(JO REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1892. 



Museum in its final approval of the proposal of the firm to which the 

 work of putting in the new heating apparatus was intrusted. 



In addition to the work mentioned in the detailed list, much has been 

 accomplished in the way of general repairs. The carpenter's shop has 

 been extended to make room for two lathes: the storage shed south of 

 the Smithsonian building has been enlarged and the roof tinned; the 

 old paint shop has been reconstructed for use by the special employes 

 detailed for service in connection with the World's Columbian Expo- 

 sition; steam pipes have been furnished with casing: the old and worn- 

 out fixtures connected with the plumbing of the Smithsonian building- 

 have been removed and replaced with new; much necessary repairing 

 has been done to the roofs of both buildings; skylights have been re- 

 paired, painted, and glazed; windows have been glazed, painted, and 

 furnished with weather strips; the walls in both buildings have been, 

 to a considerable extent, painted and calcimined, and necessary repairs 

 in general have been made within the means available for this purpose. 



By the laying of the asphalt walk on the west side of the Museum, 

 and the consequent raising of the grade in that locality, it was found 

 that the surface water, being turned toward the wall of the building 

 and having no way of escape, frequently collected there to the depth 

 of several inches. Permission was accordingly asked of Col. Ernst, U. S. 

 Army, the Superintendent of Public Buildings and Grounds, to pro 

 vide for the drainage of this area by the laying of a small sewer to be 

 connected with the large one from the Smithsonian building. The re- 

 quired permit having been issued, the work was done by the Museum 

 force, with materials already available for this purpose. 



The buffaloes were removed from the shed south of the Smithsonian 

 building to their new quarters in the Zoological Park on the L'Oth of 

 July, 1801. The building thus vacated was immediately renovated 

 and remodeled for the use of the painters. 



The number of requests for the use of the lecture hall by the scien- 

 tific societies of Washington and the country has not varied materi- 

 ally, the average being about two a month. In some parts of the year, 

 however, the hall is required in this way much more frequently, so 

 that its proper preparation as a room of public assembly becomes an 

 item of considerable importance in connection with the work of the 

 Museum force. The Geographic Society used the room for lectures on 

 five different dates in April, 1892, and in this month, as usual, the 

 annual session of the National Academy was held here for four days, 

 April 19 to 22. At the time of the annual sessions of the various 

 scientific associations of the country, which arc often held in the hall 

 of the Museum, it generally becomes necessary, as in the case of the 

 Academy, to prepare and set apart some of the smaller rooms of the 

 building also for the meetings of the committees, a courtesy which is 

 always cheerfully accorded. In addition to these meetings, held in 



