78 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1914. 
The power plant was closed down as usual during July and August, 
and the electric current required during that period was purchased 
from a local producing company at the low summer rate of 24 cents 
a kilowatt hour. This arrangement, which was an exceedingly 
economical one, gave opportunity for overhauling and cleaning the 
plant and putting it in good condition for the remainder of the year, 
but no actual repairs of great moment were called for. During this 
time the employees connected with the operation of the plant were 
also given the greater part of their annual leave. Owing to an in- 
crease of about 80 cents a ton in the cost of coal, there was a distinct 
increase during the year in the relative cost of heating and of gen- 
erating electric current, as also in the minor operations connected 
with the plant, but, on the other hand, much less current was required 
to be generated than during either of the two previous years. ‘The 
amount of coal, entirely bituminous, consumed in the boilers was 
2,936 tons, and steam was generated for heating purposes from Octo- 
ber 13 to May 5, inclusive. Further changes have been made and are 
still in progress in connection with the distribution of steam to the 
older main buildings and the outlying buildings, whereby greater 
economy and more satisfactory results are certain to be obtained. 
The ice plant continues to give satisfaction, and its capacity is fully 
equal to the needs of the Museum. The output of ice for the year was 
346.8 tons, at a total cost of $867.92, or a rate of $2.55 a ton. 
The watch clock system in the two older buildings, which had been 
in use for nearly a third of a century and had in many respects be- 
come unreliable, was replaced by one similar to that recently installed 
in the new building. The clock records cover a period of 24 hours 
with spacings at 5-minute intervals; there are 24 magneto generator 
stations and connections with 2 Mutual District Messenger Co.’s 
turn-in boxes, 1 in each building. All of the stations are required 
to be visited and a call sent in from each at regular intervals during 
the night rounds of the watchmen, which insures a positive record 
that all parts of the buildings have been inspected at the times fixed by 
the regulations. The fire alarm system used in the older Museum 
building was extended to the-Smithsonian building by establishing 
3 turn-in stations, 1 in the middle of the building and 1 at each 
end, and installing a fire alarm gong at the north entrance. The sys- 
tems in the two buildings are connected. The addition of automatic 
elevator door controls to the passenger elevators, referred to in the 
last report, was completed for both the north and south elevators. 
The principal articles of furniture obtained during the year con- 
sisted of 230 exhibition cases, 278 storage cases and pieces of labora- 
tory furniture, 124 pieces of office and miscellaneous furniture, 2,396 
unit specimen drawers of wood, 600 insect drawers, and 2,175 miscel- 
laneous specimen drawers. The greater part of this furniture was 
