72 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891. 



deciding this appoiiitiiieiit, the Museum was much iudebted to the 

 courtesy of Commodore Melville, U. S. Navy, who, in compliance with 

 the request of the Secretary, appointed Passed Assistant Engineer 

 Baird, and Assistant Engineer Norton, of the Navy, as a board to ex- 

 amine the candidates. 



There were twenty-five applicants for the position, eight of whom 

 comi)leted the examination. The questions, tifty-flve in number, were 

 mostly on practical engineering ami practical electric lighting. The 

 papers of Mr. Parkhurst reached a percentage of 83.81; those of 

 two other candidates, Mr. F. M. Stromberger and Mr. R. H. Speake 

 were but slightly less. The examining board pronounced the percent- 

 age reached by several of the competitors remarkable, considering the 

 character of the questions submitted. 



The complicated nature of the duties connected with this position, 

 both iu the Smithsonian Institution and the Museum, renders apparent 

 tlie necessity of having the appointment depend upon a competitive ex. 

 aminati(m, which is a thorough test of ability. 



In the autunni of 1890 permission was given by Mr. Clark, the archi- 

 tect of the Capitol, to remove from the crypt beneath the building the 

 original plaster model of the bronze statue by Crawford, which sur- 

 mounts the dome, and to deposit the same in the Museum. 



The work of removing the fragments of this cast was begun in Octo- 

 ber, 1890. A brick and cement base was prepared in the center of the 

 rotunda and the erection and restoration of the statue were begun on 

 the 8th of December, The model, which had remained for nearly 

 thirty years in the basement of the capitol, was found to be so broken, 

 many of the more delicate parts being entirely gone, that its complete 

 restoration from the fragments seemed imposssible. In addition to 

 difficulties of this sort, in order to move and place safely in position 

 the immense pieces of the statue which remained intact, it was found 

 necessary to saw them carefully into smaller parts, which after being 

 lifted into place were securely reunited. Great interest was manifested 

 in the restoration, it being observed that many persons came regularly 

 to watch its progress, and it was a matter for congratulation when the 

 difficult work was finally satisfactorily completed. The restoring was 

 done by an employe of the Museum, Mr. Theodore Mills, son of Clarli 

 Mills, who in 1860 cast from this model, the statue in bronze for the 

 Capitol. 



The preparation for the World's Columbian Exposition has been begun 

 under the direction of Dr.Cloode, representative of the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution and National Museum. As the most skillful workmanship is re- 

 quired in this connection, many of the best employes of the museum have 

 been transferred to the Exposition roll, an<l a few others of known etti- 

 ciency have been appointed. 



Mr. K. E. Earll, who took part in the Fisheries Exhibition in Loiulou, 



