105 [ 23 ] 



the whole and perfect completion of the huilding, and all of its appurte- 

 nances, no claim for extra work will be allowed unless caused by actual 

 alterations of the plans. And the parties to the contract will be bound to 

 submit to the decision of the architect of the building, in the sum of ten 

 thousand dollars. 



JAMES RENWICK, Jr., 



Architect and Civil Engineer. 



Mr. Hough offered the following resolution, which was adopted : 



Resoli)ed, That in locating the building for the Smithsonian Institution, 

 the centre of the principal building, exclusive of projections, be placed 

 upon the centre of the lot or site of said institution from north to south, 

 and upon the centre of Tenth street. 



Mr. Hough, in offering the above resolution, stated, that as he was 

 compelled, on Monday next, to leave the city, he desired to say, that if 

 this resolution should be reconsidered, so as to place the building centrally 

 between 7th and 12th streets, he would make no objection. 



And, on motion, the committee adjourned. 



SIXTEENTH MEETING— March 24, 1847. 



Present, Messrs. Seaton and Owen. 



The chairman submitted from Mr. Renwick, architect of the institution, 

 the following 



Report to the Building Committee of the Smithsonian Institution. 



Gentlemen: In compliance with your resolution of Friday, the 19th 

 ultimo, by which, in company with Dr. Owen, I was directed to examine 

 and report upon the quarries of freestone on the farm of Mr. Peter, at Sen- 

 eca creek and B\ill run, and those on the adjacent lands, with a view of 

 ascertaining their capability of affording a sufficient quantity of building- 

 material of good quality, and of color suitable for the purposes of the insti- 

 tution, I beg leave to state that we proceeded on Saturday morning to the lo- 

 calities of the quarries of freestone occupying the whole eastern bank of the 

 Potomac, from the mouth of the Seneca creek to a point distant about one 

 mile north of it, where our examination terminated. We also found the 

 stone extending up all the valleys of the smaller streams, as far as we ex- 

 amined them. 



The quality of the stone varies from that which is highly argillaceous, 

 and easily decomposed, to that which is silicious, and well calculated to 

 stand the weather and the attacks of frost. 



It also varies in color and texture; some of the strata being highly lami- 

 nated, and others what is technically termed liver-rock, showing but litUe 

 signs of stratification ; and the color varies from a cold blue to a warm hlac 



grav. 



The quarries which appear to have been worked to the greatest extent, 

 are those called the College quarries, from their belonging to the College 

 at Georgetown. The color of the stone in these is generally a blue gray, 

 (see specimen 21, of Dr. Owen's report,) and is rather cold and unpleasant 

 in its aspect^ though several of the strata or layers m the nnddle ol the 



