FORTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS, 1883-1885. 945 



For covering coal vaults and sidewalk on south and east fronts of 

 National Museum building, $1,000. 



For the preservation, exhibition, and increase of the collections 

 received from the survej'ing and exploring expeditions of the Govern- 

 ment and other sources, including salaries or compensation of all nec- 

 essary employees, $95,000. 



For transfer and arrangement of the collections of the American 

 Institute of Mining Engineers, presented to the Government, $10,000. 



For the preparation and installation of duplicate specimens belong- 

 ing to the United States, for deposit with such State or national expo- 

 sitions as may be authorized by Congress to receive them, $5,000. 



For care of the Armory buildings and grounds, and expense of 

 watching, preservation, and storage of the duplicate collections of the 

 Government, and the property of the United States Fish Commission 

 contained therein, including salaries or compensation of all necessary 

 employees, $3,500. 



For cases, furniture, and fixtures required for the exhibition of the 

 collections of the United States National Museum, and for salaries or 

 compensation of all necessary employees, $60,000. 



For expense of heating, lighting, and telephonic and electrical serv- 

 ice, $6,000. 



For printing and binding (through the Secretary of the Interior), 

 $10,000. 



For postage (through the Secretary of the Interior), $3,000. 



December 1, 1884 — House. 



Estimates for 1886. 



For the erection of a fireproof building for storing the alcoholic 

 collections of the National Museum, $15,000. 



Note. — The safety of the interior of the National Museum and the Smithsonian 

 building is endangered by the large number of alcoholic specinlens kept therein, 

 and it is considered by public museums, both at home and abroad, very important 

 to have a separate building for their reception and preservation. There are at 

 present no suitable accommodations for these collections. 



For expense of heating, lighting, and telephonic and electrical service 

 for the National Museum, $10,000. 



For the preservation, exhibition, and increase of the collections 

 received from the surveying and exploring expeditions of the Govern- 

 ment, and from other sources, including salaries or compensation of 

 all necessary employees, $110,000. 



Note. — Much complaint has been made by employees of the Museum and their 

 friends that the salaries paid are so much below the Government standard, and the 

 increase of the present estimate over that for the fiscal year 1885 is intended to make 

 up the difference. The average of payment at the present time is |60 per month for 

 each individual, while that for the Department of Agriculture, representing about 

 the same average of employees, is $81 per month for each person employed. More 

 than sixty persons in the Museum are greatly underpaid. 

 H. Doc. 732 60 



