REPORT OP THE SECRETARY 43 



selected Charles A. Piatt, of New York City, on the recommendation 

 of the commission, as the architect to prepare preliminary plans for 

 the proposed building. It will be recalled that Mr. Piatt was the 

 architect of the Freer Gallery of Art. Senator Henry Cabot Lodge 

 proposed an amendment to the second deficiency bill on April 17, 

 1924, appropriating $2,500,000 to begin construction of a building 

 the total cost of which sliould be $7,000,000, but this failed to be 

 enacted into law. It is to be hoped that favorable action will be 

 taken in the next session of Congress. 



The various buildings housing Museum collections have by the 

 exercise of the strictest economy been maintained in good condition. 

 The usual rep'airs were made to walls, ceilings, and roofs, and to 

 portions of the roadway on the east of the Natural History Build- 

 ing. The cafe in the Arts and Industries Building was closed for 

 the last two weeks in May and given a needed thorough renovation. 

 Other changes in the same building afforded better accommod'ations 

 for checking umbrellas, for the public-telephone booth,^ and for the 

 watch service, and >etter illumination under the galleries. 



The heating season was two weeks longer than the preceding one, 

 consuming 3,267.2 tons of bituminous coal and 15.8 tons of stove 

 coal, the former at 'an average cost of $7.79 per ton against $9.06 

 the preceding year. Minor repairs of the power plant and adjust- 

 ments permitted the buildings to be more satisfactorily heated than 

 in previous years. The electric generating equipment for the first 

 time since the installation of the power plant has carried 'a load 

 approximating its maximum capacity, due to natural increase in 

 demand for current, as well as the addition of the Freer Building. 

 The electric feeder leading into the Natural History Building from 

 the Government contractor's line in B Street was enlarged to care 

 for this increased load. 



The ice plant produced 301.1 tons of ice, at a cost of $3,003 per ton, 

 exclusive of labor. During the summer of 1923 it was unable to 

 produce sufficient ice to meet the demands of all the buildings in the 

 Smithsonian group. Kepairs 'and renovation in the spring of 1924 

 made its output meet the demand to the close of the fiscal year. 



The Museum fire-fighting equipment was given its customary 

 regular inspections and tests, and it is expected that all deficiencies 

 will be remedied shortly. Congress has provided for additional fire 

 protection for the Smithsonian and National Museum Buildings by 

 an item in the executive and independent offices act approved June 

 7, 1924, and arrangements have been made with the Commissioners 

 of the District of Columbia for the installation in the Smithsonian 

 Park of additional modern fire hydr'ants. 



The Museum, in connection with the transfer of the Government 

 collection of coins and medals from the Philadelphia Mint, acquired 

 the exhibition cases in which the collection had been displayed. The 



