2 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



of March, iSSl, naturally suggested the idea of using it for the inaugural 

 reception of the incoming President, and a formal application was 

 made to your honorable body for the privilege. At a meeting called in 

 December, 1880, to consider this subject, it was decided to grant the 

 use of the building for the purpose in question, with the distinct pro- 

 viso, however, that this was not to establish a precedent for its use l^or 

 similar purposes hereafter. At the time the building was substautially 

 completed and unoccupied by the Institution for its intended purposes. 

 All that remained to fit it for the object desired by the couimittee of 

 citizens was the construction of floors in the four main halls and in the 

 rotunda, and the special fittings and embellishments required for the re- 

 ception. While the other Uoors were to be of wood, these were to be 

 laid in concrete, and the work was deferred until the building could be 

 cleared of its scaffolding and other obstructions. 



Considerable dissatisfaction, however, was expressed at the idea of 

 using concrete for the great floor, and it was decided to refer the matter 

 to Congress, with a view of obtaining, if possible, an appropriation to 

 meet the additional cost of marble and encaustic tiles. As such an 

 appropriation could not be obtained in time for service in connection 

 with the reception, it was determined by the citizens' committee to lay 

 a strong, although temporary^ floor in these five rooms, so that the 

 entire ground level of the building could be available. One of the 

 seventeen rooms, containing at the time plaster casts of fishes, was 

 boarded up and reserved. The remainder of the building, without any 

 restriction, was given uj) to the committee, in accordance with the 

 direction of the Board of Eegents. 



The Institution made such permanent fittings in the building as were 

 contemplated in the plan, namely, the introduction of electrical wires 

 for the purpose of working time- and watch-clocks, telephones, tele- 

 graphs, signals, etc. ; the completion of the fitting up of the reception 

 and retiring ro©ms for gentlemen and ladies, etc. ; while the citizens' 

 committee, on its part, in addition to the layingof the temporary floors, 

 erected about ten thousand bins for the reception of hats, coats, and 

 wraps for the visitors, and introduced some three thousand gas-burners, 

 supplied by pipes of suitable size. 



The decorations prepared by the committee consisted of a colossal 

 statue of Liberty, erected in the rotunda, a series of emblematical and 

 allegorical shields, monograms of the President and Vice-President, and 

 miles of festooning suspended from the roof. 



The reception, which, of course, took place on the night of the 4th 

 of March, Avas a great success, being attended by about seven thousand 

 persons. The occasion was extremely brilliant. Two powerful elec- 

 tric lights were suspended in the rotundii, and several were erected 

 outside, whore they were supplemented by a large number of calcium 

 lights, idaced in ditt'erent parts of the grounds. 



As there was no room in the building for supplying refreshments, s> 



