JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. 61 



In the absence of the Chancellor, Mr. Seaton was called to the 

 chair. 



The proceedings of the last meeting being read, the committee 

 on Mr. Harmon's plans of architectural drawings made a report; 

 which was read and adopted. 



Mr. Davis moved that the further consideration of the fourth 

 article of Mr. Harmon's synopsis be indefinitely postponed ; which 

 was carried. 



Mr. Davis then offered the following resolution ; which was 

 adopted : 



Resolved, That, although the Board do not deem it expedient to adopt Mr. Har- 

 mon's plan of executing architectural drawings; yet, for the purpose of placing in 

 the institution, a specimen of a peculiar art of drawing architectural designs, the Ex- 

 ecutive Committee be authorized to engage Mr. Harmon to execute the elevation of 

 the Smithsonian Institution in his peculiar style, with a view to placing it in the 

 institution, if the Kegents shall, upon examination, approve of so disposing of it. 



The Secretary brought before the Board the subject of an acci- 

 dent 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, the 26th ultimo, a portion of the interior framing and 

 floors of part of the main building, intended 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 ascertaining the character of 

 the accident, he addressed a letter to the architect, in 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. Renwick reached Washing- 

 ton on Thursday morning, February 28th. Immediately after- 

 wards, 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 bo 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 Professor Bache, General Totten, the Secre- 

 tary of the Institution, and some competent and entirely impartial architect or archi- 

 tects ; that they make a survey of the whole building, report the manner, faithfulness, 

 and security in which the building contract has hitherto been executed, 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 Sec- 

 retary. 



