REPORTS OP THE BUILDING COMMITTEE. 595 



It will be within the recollection of the Board that, on the 28th of January last, 

 resolutions were passed by the Board making the following appropriations : 



The contract for the building not to exceed $231,000 



Fitting up and furnishing the same " 20,000 



"Warming and lighting the same " 5,000 



Permanent fence around the grounds " 10,000 



Laying out and planting the grounds " , 4,000 



Together $270,000 



No special appropriation was made for superintendence ; but the committee was 

 empowered, by resolution of the 28th January, in accordance with the fifth section 

 of the act organizing the Institution, to " employ one or more persons to superintend 

 the erection of the building," and they were required to cause the work to be done 

 " to the entire satisfaction of said superintendent or superintendents." The commit- 

 tee believe that there is no example in this country of the superintendence of a build- 

 ing as extensive as that of this Institution, costing, including all remuneration to 

 the architect for the original design, and all incidentals appertaining to the architect's 

 oflice, less than $3,000 a year. The salary paid to a resident superintending architect 

 of such a building, when it is his own design, is usually, without reckoning inci- 

 dentals, either $2,500 or $3,000 a year. The committee are justified, then, in setting 

 down the entire item of superintendence, (not included in the above appropriations,) 

 with its incidentals, at $3,000 a year. In consequence of the principal architect 

 residing in New York, it actually costs a trifle more. 



Nor was any appropriation made to supply the building with water. This item, 

 under a favorable contract, has cost $650. 



The item of drainage, also, was omitted. In consequence of the municipal regula- 

 tions of "Washington city, it will cost from $1,000 to $1,500. The committee has put 

 it down at $1,350. 



If we add to the appropriations specifically made, these necessary items, it will 

 appear that the scale of expenditure to which, by the action of the Board, the Build- 

 ing Committee have been limited for the completion of the building and grounds, 

 all incidentals included, was about $287,000, thus: 



Special appropriations, already enumerated $270,000 



Superintendence, including incidentals, say five years, $3,000 a year 15,000 



Drainage, say 1,350 



Supplying water to the building 650 



$287,000 



The contract, however, for the building, has been taken at a rate much lower than 

 the Board seem to have anticipated ; at a rate, too, to the credit of the architect it 

 should be stated, $15,000 below his estimates. And the contractor has proceeded so far 

 with the erection that the committee has had a good opportunity to judge of his com- 

 petency and willingness to complete the whole under the conditions of the contract. 

 Unless prevented by accident not to be foreseen or anticipated, they do not doubt 

 that he will do so. Under these circumstances, although the committee is aware 

 that, in the execution of so extensive a work, many contingencies must be expected 

 necessarily to present themselves, that will add to its cost ; yet they confidently 

 believe, that by judicious management and strict economy, the entire expenditure 

 for the erection of the building, including the fitting up and furnishing of the same ; 

 supplying the same with water ; laying out the lot in grass and planting it with trees 

 and shrubs ; fencing the same, both with the present temporary fence and the ulti- 

 mate permanent one ; also all expenses for superintendence of erection, including the 

 cost of architect's oflice and other incidentals, so as, in fact, to cover all expenses 

 whatever that have been incurred, or are to be incurred, on the building and on the 

 lot on which it stands, until the completion of the building and of the preparation 

 of the lot, up to the 19th of March, 1852, need not exceed $250,000, being $37,000 

 less than the sum total, according to the scale of appropriation, heretofore adopted 

 by the Board. 



So confident is the committee of the accuracy of the above opinion, that they are 

 willing to see passed by the Board stringent resolutions rescinding former appropria- 

 tions for these objects, and restricting the committee, in their entire operations, to the 

 above amount. 



