308 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



November. — A new switchboard was placed in the telephone room, and several 

 additional instruments were installed in dift'erent parts of the building. New steam 

 pipes were placed in the office of the department of fishes. A large exhibition case, 

 Avhich had heretofore been in the center of the northwest court, was remodeled and 

 made into two wall cases, which will be set up in the section of oriental antiquities. 

 Several pier cases were set up in the mineral hall, in place of the door-screen cases, 

 which have been removed. 



December.— A\l oi' the cases in the department of prehistoric anthropology were 

 thoroughly cleaned. The lecture hall was put in condition for the use of the Ameri- 

 can Historical Society, Avhose meetings opened December 27. Considerable work 

 was (lone in the southeast court, preparatory to its occupancy as the exhibition hall 

 of the paleontological department. 



1895. 



January. — Work in the southeast court was continued. A number of screens were 

 altered, and these and the walls Avere painted. The plaster casts and models were 

 moved from the basement rooms under the north tower of the Smithsonian building. 

 The exhibition cases in the dep.irtmcnt of comparative anatomy were rearranged. 

 All of the oils and inflammable materials, which were formerly stored in the alcohol 

 room in the basement of the Smithsonian building, were removed to other quarters. 



February. — A section of the mahogany Avail case on the north side of the exhibi- 

 tion hall of the department of couiparative anatomy was removed in order to pro- 

 vide an entrance to the southeast court from this side. The lire plug in the east- 

 south range was removed and placed just inside the entrance to the southeast 

 pavilion. The north and west basement rooms of the Smithsonian building were 

 fitted up with shelves and will be used for the storage of plaster casts and molds. 

 Watch boxes Avere placed in several of the outbuildings. 



March. — A telephone instrument Avas placed in the carpenter shop, and connec- 

 tions made Avith the telephone room. Watch boxes Avere erected on the second floor 

 of each of the four balconies of the Museum building. Two fire plugs in the east 

 hall were removed and placed inside of the east entrance to the buildiug. The loca- 

 tion of the fire plug in the fisheries hall Avas also changed. 



AjjrU. — A force of men Avero engaged for several days in hanging the models of 

 Indian villages on the walls of the northwest court. A man was detailed from each 

 of the night Avatihes for duty outside of the larger buildings, the object being to 

 o-ive better protection to the sheds and outbuildings. A hose reel Avas placed just 

 outside the south entrance to the Smithsonian building, the hose being kept con- 

 stantly attached to the fire plug and ready for immediate use. A ladder and ax 

 have also been placed Avithin easy reach, and connections Avith the telephone room 

 established, so that help may be readily summoned in case of fire. 



May. — For several days a number of men Avere engaged in rearranging the cases in 

 the mineral hall. Improvements Avere made in one of the rooms on the second floor 

 of the Avest balcony. It is proposed to place toilet rooms in the basement and on the 

 first and second floors of the south tower of the Smithsonian building. This work 

 was commenced about the middle of the month. A number of long-distance tele- 

 phones Avere put up by the telephone company in place of the old style of instru- 

 ment formerly in use. This change necessitated additional wires, as the new 

 instruments require a metallic circuit. 



June. — An additional Avatch l)ox Avas placed in the Museum carpenter shop. New 

 quarters for storage purposes were rented, and the work of removing material to 

 the new building occupied considerable time during the month. Door-screen cases 

 Avere placed between the piers above the Avail cases in the department of compara- 

 tive anatomy. The steam valves of the radiators throughout the buildings were 

 examined and a portion of them repacked. The boiler rooms and coal vaults were 

 thoroughly renovated and whitewashed. 



