119 [ 23 ] 



York, with the view of procuring a plate of that church on similar terms, 

 as a specimen of the lancet gothic style of architecture ; and that he 

 would communicate the result to the committee. 



Mr. Owen submitted from the contractor, Mr. Dixon, the following : 



Washington, Apiil 8, 1847. 

 Gentlemen : After minute examination of all the quarries on Mr. Peter's 

 land, it is extremely doubtful to me whether or not a sufficient quantity of 

 the stone on which the contract is based can be procured in any of his 

 quarries, as that stratum seems to be nearly exhausted. There seems to 

 be abundance of stone in the bed under which No. 19 has been worked 

 off; but it appears to be of a much deeper color, and a great deal harder 

 in its texture, and could not be cut at anything like the price of No. 19 

 stone. 



There are, I am told, a great many quarries of sandstone on Seneca 

 creek, on Mr. Vincent's* land; but knowing that your board was about to 

 adjourn, I hastened back to make this statement, and had not time to ex- 

 amine them. 



Respectfully, &c., 



JAMES DIXON. 

 To the Building Committee 



of the Smitlisonian Institution. 



P. S. — If I am right in my opinion that the Bull run quarries will not 

 produce the stone that you have selected, it might be well enough for the 

 board, before their final adjournment, to pass a resolution to this effect: 

 that some discretionary power be left with the architect to change or modi- 

 fy the material, otherwise the building would necessarily come to a stand; 

 but this I leave to your better comprehension. 



J. D. 



Laid on the table. 



Mr. Owen submitted from Mr. Joel Downer, carpenter, the following 

 offer to put up a temporary fence around the grounds of the institution: 



Washington, April 8, 1848. 



Gentlemen.: I will contract to enclose the ground with a paling fence 

 from 5 feet 8 inches to G feet, average; the palings to be sawed, three 

 inches wide, of the best quality that comes to our market; the palings to 

 be nailed on the rails with three nailings, and 6 nails in each paling, 

 with a bottom board averaging 12 inches in width. It is understood that 

 the posts and rails now standing on 1 2th street and B street are to be 

 righted up and made use of; and the posts and rails for the north and east 

 line are to be taken up from the public enclosure, and used for that pur- 

 pose. I will put up the fence in a good and substantial manner for four 

 hundred dollars. 



Respectfully, 



JOEL DOWNER. 



To the Building Committee 



of the Smithsonian Institution. 



* Supposed Charles Vinson : see p. 43.— R- D. 0. 



