[23] 2 



stone superior, both in durability and appearance, to any heretofore used 

 in the pubhc buildings of this city, yet costing less than one-half as much 

 as that employed in the erection of the Capitol, Executive mansion. Treas- 

 ury building, and Patent Office. Attention is respectfully invited to these 

 results, as they can hardly fail to be important to the public service if the 

 general government, at any time hereafter, should add to the number of its 

 buildings in this metropolis. 



Document No. 2 gives in minute detail the results above referred to. 

 It contains reports from an experienced geologist, on the marble and granite 

 quarries of Maryland; on the Aquia creek quarries, which have hitherto 

 furnished the material for the principal structures in this city; and on the 

 freestone quarries of the upper Potomac, in the vicinity of Seneca creek, 

 whence has been drawn the iilac-gray freestone employed by the commit- 

 tee, for the institution building. It contains also a report, by a chemist of 

 this city, of the results of certain experiments which the committee caused 

 to be instituted, to determine the durability of various building materials 

 when exposed to the action of the weather. 



This document contains, further, a copy of the contract made for the 

 erection of the institution building, together with the specifications of the 

 same. It will be perceived that the contract was taken at a rate less, by 

 about thirty-seven thousand dollars, than the amount set apart by the 

 board, for the erection of the building. 



In this document will also be found several other contracts made by the 

 committee; among them, one with Messrs. Wiley <fc Putnam, publishers 

 of New York, for the publication of a brief treatise on public architecture, 

 to be illustrated with plans and designs of the institution building, and to 

 contain the result of a series of experiments which have been set on foot 

 by the institution, to determine the economical value of the principal 

 building materials throughout the United States. 



It also contains an address by the Chancellor of the institution, deliv- 

 ered on occasion of laying the corner stone of the building; and embracing 

 a succinct view of the objects and the general proceedings of the institution, 

 together with some details touching the style and dimensions of the build- 

 ing, then about to be commenced. 



Document No. 3 gives a table of the expenditures of the institution, 

 under the various heads, since its commencement. The entire expendi- 

 ture is $37,670; of which about two-thirds were spent for the building and 

 incidentals therewith connected, and one-third for other objects: among the 

 latter, upwards of two thousand dollars for books and philosophical appa- 

 ratus; about two thousand dollars for salaries of officers; thirteen hundred 

 for premiums for designs for the institution building; and ,'|J53,S76 for ex- 

 penses of the board and its committees. This last item has been consid- 

 erably swelled in consequence of the provision, in the act organizing the 

 institution, that its first meeting should be in September, when Congress 

 was not in session, and when, consequently, the travelling and other ex- 

 penses of all its members, fifteen in number, and some residing at a great 

 distance, had to be paid; those of two members only excepted, who were 

 residents of the city. To prevent the recurrence of such expense, the 

 board, as will be seen by reference to its journal, has arranged its regular 

 meetings to take place during the session of Congress, restricting them to 

 one only each year; and as at that time all the members of the board, 

 except four, become residents of the city, incurring no additional expense 



