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said foundation-stone ; and also to wait upon the Vice President of the 

 United States and invite his presence, as Chancellor of the institution, lo 

 deliver a brief address on said occasion. 



Resolved^ That Mr. Seaton be authorized to pay any incidental expenses 

 that may be necessarily incurred on said occasion. 



Resolved, That the contractor be requested to prepare a suitable corner- 

 stone. 



Mr. Owen expressed to the committee his intention — as Colonel Totten 

 had returned, and a quorum could thus be obtained without him — of re- 

 turning, within a few days, home to Indiana; and his regret that, in con- 

 sequence, he would not be able to be present at the proposed ceremony. 



And, on motion, the committee adjourned. 



TWENTY-SEVENTH MEETING— April 15, 1S47. 



Present, Messrs. Seaton and Owen. 



The chairman presented a contract with Captain Buckingham to con- 

 vey water to the building site, which, in accordance with the resolution of 

 yesterday, he had prepared and had submitted to Captain Buckingham 

 and to Colonel Totten ; both of whom had signified their approbation of 

 it, and Colonel Totten had signed it. 



It was approved and signed. It is as follows : 



This agreement, made the fifteenth day of AprH, 1847, between Caleb 

 Buckingham, of the city of Washington, of the first part, and the Build- 

 ing Committee of the Smithsonian Institution, of the second part, wit- 

 nesseth : 



That for and in consideration of the sum of six hundred and fifty 

 dollars, to be by the party of the second part paid to the party of the 

 first part, as hereinafter provided, the said party of the first part agrees 

 to furnish all the necessary materials, of the best quality, and all the ne- 

 cessary work, to be done in the best and most substantial manner, to con- 

 duct tlie water from the fire plug at the engine-house, in Market square, 

 in the said city, to the building about to be erected for the Smithsonian 

 Institution, on the mall, between 9th and 12th streets. And the party of 

 the first part agrees, that he will lay down a leaden pipe of inch-bore, and 

 of the quality called " strong pipe," at least two feet below the ground ; 

 and he will furnish the same with a stop-cock of the best quality, at the 

 end where the said fire plug is tapped; and also a hydrant cock of the 

 best quality at the end of the pipe next to the building. And the said 

 party of the first part further agrees that he will convey the water across 

 the canal in an iron pipe of two-inch bore, and of the best quality ; which 

 iron pipe shall be sunk below the bed of the canal. And the said party 

 of the first part agrees, that he will conduct the said leaden pipe so as to 

 terminate at any point, not more than fifty feet from the foundations of 

 the building, that may be pointed out by the architect or superintendent 

 of the institution. 



And the said party of the first part further agrees, that he will complete 

 the laying of the said pipe, with its appurtenances, so that water can be 

 used from the same one month from the date of this agreement. 



And the party of the second part agree, that so soon as the said work 

 shall have been completed to the entire satisfaction of the architect or 

 superintendent of the said institution, and the said architect or superin- 



