26 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1908. 
considerable importance, as follows: The old slate roofs over the 
south hall and the southeast and northwest courts of the Museum 
building were replaced with tin roofs of a superior quality, similar to 
those constructed over other parts of the same building during the 
{wo previous years. This work, completed on November 3, 1907, also 
included the substitution of new tin valleys for the old ones on the 
south and east sides of the northwest court and the north and east 
sides of the southeast court. Other exterior repairs consisted in re- 
newing worn-out flashings on the ranges and in repainting the roofs 
built the year before, besides attending to many minor matters per- 
taining to the roofs, walls, and windows. The only roof which now 
remains to be replaced is that over the central rotunda. 
In view of the expenditures in connection with the roofs, but little 
means were available for continuing the isolation of the exhibition 
halls as a measure against the spread of fire, as explained in former 
reports. Some progress, however, was made in this direction. The 
several window openings between the northeast pavilion and the art 
gallery were completely closed with macite, and fireproof doors were 
substituted for the wooden ones, thus placing the latter hall in an 
exceptionally safe condition from this point of view. Macite parti- 
tions were also erected to a limited extent in a number of other places, 
where the requirements seemed most urgent. The western hall and 
adjoining range in the Smithsonian building, the walls of which had 
become much defaced, were partly repainted, 12 of the windows in the 
former were thoroughly repaired, and certain fireproof walls and 
doors were added in the basement, so as to completely shut in the 
alcoholic storage, 
Steam was first raised in the heating boilers on October 10, 1907, 
and was continued with little interruption until the 16th of May 
following. The fuel consumed amounted to S80 tons of coal and 52 
cords of wood. Some changes were made in a part of the conduits 
carrying the electric hghting wires in order to secure better insula- 
tion. This system, which now embraces about 28 miles of wire, with 
about 2,000 lamps, 9 motors, and 160 fans for hot weather, together 
with the call box and fire alarm systems, was maintained in good 
condition. 
At the close of the year there were on hand 2,369 exhibition cases, 
2461 storage cases, and 1,621 pieces of office and other furniture. 
Sixty-six of these were made during the year in the workshops of 
the Museum, 54 were purchased from contractors, and 24 obtained 
from expositions. Storage drawers to the number of 1,212 were also 
acquired. A number of old and worn-out pieces of furniture were 
condemned and sold. The experiments looking to the construction 
of fireproof furniture for the new building, noted in the last report, 
were continued, 
