REPORT OP ASSISTANT SECRETARY. lUl 



sonian building has been assigned to the Department of Mollusks, and shelving has 

 been erected therein tor the storage of trays, etc., belonging to that, department. 

 The halls and galleries in the Smithsonian building have been scoured and cleaned, 

 and the furniture placed in order after the confusion incideni to the painting of the 

 walls. The mechanics have also been occupied on the following work : making five 

 hundred blocks tor the exhibition of medals : making frames for Assyrian slabs, and 

 mahogany shelves for the Department of Mammals ; remodeling pier cases, and fitting 

 them with shelves ; fitting drawers and locks to cases ; making drawers for storage 

 cases ; fitting mahogany table tops to wooden pedestals; constructing a platform for 

 the steam-steering machine in the Department of Transportation and Engineering; 

 making one ease of pigeon-holes for the section of fisheries; fitting shelves to a chart 

 case; beveling one thousand blocks for the Department of Minerals ; making a desk 

 and case of pigeon-holes for the registrar's office ; making frames for plaster casts ; 

 painting the window frames of the Museum building; painting walls in the lecture 

 room; kalsoiuining the east front of the annex building; ebouizing blocks for the 

 Department of Minerals. 



November. — Early in the month the Superintendent left Washington with six skilled 

 laborers for Cincinnati for the purpose of packing and returning to the Museum the 

 exhibits and cases sent to the Exposition. A force of men has been engaged in clean- 

 ing out the sheds at the Armory and re-arranging the vast amount of material there 

 stored. The tender belonging to the engine " John Bull " was brought over from the 

 Armory and placed at the east entrance of the Museum building. The lecture hall was 

 cleared to make room for the return of the exhibits from Cincinnati, which began to 

 arrive on the 26th. On December 15, all this material was safely boused, aud the 

 superintendent with his men returned to their duties in the Museum. The work of 

 unpacking and returning the exhibits to their proper departments occupied the time 

 of the entire laboring force for many days. After most of the above work was com- 

 pleted, the Graphic Art exhibit, recently returned from Cincinnati, was installed in the 

 lecture hall. During the latter part of this month many of the cases in the Anthropo- 

 logical ball were re-arranged. Thocarpenters completed remodeling pier cases for use 

 in the Department of Arts aud Industries. The following work was also accomplished: 

 One book-case, with shelves, was made for the Department of Botany ; changing 

 doors in unit tables in the Department of Botany ; making two oak book-cases for 

 the Executive Department; constructing pigeon-holes for the Department of Building 

 Stones ; also counter, drawers, and pigeon-holes for the office of the engineer of prop- 

 erty ; adjusting locks and doors in floor cases in the southwest ball. The painters 

 have been engaged in covering and painting diaphragms, lettering screens, aud var- 

 nishing picture frames ; painting tubs for plants in the rotunda; painting the walls 

 of the public comfort room ; glazing windows in the Smithsonian and Museum build- 

 ings ; painting walls over the stairway in the east pavilion ; finishing in hard oil a 

 large book-case for the executive clerk's office ; painting cases for the Department of 

 Property aud Supplies. 



December. — Ash screens to be placed on the top of the cases in the south-west court have 

 been made. The west hall has been re-arranged and the lecture hall put in order for 

 the meetings of the American Historical Association. Eleven door screen cases have 

 been furnished to the curator of birds. These will take the place of the old white 

 cases in the center of the hall, which will be condemned as soon as the specimens have 

 been removed. Theold storm door at the north entrance to the Museum building has 

 been removed to the east entrance, and larger and more serviceable ones have been 

 placed at the north entrance. The following work has also been accomplished : Con- 

 struction of base for statues; painting trays; repairing Japanese clock; construction 

 of card catalogue shelves for cases ; putting strips in case for medals ; painting bases ; 

 making two large walnut bases; setting glass in the antelope case, and finishing and 

 shellacing pedestals; painting pedestals aud putting locks on cases in the Department 

 of Botany. The fence around a part of the Armory building has been repaired and 

 the sash glazed and painted. The windows and screens in the lecture hall have been 

 glazed and painted. For the Department of Ethnology a large oak frame for a map 

 of Asia has hern made. A. Kensington case has been polished : frames for plaster casts 

 have been made: a skeleton frame for the west hall has been constructed ; four boxes 

 have been made for the library; cases for the models of the Zoological Park have 

 been made, and a card catalogue case was constructed for the offioe of the engineer 

 of property. The work on the bird cases in the Smithsonian building still continues. 

 The upright cases have been extended back as far as tho wall. 



1 S89. 



January, — The work of constructing an additional room for the entomological lab- 

 oratory over the ladies' reception room was begun the Latter part of December. This 

 work was continued during this month aud completed in the earl j part of February. 

 For the Department of Prehistoric Authropology a number <>f wing frames have been 



