[ 120 ] 50 



The Secretaiy brought before the board the subject of an accident 

 which had happened since the last meeting, in the unfinished part of the 

 building. He stated that, at about 6 o'clock p. m., on Tuesday, ths 

 26th ult., a portion of the interior framing and floors of part of the niain 

 building, ii'.tended to contain the museum of apparatus, fell down into the 

 basement. He had himself just before left the ground; but as soon as he 

 heard of the occurrence he returned to the building, and after ascertain- 

 ing the cliaracter of the accident, he addressed a letter to the architect, m 

 New York, requiring his immediate attendance. He next gave directions 

 that the part of the building containing the fallen timbers should be closed, 

 and that everything should remain in the same condition until the arrival 

 of the architect. Mr. Kenwick reached Washington on Thursday morn- 

 ing, February 28. Immediately afterwards, a meeting of the Building 

 Committee was called, at which the state of the work was examined, 

 and a request made that the architect, superintendent, and contractor 

 should each furnish a report on the cause of the accident. 



These reports were presented to the board, and the following resolution, 

 offered by Mr. Fitch, was adopted: 



Resolved, That the Building Committee be requested to take under 

 consideration the reports of the architect, superintendent, and contractor, 

 on the subject of the late accident; that they associate with them Profes- 

 sor Bache, General Totten, the Secretary of the institution, and some 

 competent and entirely impartial nrchitect or architects; that they make a 

 survey of the whole building, report the manner, faithfulness, and se- 

 curity in which the building contract has hitherto been esecuted, and 

 upon the plan most proper in their estimation to repair the damages and 

 finish that portion of the building in which the accident happened, and 

 other unfinished portions thereof. 



The board then adjourned, to meet again at the call of the Secretary, 



April 20, 1S50. 



The Board of Regents held a meeting this day, at the call of the Sec- 

 retary, at 10 o'clock a, m., in the Vice President's room at the Capitol. 



Present: Messrs. Bache, Davis, Fillmore, Fitch, Mason, and Seaton. 



The Chancellor being in the chair, the proceedings of the last meeting 

 were read. 



The Secretary made a communication from Mr. Harmon, in v/hich he 

 requested to substitute a view of another building Iot that of the Smithso- 

 nian Institution in making the drawing, in his style, for the gallery of art. 



On motion of Mr. Davis, t!ie subject was laid on the table. 



The committee, on the part of the Regents, cliarged with the examina- 

 tion of the building, consisting of the Building Committee, together with 

 Messrs. Bache, Totten, and the Secretary, made a report, including the 

 report of the commission of architects appointed to examine the building; 

 also the remarks of James Renwick, jr.-, architect, upon the same. 

 On motion of jlr. Fitch, 



Resolved^ That the report of the committee on the building, and the ac- 

 companying documents, be recommitted Ibr such further action as may be 

 deemed necessary. Also, 



Resolved, That the Building Committee be directed to take legal advice 

 as to the power possessed by the Regents, under the contract, and the 



