entire rooms 

 under which these basements come, in part, as the present wooden floors of these 

 rooms are now in bad condition and will soon be unfit for use. 



estimate. 



Excavating 6,220 yards of earth, at |1 |6, 220 



ITnderpinning front walls, 672 perches, at |7 4, 704 



Stone masonry, inner walls, 1,248 perches, at |6 7, 488 



Fireproof flooring (including columns), 1,866 yards, at 15.50 10, 263 



Marl)le tiling, 30,400 superficial feet, at 75 cents 22, 800 



Fifty-six windows, at $25 1, 200 



Removing and replacing pipes and sewers - - - 3, 000 



Removing old floors -^00 



Concrete floors in cellars, 1,866 yards, at 90 cents 1, 680 



Total 57, 675 



I will say that by reason of the sewer, -steam, and gas pipes running undei- the 

 present floors the work of constructing these basement rooms, though practicable, 

 will l)e extremely difiicult. 



I beg to say that I am of the opinion that a site for a storehouse and for work- 

 shops required may be purchased in the neighborhood of the Museum and a fire- 

 proof building erected thereon with a capacity as great as these proposed basement 

 rooms for a sum less than will be necessary to construct this basement. 



Very respectfully, 



Edward Clark, 



Architect United States Capitol. 



The Speaker of the House op Representatives. 



