676 REPORTS OF THE BUILDING COMMITTEE. 



7th and 12th streets, and is not the property of the said Institution, may also he used 

 hy the said party of the first part as part of the material of said fence. 



And the party of the first part further agrees that he will leave openings for gates 

 in the said fence, at such points as may be pointed out hy the contractor or superin- 

 tendent ; but no gates are included in this contract. 



If there be not sufficient rails on the said lot from between 7th and 12th streets, 

 then the contractor, Mr. Dixon, will furnish the same to the party of the first part, 

 as per annexed agreement. 



And the party of the second part agree, so soon as the said fence shall be completed 

 to the full and entire satisfaction of the architect or superintendent of the Smithso- 

 sonian Institution, and that fact shall have been certified to the parties of the second 

 part by the said architect or superintendent, that they, the said parties of the second 

 part, will pay to the party of the first part, in full for said fence and material, the 

 sum of four hundred dollars. 



In testimony whereof, the said party of the first part has hereunto set his hand 

 and seal, and the said parties of the second part, members of the said Building Com- 

 mittee, have hereunto, on behalf of the said Smithsonian Institution, subscribed their 

 names the day and year aforewritten. 



JOEL DOWNEK, [l. s.] 



EOBEET DALE OWEN,) 



JOS. G. TOTTEN, \ Building Committee. 



W. W. SEATON, J 



Agreement with Mr. Dixon, referred to in the foregoing contract. 



If the old rails now standing on the mall between 7th and 12th streets be not 

 sufficient to complete the fence around the grounds of the Smithsonian Institution, I 

 hereby agree to furnish to Mr. Joel Downer, at my own cost, a sufficient number of 

 good rails to make up the deficiency. I also agree to have made, at my expense, not 

 less than two gates, at convenient points in said fence, to. be hung on good and sub- 

 stantial gate-posts. 



JAMES DIXON". 



Mr. John P. C. Peter appeared before the committee, and reiterated in presence of 

 the contractor, Mr. Dixon, his (Mr. Peter's) complete assurance, as formerly expressed 

 in his letter, (page 121,) that there was in his Bull run quarry a sufficiency of rock 

 to erect the buildings of the Smithsonian Institution, of a tint not darker than No. 

 19 of the specimens appended to Dr. Owen's report on the Potomac sandstones ; a 

 portion being of lighter tint. He was informed that the committee adhered to their 

 decision not to use for the external walls any material darker than No. 19, but 

 they did not object to some portions of the building being of a lighter shade. He 

 was further informed that the architect, Mr. Eenwick, and perhaps one of the 

 committee, would shortly visit Bull run quarry, for the sake of ascertaining, by 

 actual excavation and otherwise, whether the supply from the stratum in question 

 was sufficient. 



And, on motion, the committee adjourned. 



Twenty-Ninth Meeting, April 17, 1847. 



Present, Messrs. Seaton and Owen. 



On motion of Mr. Seaton, it was — , 



Resolved, That the Corporation of the city of "Washington, the Independent Order 

 of Odd-Fellows, the volunteer companies, and the citizens generally, be invited to 

 join in the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the Smithsonian Institution. 



The chairman stated to the committee that he had consulted Mr. Drayton as to the 

 actual size which the plates of the proposed volume on architecture might be made, 

 so as to leave adequate margin ; and that it was found that they might be eleven 

 inches by seven inches, (or, if necessary, eleven inches by seven inches and a half.) 



Mr. Owen stated to the committee that he had written to Mr. Kenwick ; instructing 

 him to cause the perspective views of the Smithsonian Institution to be of that size. 



The chairman submitted an inscription, prepared by the superintendent, for a plate 

 to be placed under the corner-stone of the Smithsonian building. 



It was adopted, and is as follows : 



