REPORTS OF THE BUILDING COMMITTEE. 663 



sent to reduce the rate of toll, so far as regards the buildings of the Smithsonian 

 Institution. 



The amount required by us may, in a measure, depend upon your answer, as it is 



not yet determined upon what we will back the walls with. If Seneca stone be 



taken for the entire walls, I suppose that 10,000 perches of 25 feet may be required. 



The Maryland railroad companies had agreed, in event of our selecting marble, to 



reduce their rates of freight, in our favor, from 4 cents to 2} cents per ton per mile. 



I am, sir, your obedient servant, 



EOBEET DALE OWEN, 

 Chairman of the Building Committee. 

 To the President or the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company. 



On motion of Mr. Owen, it was — 



Resolved, That the architect be, and he is hereby, instructed, during the course of 

 the present year, to commence and carry on to completion the whole of the east wing 

 and the east connecting range, so far as is consistent with the safety of the structure; 

 And also to commence the foundations of the west wing and the west connecting 

 range, and take such preparatory steps towards the work of the said wing and range 

 as may allow the contractors to prosecute the work with proper economy. 



On motion of Mr. Seaton, it was — 



Resolved, That the architect be authorized to cause to be prepared two perspective 

 views of the building — one of the north front, from the northwest, and one of the 

 south front, from the southeast — provided the cost of completing the two said views 

 in the best style of art shall not exceed two hundred dollars ; and that the same be 

 colored to correspond with the color of the stone that may be adopted for the facing 

 of the building. 



On motion of Mr. Seaton, it was — 



Resolved, That Mr. Owen endeavor to procure from the several railroad companies 

 between this city and New York, a free passage for the architect of the Institution, 

 pending the erection of the building. 



And, on motion, the committee adjourned. 



Eighteenth Meeting, March 26, 1847. 



Present, Messrs. Owen and Seaton. 



The chairman submitted the following letter from Mr. Peter, owner of Bull Eun 

 quarry, and other quarries in the vicinity of Seneca creek : 



Monte Yideo, near Darnestown, 

 Montgomery County, Md., March 22, 1847. 

 Dear Sir : Yours of the 18th instant was received on Saturday last, in which 

 you state that the Building Committee have decided to use, as the material in the 

 erection of the Smithsonian Institution, the stone from some one of my quarries, 

 and that they accept the terms as communicated in my letter, of the 9th of Decem- 

 ber, to Mr. Seaton, to wit : 



Twenty-five cents a perch for all stone intended for face or cut work, and twelve 

 and a half cents per perch for all calculated for backing or rubble work. 



The whole number of quarries will be subject to your preference, and I will be 

 pleased if you will make the selection at as early a day as convenient, as there are 

 several persons applying for permission to obtain stone for other purposes. 

 Yours, very respectfully, 



JOHN P. C. PETEE. 

 Hon. Eobert Dale Owen, 



Chairman Building Committee. 



On motion of Mr. Seaton, it was — 



Resolved, That the final decision on the subject embraced in Mr. Peters' letter be 

 delayed until the return of Dr. Owen from Aquia creek, and until his report on the 

 quarries there is received. 



On motion of Mr. Seaton, it was — 



Resolved, That among the trees to be planted within the grounds of the Institution 

 there be included the following : 



Elm, beech, oak, osage orange, pecan, sugar maple, silver-leafed maple, weeping- 

 willow, silver-leafed willow, magnolia grandiflora, pride of China, common laurel, 

 tulip tree, dogwood, holly, hawthorn, horsechesnut, Spanish chesnut, walnut, hickory, 



