55 [ 23 ] 



Fire-proofins: --..-.. |;l 3,000 

 Carpenter's bill ...... 67,500 



220,000 



For marble rubble face. 



For stone-cutting and dimension-stone ... $75,000 



Marble rubble - 14,000 



Mason ---.--.- 61,000 



Fire-proof ....... 12,000 



Carpenter - - - - - . . - 65,000 



227,000 



For marble with ashlar face. 



Stone-cutting and dimension .... - $75,000 



Ashlar for face 20,500 



Mason 57,500 



Fire-proof 12,000 



Carpenter ..,---- 65,500 



230,500 



Yours, with esteem, 



T. M. NIVEN. 



To the Building Committee 



of the Smithsonian Instiintion. 



After carefully examining the bids in detail, the messenger was request- 

 ed to ask Mr. Niven into the committee room; and on being asked 

 whether he was willins: to make a contract at his estimate for stone-cut- 

 ting alone, he (Mr. Niven) replied in the affirmative. The messenger 

 was then requested to call Mr. Dixon ; and on being asked whether he 

 was willing to make a contract for the work exclusive of stone-cutting, he 

 (Mr. Dixon) asked until to-morrow morning to give an answer. 



He was requested to see Mr. Ni^en on the subject, so as to ascertain 

 whether a contract could be made with them jointly,based on Mr. Niven's 

 bid ior stone-cutting, and James Dixon & Co.'s bid for mason and car- 

 penter's work. 



After conference in regard to the special provisions of the contract, the 

 architect was requested to draw up a blank contract, and submit the same 

 to the committee at their meeting to-morrow. 



And, on motion, the committee adjourned. 



TENTH MEETING— March 18, 1847. 



Present, Messrs. Seaton, Hough, and Owen. 



On motion of the chairman, it was 

 Resolved, That the specifications be altered so as to require that both 

 the principal stairways, as high as the museum floor^ be of stone, with 



