FORTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS, 1881-18g3. 893 



building of the Smithsonian Institution were visited and inspected. In tliis portion 

 of the building are all the records and valuable documents belonging to the Institu- 

 tion. The interior is entirely of wood and illy arranged, making it especially unsafe 

 and liable to accident from fire, thus endangering the entire building. As a matter 

 of safety, this wing and corridor should be completely cleared out and rebuilt of fire- 

 proof material, and furnished with improved modes of communication and egress. 

 Official extract furnished Prof. S. F. Baird. 



William Tindall, 

 Secretary Commissioners District of Columbia. 



Referred to Committee on Appropriations. 



(Printed as House Misc. Doc. No. 33.) 

 August 2, 7882— Senate. 



Mr. James B. Gkoom offered an amendment to sundry civil ])ill that 

 a board be appointed to examine public buildings in the District of 

 Columbia. * * * Smithsonian Institution, * * * and if in 

 their judgment any additional facilities are necessary for the extin- 

 guishment of fire or safety of the lives of the occupants, they are 

 hereb}^ authorized to provide the same, appropriating $100,000 for 

 this purpose. 



Mr. William B. Allison. I make the point of order on that. 



Sustained. 

 January 26. 1883— House. 



Estimates for 1884. 



For completing the reconstruction in a fireproof manner 6f the 

 interior of the eastern portion of the Smithsonian Institution, $50,000. 

 March 3, 1883. 



Smidry civil act for 1884. 



For completing the reconstruction, in a fire-proof manner, of the 

 interior of the eastern portion of the Smithsonian Institution, $50,000. 



(Stat., XXII, 628.) 

 March 20, 1882— House. 



LECTURES. 



Mr. William D. Kelley introduced a bill (H. 5326): 



That hereafter annual courses of lectures shall be delivered in the city of Wash- 

 ington upon the arts and sciences illustrated in the National ]\Iuseum. 



Sec. 2. That the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, the Superintendent of 

 the Coast Survey, the Director of the Geological Survey, the Superintendent of the 

 National Experimental Garden at the Agricultural Department, the Chief of the 

 Educational Bureau, the Director of the Army Medical Museum, the Director of the 

 Mint, the Astronomer at the Naval Observatory, and one of the Chief Examiners of 

 the Patent Office, to be named by the Secretary of the Interior, are hereby consti- 

 tuted a board of managers to execute the purposes of this act, with power to employ 

 such lecturers, agents, and assistants as may be necessary to the proper fulfillment of 

 the trust hereby created. 



Sec. 3. That the use of the various museums and collections, and the lecture rooms 

 attached, and the old Armory building is hereby granted forthe lectures above named, 

 so far as may be possible without interfering with the purpose of their creation, their 



