6 



REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



The Bride Worlcsliop. — This building continues to be used for the same 

 purjioses as in previous years, a i)art of it being occupied as a stable, - 

 while the greater portion is used for the preparation and mounting of 

 birds, modelling in plaster and papier-mach^, in painting the casts of 

 specimens, &c. 



Temporary Workshop. — Eeference has been made to a large shed or 

 annex, built at the exi^ense of the appropriation for the New Orleans 

 Exposition, and used in the preparation of exhibits for the same, and 

 also for storage of the articles received therefrom, and their special 

 preparation for exhibition. It was also intended to receive the collec- 

 tions as returned until they could be properly assigned to their places 

 or otherwise disposed of. An appropriation was however made by Con- 

 gress at its last session to meet the cost of restoring the collections sent 

 to New Orleans to their original condition, very serious damage having 

 occurred in consequence of the dampness and other agencies. This 

 has made it necessary to retain the building for the present. As soon 

 as arrangements can be made to receive what is now stored therein, it 

 will be taken down and the ground cleared of what is a serious incum- 

 brance. 



Army Medical Museum Building. — For several years the authorities of 

 the Army Medical Museum have been endeavoring to secure an appro- 

 priation for the erection of a fire-proof building for the accommodation 

 of the library of the Museum and the offices of the Bureau, so as to ob- 

 viate any possible danger of loss by fire of important archives and ma- 

 terial. An appropriation of, $200,000 was finally made by Congress ; 

 and the Secretary of War, the Architect of the Capitol, and the Secre- 

 tary of the Smithsonian Institution were authorized to select a site 

 in the vicinity of the National Museum for the accommodation of the 

 aforesaid building. The committee met and selected the southeast 

 corner of the Smithsonian reservation, extending along Seventh street 

 170 feet and South B street 260 feet. As the expenditure was contin- 

 gent upon the adequacy of the appropriation to construct the building 

 in question, the plans were prepared and submitted for estimate to a 

 number of bidders, whose offers were as follows : 



Bids for construction of Army Medical Museum Building. 



