REPORT OF THE BUILDING COMMITTEE. 715 



-this was effected through the kind assistance of the Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secre- 

 tftry of War, who authorized General Meigs, Quartermaster General, to con- 

 struct, under the direction of General Rucker, the covering required, though at 

 the expense of the Institution. The work was executed, during the most in- 

 clement period of the year, in the short space of two days. This temporary 

 roof, covered with felt saturated with tar, has served the purpose intended. It 

 will, however, rapidly deteriorate, and, consequently, the first object of tho 

 committee, during the coming season, will be to decide on the character of the 

 roof, and to hasten its completion as rapidly as the work can properly be ac- 

 complished. 



In the restoration of the building the committee have been governed by the 

 following considerations : 



1st. To render the work entirely stable, both in regard to material and mode 

 of construction. 



2d. To render it thoroughly fire-proof. 



3d. In view of the great cost at present of material and workmanship, and 

 the condition of the funds of the Institution, at first to do such work as should 

 be necessary to preserve the stability of the several parts of the building, and 

 prevent injury to the property by the weather. 



The following is a detailed account of the expenditures on the building up to 

 the close of the operations for the winter. It includes not only the items of 

 expenditure immediately connected with the reconstruction, but also those 

 which were necessary as preliminaries in the security of the property and the 

 temporary repair of such parts as could not be deferred : 



Expenditures on the Smithsonian building from January, 1865, to April, 1866. 



PRELIMINARY WORK AND CURRENT EXPENSES. 



Pay of laborers removing debris after the fire, taking 



down walls, and general cleaning up $1, 055 29 



Temporary roof, constructed under direction of Quarter- 

 master General 1,974 25 



Pay of carpenters — repairs 254 75 



Pay of blacksmiths 28 25 



Pay of glaziers 121 95 



Pay of plasterers 98 00 



Glass, oil, paints 544 50 



Nails, tools, and hardware 849 33 



Water and gas pipes, new plugs, extensions, and repairs 1, 569 44 



Tin work, new roof on tower, and repairs 256 20 



Repairs to felt roof, and miscellaneous items 93 92 



6,845 88 



RECONSTRUCTION OF THE BUILDING. 



Iron work, beams, doors, frames, &c 9, 052 22 



Stone 400 00 



Hard brick (240,333, at $15) 3, 605 00 



Pressed brick (32,200, at $23) 740 60 



Lumber 2, 185 84 



Cement, 774 barrels 1, 436 52 



Sand, 545 loads 546 05 



Lime 12 64 



Hardware, nails, steel, iron clamps, tools, &c 632 82 



Rope, blocks, and derricks 135 95 



Blacksmiths' coal 18 00 



