REPORTS OP THE BUILDING COMMITTEE. 705 



Report of the Building Committee for the year 1851. 



The Building Committee of the Smithsonian Institution beg leave to submit the 

 following report of the progress of the building during the year 1851, and of the 

 expenditures which have been made under their direction during the same time : 



By the resolution of the Board, at their session in 1847, the whole expenditure of 

 the building, grounds and furniture, was limited to $250,000 ; and for tbe purpose of 

 meeting this expense, without encroaching too much on the accruing and accrued 

 interest, the building was not to be finished under five years from the time of its 

 commencement. 



On account of the giving way of a part of the interior, the Kegents, at their 

 meeting in 1849, ordered a survey of the whole work by a commission of architects. 

 This commission reported that the exterior of the building was well constructed of 

 good materials ; that the interior, consisting of wood and plaster, was not proper for 

 a depository of valuable property, much of which will be donations, presented with 

 the implied condition that it would be properly secured against danger from fire. 



In accordance with this report, the Regents found it necessary to deviate from their 

 original intention, and to order the removal of the wood work which had been erected 

 in the interior of the main building, and to direct that its place should be supplied 

 by fire-proof materials. 



This change in the materials of construction, according to the estimate of the 

 architect, James Renwick, jr., will require an additional outlay of about $44,000. 

 In round numbers we may therefore estimate the entire cost of the building and 

 furniture at $300,000. To meet the additional expense, the Regents have directed an 

 extension of the time of completing the building. 



The contract of Mr. Cameron includes the finishing the whole of the exterior of 

 the edifice, of the interior of the two wings, of the two connecting ranges, and of all 

 the towers. This contract must be finished before the 19th of March of the present 

 year ; or, in other words, within the period of five years from the date of the con- 

 tract. 



During the past year, all the exterior of the building, including all the towers, has 

 been completed, and the rjublie have now an opportunity of judging of the architect- 

 ural effect, relative to which much discrepancy of opinion has existed. The majority 

 of strangers who visit the city consider it a very beautiful edifice, of which the effect 

 will be heightened by the improvement of the grounds and the planting of the trees. 



The committee, since the last meeting of the Board, have thought it advisable to 

 order some changes and additions for the better security and use of the building. 

 They haye directed that the spiral stairs leading from the bottom to the top of the 

 octagonal tower, shall be constructed in iron, and that the groined arch, which forms 

 the ceiling of the space between the front towers over the main entrance, shall be 

 constructed in brick instead of wood and plaster ; also, that the floor of the second 

 story of the vestibule of the southern tower shall be laid with tile instead of wood. 

 Besides these changes, intended to render the building more secure from fire, the 

 committee have authorized the fitting up of three rooms in the basement of the west 

 connecting range, for printing and stereotyping uses. 



In view of appropriating a portion of the main building to the purposes of a large 

 lecture room, the committee have directed that the large doors of the main entrance 

 shall be made to open outward, in order to avoid the fatal consequences sometimes 

 occasioned hj the rushing out in a panic of a large crowd of individuals. 



To facilitate the approach to the Institution from Pennsylvania avenue, the corpo- 

 ration of the city have appropriated $2,500 to the construction of an iron foot bridge 

 across the canal at Tenth street, and the necessary footways. This bridge but for an 

 accident would have been finished before this time and will probably be completed in 

 the course of a few weeks. To connect this bridge with the centre of the Smithsonian 

 building, Mr. Downing has constructed a gravel walk underlaid with coarse stone to 

 serve as a drain. Across the bridge and along this path a series of iron pipes have 

 been laid for conveying gas to the Smithsonian Institution from the main pipe along 

 Pennsylvania avenue. 



The plan of the improvement of the public grounds mentioned in the last report 

 of the committee has been adopted by the President, and is now in the process of 

 rapid execution under the direction of Mr. Downing. When it is completed, the 

 whole of the area known as the Mall, extending from the foot of Capitol hill to the 

 Potomac river, will be converted into a beautiful park, adorned with evergreen and 

 other ornamental trees, and traversed with carriage drives and gravel walks. In the 

 midst of this variegated landscape the Smithsonian building will occupy a prominent 

 position, and with its picturesque architecture will produce a harmonious effect. 

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