626 REPORTS OF THE BUILDING COMMITTEE. 



that he had made an error in the addition of his bid for Seneca ashlar of $2,500, se 

 that the committee must consider that bid as amounting in the total to $205,250, at 

 which amount he stood ready to contract. 



It appearing that the bids of James Dixon & Co., for the building, were the low- 

 est, to wit : 



For Seneca ashlar $205,250 



And in marble ashlar 228,500 



And it further appearing to the committee that the ashlar finish of Seneca stone is- 

 more durable than the rubble finish, the committee informed Mr. Dixon that his bid 

 to complete the building in the Seneca freestone, ashlar finish, for the sum of two 

 hundred and five thousand two hundred and fifty dollars, was accepted. 



On motion of the chairman, it was — 



Resolved, That Mr. Hough, and the architect, be a sub-committee to prepare a 

 blank contract, submit the same to James Dixon & Co., and, after obtaining their 

 assent to the same, present it to this committee for approval. 



And, on motion, the committee adjourned. 



Eleventh Meeting, March 18, 1847, (5 o'clock, p. m.) 

 Present, Messrs. Owen and Hough. 

 On motion of Mr. Hough, it was — 



Resolved, That Mr. Owen address a letter to Mr. John P. C. Peter, accepting the 

 offer of quarry-right made to the committee, in letter of Mr. Peter to Mr. Seaton 

 dated 9th December last, and place the said letter in the hands of Mr. Dixon, to be 

 forwarded to Mr. Peter. 



And, on motion, the committee adjourned. 



Twelfth Meeting, March 19, 1847. 



Present, Messrs. Seaton, Hough, and Owen. 



The chairman submitted to the committee a copy of the letter which, in accordance 

 with a resolution passed yesterday, he addressed to Mr. John P. C. Peter, owner of 

 the Bull Eun quarry, in Montgomery county, Maryland, and which he had, last 

 evening, caused to be delivered to Mr. Dixon, as follows : 



Washington, March 18, 1847. 



Sir : I am requested by the Building Committee of the Smithsonian Institution to 

 inform you, that they have to-day decided upon the material for their building ; 

 that their choice is Seneca freestone from some one of your quarries, if sufficient 

 suitable stone can be found in them — probably from that of Bull Hun ; and that they 

 accept your offer made to them in your letter of the 9th December last, addressed to 

 Mr. Seaton, namely, to pay you twenty-five cents per perch for all stone intended for 

 cut work, and twelve and a half cents for all calculated for hammered work. 

 I am, sir, your obedient servant, 



KOBEKT DALE OWEN, 



Chairman Building Committee. 

 John P. C. Peter, Esq. 



On motion of Mr. Owen, it was — 



Resolved, That the resolution heretofore adopted, instructing Mr. Peter Gorman to> 

 obtain four perches of freestone from Seneca creek, be and the same is hereby 

 rescinded. 



On motion of Mr. Owen, it was — 



Resolved, That the resolution heretofore adopted, instructing Dr. Owen to make 

 chemical analyses of the Maryland marbles, and particularly of those from Mr. 

 Worthington's and Mr. Symington's quarries, be and the same is hereby rescinded. 



On motion of Mr. Hough, it was — 



Resolved, That Mr. Owen be requested to write to Mr. McLane, president of the 

 Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and to Mr. Howard, president of the Baltimore and 

 Susquehanna railroad, and to inform them that although, for the sake of economy, 

 the freestone of the upper Potomac has been selected as a building-material, the 

 committee desire to express their sense of the prompt liberality with which the board-; 

 of these railroad companies had adopted the suggestion of the Building Committee 



