54 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



Rent of worksbpps and storage quarters $4, 500 



Postage stamps 500 



Galleries (including skylights and ventilator) 10, 000 



Purchase of Goode lihrary - - - 5, 000 



Printing and binding 17, 000 



Total 257,000 



BUILDINGS. 



In the acts of Congress approved June 11, 1896, and June 4, 1897, 

 provision was made for tlie erection of iron galleries in the Museum 

 building. Under these appropriations, amounting altogether to $10,000, 

 galleries have been erected in the four courts and in three of the halls 

 of the building, thus increasing the exhibition space by 17,000 square 

 feet. 



During the fiscal year just clo.sed the work of constructing the gal- 

 leries has been under the direction of the Superintendent of the Library 

 of Congress. 



In the estimates submitted to Congress for appropriations for the 

 coming fiscal year the sum of $10,000 was asked for, to be used in 

 erecting galleries connecting the courts with the adjoining halls, sup- 

 plying railings, painting the ironwork about the galleries, and placing 

 skylights above the courts. This item is included in the sundry civil 

 bill as passed by both Houses of Congress and sent to the President 

 for approval. 



It was requested in the estimates for 1898-99 that provision be made 

 for the construction of a special building adapted for workshops and 

 for storage i)urposes. A preliminary plan for a building 50 feet front 

 by 130 feet deep, to be entirely fireproof in its construction and corre- 

 sponding in its materials and workmanship with the Museum building, 

 was prejiared and submitted. The cost of the proposed building was 

 estimated at $50,000. The Government reservation between the 

 National and Army Medical museums, with frontage on B street south, 

 was suggested as an advantageous site for the building. The proposi-- 

 tion was not favorably acted upon by Congress, but, in addition to the 

 $2,000 customarily granted for the rental of a building for storage pur- 

 poses, the sum of $2,500 was appropriated for the rental of additional 

 quarters in which to place the carpenter and cabinet shops and for the 

 storage of the material contained in the wooden shops near the Fish 

 Commission building. 



The storage sheds south of the Smithsonian buildings were removed 

 during the year. They had long been regarded as a source of danger 

 to the main building in case of fire. Some sections of the sheds were 

 removed to the yard of the storage building on Kinth street. The 

 remaining serviceable material was used in the erection of a two-story 

 workshop. 



The wooden floors in two of the ranges were taken up and substan- 

 tial concrete floors laid in their stead. Mahogany wall cases and 



