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tendent shall have certified that fact to the parties i)[ the second part, the 

 said parties of the second part will pay to the said parly of the first'part 

 the above sum of six hundred and fifty dollars. In testimony whereof, 

 the said party of the first part has hereunto set his hand and seal, and the 

 said building committee, on behalf of the said institution, have hereunto 

 subscribed their names, the day and year aforewritten. 



C. BUCKINGHAM, [l. s.] 



ROBERT DALE OWEN, 

 J. G. TOTTEN, 

 W. VV. SEATON, 



Building Committee. 



The chairman presented from Mr. Randolph Coyle, city surveyor, a 

 chart of the grounds belonging to the institution, crossed with lines of 

 equal levels marked at each crossing of one hundred feet. 



Ordered, That the above chart be preserved as a record of levels, by in- 

 serting it in the journal of the committee. 



The chairman stated to the committee that he had waited upon the 

 President, in accordance with the resolution of yesterdi.y, and expressed 

 to him the desire of the committee that he v^^ould consent to lay the cor- 

 ner-stone of the Smithsonian building ; and that he, the President, has 

 expressed his willingness to do so. 



The chairman further informed the committee that the President stated 

 to him that he (the President) Would order the attendance of the marine 

 band on the occasion. 



The chairman stated to the committee that he had waited upon the Yice 

 President, in acordance with a resolution passed yesterday, and that he 

 (the Vice President) promised, if he could so arrange his business, to at- 

 tend on the occasion of laying the foundation-stone of the Smithsonian 

 building, and to deliver a brief address on that occasion. 



And, on motion, the committee adjourned. 



TWENTY-EIGHTH MEETING— April 16, 1847. 



Present, Messrs. Seaton and Owgn. 



The letter of Mr. Joel Downer, carpenter, dated April 8th, and submit- 

 ted to the committee at their twenty-second meeting, coming up for con- 

 sideration, Mr. Owen submitted a contract which he had prepared in ac- 

 cordance with the offer made by Mr. Downer for the erection of a tempo- 

 rary fence around the grounds of the Smithsonian Institution, and which 

 he stated to the commiUee had been submitted to the superintendent and 

 ]Mr. Downer, and had been approved by them. 



The said contract was approved, and signed by the committee and by 

 Mr. Downer, and is as follows: 



This agreeraen(, made the 16th of April, 1847, between Joel Downer, of 

 the city of Washington, of the first part, and the Buildmg Committee 

 of the Smithsonian Institution of the second part, witnesseth: 



That for and in consideration of the sum of four hundred dollars, to be 

 by the party of the second part paid to the party of tlie first part, as here- 

 inafter provided, the party of the first part agrees to fence m the lot or plat 



