30 ANNUAL. REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1923 



In the Natural History Building the most extensive repairs con- 

 sisted of painting the east and west hall attics, the watchmen's room 

 on the first floor, and tin gutters of roof, and the replacing of worn- 

 out down spouts. The water table outside this building and the road- 

 ways on the south, east, and west sides of it were repaired. Meas- 

 urements made this year show that the movement of the keystones of 

 the stone arches in the rotunda has been but very slight. Observa- 

 tions and measurements will, however, continue to be made at inter- 

 vals of a few months. The most important item in the Smithsonian 

 Building was the repairing of a broken metal finial on top of the 

 tower at the northwest corner of the main building. 



Through the courtesy of the Commissioners of the District of 

 Columbia and the cooperation of the fire department, the exterior 

 walls of the Natural History Building were thoroughly washed in 

 August, 1922, materially improving the appearance of the building. 

 In attempting to get water for this purpose, the fire department dis- 

 covered that all of the fire h} r drants in the Smithsonian Park were 

 in bad condition and of an antiquated type, leaving the buildings 

 practically unprotected in case of fire. The District Commissioners 

 called the attention of the Institution to the necessity of installing 

 new hydrants and of adding to their number. An estimate to cover 

 the installation of four new fire plugs in the Smithsonian Park was 

 included in the estimates submitted by the Institution to the Bureau 

 of the Budget in September, 1922. The estimate failed to receive 

 favorable action, but will be again submitted for consideration. The 

 fire plugs in all the buildings and the fire hose are tested regularly. 



As usual, the power plant was not operated during the summer, 

 a commercial company supplying the light and power required. 

 While the plant was shut down the old feed-water heater, which 

 had been in use ever since the plant was first put in operation, was 

 replaced by a new Cochran open feed-water heater and meter, 

 effecting a marked saving in the consumption of fuel. During the 

 year 3,052 tons of bituminous and 15.5 tons of stove coal were con- 

 sumed. Heat was supplied the buildings in the Smithsonian group, 

 including the Freer Building, from October 9, 1922, until May 19, 

 1923. The total electric current generated was 376,293 kilowatt- 

 hours. The electric load was greatly increased by the opening of the 

 Freer Building to the public, near the close of the year, so that on 

 dark and cloudy days it is greater than can be safely carried on 

 the cables leading into the Natural History Building from the lines 

 of the Potomac Electric Power Co. Additional cables will have to be 

 installed to take care of this increase. The ventilation plant in the 

 Freer Building was operated in the usual manner during the winter 

 and up to the time the building was opened to the public, since 

 which time the speed of the fans has been materially increased, to 



