80 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1897. 



the object being to secure assistants witli any desirable combination of 

 qualifications and to simplify the operations of the civil-service law so 

 far as these bureaus are concerned. Assurance was given of hearty 

 cooperation on the part of the Institution. 



Considerable attention has been devoted to systematizing the records 

 and files relating to civil-service matters. A card catalogue has been 

 started, upon which decisions of the commission are recorded; also a 

 catalogue embracing the names of all employees of the Smithsonian 

 Institution and its dependencies. 



During the year there have been fifteen requests for certification of 

 eligible applicants for appointment, nine transfers from the Institution 

 to the several departments, four reinstatements, and eight emergency 

 appointments. Twelve monthly reports have been submitted and 163 

 letters written relating to civil service matters. 



Upon recommendation of the chief clerk, and with the approval of 

 the Secretary, a law reference library has been established. It is 

 intended to include in this library publications relating to the origin 

 and establishment of the Institution and the Museum, the Eevised 

 Statutes of the United States, Journalsof Congress, decisions of Comp- 

 trollers, opinions of the Attorney-General, reports of the Civil Service 

 Commission, directories, and other works of reference. Through the 

 courtesy of the Secretary of State, a copy of the Eevised Statutes and 

 supplements has been received during the year. The reports of the 

 Civil Service Commission have been added, and a series of Congres- 

 sional Records and Globes — more than two hundred volumes in all — 

 have been transferred from the general library of the Institution. Mr. 

 W. W. Karr, Dr. Cyrus Adler, and Mr. W. I. Adams were designated 

 by the Secretary as a committee to cooperate with the chief clerk in 

 the selection of books for the library. 



The oath of allegiance has been administered to all of the employees 

 of the Institution and its bureaus, as required by law. 



The attention of Congress has been called to the necessity of increas- 

 ing the scientific staff and enlarging the force of clerical employees, 

 watchmen, laborers, and cleaners. 



It was estimated that the sum of $8,000 would be required to make 

 all necessary repairs to the Museum building during the coming year, 

 but only half that amount has been appropriated for this purjiose. 

 Attention was also called to the need of additional skylights. No 

 appropriation has, however, been made for use in this direction. 



In the sundry civil act for 1896-97 the sum of $8,000 was appro- 

 priated for the erection of galleries in two or more halls of the Museum 

 building. Steps were promptly taken toward the construction of the 

 galleries thus provided for, and on November 25, 1896, a committee, 

 composed of Mr. Cox (chairman), Mr. Watkins and Mr. Lucas, was 

 appointed to consider plans and recommend the award of contracts. 

 Later, Prof. O. T. Mason was designated to act as a member of the 



