30 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



It will be observed that, of the $101,350 asked, two-thirds were for 

 buildings and grounds which, if not provided for, could wait with com- 

 paratively little inconvenience, whik' the reuiaining third, or $85,000, 

 was for the care and food of living animals, for policing of the park 

 and for the safety of the public, matters which, when the garden was 

 once opened, could not wait, and could not be materially diminished, 

 but constituted a comparatively fixed sum without which the park 

 could not go on, and which should therefore be given nearly as it 

 stood or withheld altogether. Congress, however, it will be seen, re- 

 duced all these items nearly in the same proportion, that is, to about 

 one-half. 



Two-thirds of the desired appropriation was of a natnre that could 

 perhaps be reduced one year and made good later; the other third (that 

 for food of living animals and maintenance), as painful experience has 

 shown, could not be materially reduced and could not be made good 

 later; and it is the deficiency on this item that has been the special 

 cause of the difficulties of the administration. 



Inadequacy of appropriations. — Embarrassment also arose from the 

 fact that the small amount ap])ropriated was specified and allotted un- 

 der three separate subordinate heads and in three nearly equal amounts, 

 although the needs were not equal. As the bounds of these allotments 

 could not be overstepped, it occurred that, while there were relatively 

 sufficient funds under one item (the care of grounds), there was entire in- 

 adequacy under the much more essential head which i)rovided for the 

 maintenance and care of living animals. No matter liow great the emer- 

 gency or serious the need, it was, of course, impossible to change this 

 allotment, and while the total appropriated by (Jongress might, by close 

 economy, have been sufficient, yet there was danger that the animals 

 would be unfed and that the force of watchmen and keepers, although 

 overworked, would be i n adequate for their proper protection ; and as there 

 existed no authority to give away or sell the animals, disaster of some 

 kind would have ensued but for the aid indirectly given by the Smith- 

 sonian Institution. 



It may here be mentioned that it was expected that a large number 

 of animals would be obtained from the Yellowstone National Park, 

 that being the principal great preserve for wild game C(mtrolled by the 

 Government of the United States. With the consent of the honor- 

 able the Secretary of the Interior, a hunter was employed to capture 

 large wild animals in cimsiderable numbers, which were to be for- 

 warded to the park at Washington. When a number of bears, deer, 

 and elk were thus obtained, the reduced apinopriations were insufficient 

 to continue his employment or to transport the animals already captured. 

 A still more regrettable consequence was the necessity of refusing abso- 

 lutely all gifts made by the public, as there were no means of paying for 

 the transportation of animals or for tlieir subsistence when received. This 

 has been a serious disadvantage to the collection, not only at present, 



