ox 
REPORT OF THis SECRETARY. 
BUILDINGS. 
T must again urge upon the attention of the Regents the ever-increas- 
ing necessity for relief from the overcrowded condition of the National 
Museum. The lack of more adequate accommodation has been even 
more forcibly presented than ever before in making the necessary prep- 
arations for the Museum exhibit at the World’s Columbian Exposition 
in Chicago. 
The present Museum building was finished and occupied in 1881. The 
collections increased so rapidly that as early as 1883 the Regents, at 
their meeting of January 17, recommended to Congress the erection of 
a new building. 
Since 1883 the collections have again increased to such an extent that 
a new building as large as the present one could now be practically 
filled with material held in storage, and I can only repeat with inereased 
emphasis the closing sentence of my letter of January 21, 1890, to the 
Hon. Leland Stanford, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Publie 
Buildings and Grounds, “that unless more space is provided the de- 
velopment of the Government collection, which is already partly ar- 
rested, will be almost completely stopped.” 
Plans for a new museum building of two stories and basement were 
laid before the Board in January, 1890, and on February 19, 1890, a 
bill appropriating $500,000 was reported by Senator Morrill from the 
Senate Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds and passed the 
Senate on April 5, 1890. This bill was favorably reported from the 
House Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds January 9, 1891, 
but at the close of the session it had not come before the House for 
action. 
An appropriation of $25,000 for fire-proofing the so-called chapel of 
the west wing of the Smithsonian Building and for repairing the roof 
of the main building and the ceiling and plastering of the main hall of 
the building, having become available, plans for the contemplated im- 
provements were prepared by the Architect of the Capitol, as directed 
by Congress, ayd work was begun in April, 1891. The old roof of the 
chapel was entirely removed and replaced temporarily by a wooden cov- 
ering for the protection of the specimens contained in this part of the 
building. By the end of June gratifying progress had been made 
towards the construction of a safe, substantial iron and slate roof. 
This appropriation of $25,000 was but a portion of the sum asked for 
to be used not only for fire-proofing the chapel and repairing the roof 
of the main building, but also for making other repairs upon the build- 
ing, more especially in making more suitable provision for storing and 
handling the Government documents, the distribution of which Con- 
gress has intrusted to the Institution. Under the wording of the appro- 
priation act it was found, however, that the expenditure of the appro- 
priation was confined to the two items mentioned above. I have referred 
