JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. 65 



commission, requires an additional outlay of about $44,000. To meet this additional 

 expense, the committee recommend the adoption of the suggestion of their chairman, 

 Col. Davis, that the exterior of the building and the interior of the towers be com- 

 pleted in accordance with the plan, and within the time specified by the contract, and 

 that the remainder of the interior be finished agreeably to the new plan, in the course 

 ol* a number of years, and in such portions as can be paid for out of the annual interest 

 ■of the Smithsonian fund, not otherwise appropriated. The object of this part of the 

 proposition is to prevent the derangement of the plan of finance originally proposed 

 by Dr. Bache, and adopted by the Board of Begents, viz : of saving out of the accrued 

 and accruing interest, after paying for the building, the sum of §150,000, to be added 

 to the principal. 



5. By the addendum to the contract, the Begents have the power of stopping the 

 building at any stage of its progress, on paying the contractor p/*o rata for the work 

 done, according to the prices specified in the contract, and allowing for reasonable 

 damages if the circumstances require the payment of them. The estimates in this 

 case are to be made by the architect of the institution, or other architects selected by 

 the Begents. But with reference to the quality of the work which has been done, it 

 is the opinion of the legal adviser of the committee that the decision of the architect 

 of the building is final, both with regard to the Begents and the contractor. 



6. In accordance with the forementioned stipulations of the contract, the committee 

 have requested Mr. Benwick to furnish an estimate pro rata for completing the whole 

 -exterior of the building, and the interior of the towers, making deductions for mate- 

 rials and workmanship which he would have condemned, had the building been com- 

 pleted according to the original plan. The following is the decision of the architect, 

 which has been agreed to by the contractor, with the understanding that nothing is to 

 be paid him on account of profit on work omitted by the proposed change, viz : 



For finishing the whole exterior of the building, all the interior rooms of 



the towers and of the wings, the sum of $185,154 



7. The committee recommend to the Board of Begents that they agree to this prop- 

 osition, and that a resolution be adopted directing the contractor to proceed with the 

 work in accordance therewith. In recommending this course to the Board, the com- 

 mittee act in conformity with the advice of two of the commission of architects, viz : 

 Mr. E. B. White and Mr. J. B. Niernsee, who undertook the examination in detail 

 of the parts of the building, and gave an estimate as the basis of an equitable settle- 

 ment. 



8. By adopting the above sum of $185,154, as the amount to be paid to the con- 

 tractor, Mr. Benwick gives the following estimate of the cost of finishing the building 

 in accordance with the fire-proof plan, viz: 



Amount of proposed contract §185,154 



Expense of fire-proofing the entire centre building according to plans and 



estimates of the architects 44,000 



Plastering centre building, f $3,000 



Gallery fronts, I Expenses common to both J 2,000 



Staircase of Library and Museum, plans. 425 



Furniture of " " J L 4 > 700 



15,125 



Extra cartage 200 



Materials now on the ground, but which may not be used 1,000 



Total expense of the building, including fire-proofing 245,479 



9. The original contract, with the addition made to it by direction of the 



Building Committee, is $209,810 



Add the estimate of fire-proofing 44,000 



Thus we have for the cost of the building, according to the estimate of the 



commission 253,810 



Note. — The foregoing estimates are exclusive of the salaries of the architect and superintendent; 

 also of the cost of thelmprovement of the grounds and part of the furniture. 



This last sum is greater than the preceding, by §8,331. The difference, according 

 to the statement of Mr. Benwick, is due to the various deductions he has made on 

 account of defective materials, imperfect workmanship, and changes in the plan. 



In conclusion, the committee are fully of opinion — and in this they arc sustained 

 by the commission of architects — that, by adopting the plan of fire-proofing proposed 



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