Figure 31. — Corner of Water and Albatross Streets before the fire 

 of 1920. Old machine shop of the Bureau of Fisheries 

 on the left, MBL mess at right corner. 



In March 1920, a wooden building (fig. 31 ) containing the 

 steam boiler, engineroom, and machine shop burned down. The 

 fire spread accross the street and destroyed the dining hall of the 

 Marine Biological Laboratory. Plans for a new brick building 

 were made, and the contract for the construction of a fireproof 

 structure to house the boiler, nmachine shop, and sea-water pump 

 --at the cost of $51, 000--was signed on January 6, 1921. The 

 building, with equipment, was completed during the fiscal year 

 of 1921. Because of the lack of funds for research activities, 

 however, the laboratory was not opened. 



In that year Henry O'Malley became the new Commissioner 

 of Fisheries and appointed R, E. Coker Director of the Labora- 

 tory for the summer of 1922. Administrative responsibility of 

 the Washington office necessitated Coker' s presence at the head- 

 quarters, and he spent only the month of July at Woods Hole. The 



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