960 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 



that they have given the subject a careful investigation, and have 

 heard the views and opinions of experienced and competent scientists 

 in regard thereto, and have caused experiments to be made as to the 

 character and quality of the air of the House. 



The committee herewith submit the arguments and statements made 

 before the committee and the result of experiments made under their 

 direction. 



MARCH 10, 1884. 



The committee met pursuant to adjournment. 



Present the Chairman, Messrs. Green, Shelley, Evans, Jeffords, and Brewer. 



The CHAIRMAN laid before the committee a report l from Prof. Spencer F. Baird 

 and others, comprising the advisory board to the Committee on Ventilation and 

 Acoustics during the Forty-fifth Congress. 



Report of the board of United States officers convened by request of the Committee 

 on Ventilation of the Forty-eighth Congress. 



' ' The board has the honor to report that, in accordance with the request of the 

 Committee on Ventilation, it has examined the plans submitted by Mr. T. C. Perry 

 for the improvement on the ventilation of the Hall of the House of Representatives. 

 " It is the opinion of the board that if these plans were carried out the ventilation 

 of the Hall would not be as good as it is at present. Ventilation by aspiration has 

 been tried in the Hall before, and with unsatisfactory results. If it be desired to 

 try it again all the machinery necessary for the purpose is on hand, and the trial 

 can be made without the necessity of purchasing fans or of expending money for 

 the purpose. 



' ' The board does not think that downward ventilation would give good results in 

 the Hall. 



"All of which is respectfully submitted. 



"SPENCER F. BAIRD, Chairman, 



' ' Secretary Smithsonian Institution. 

 "Tnos. LINCOLN CASEY, 



" Lieutenant- Colonel Engineers. 

 "EDWARD CLARK, 



"Architect United States Capitol. 

 "J. S. BILLINGS, 



"Surgeon, United States Army." 



* * * * * * * 



The chairman inquired from Professor Baird whether he had any suggestion to 

 make as to the improvement of the ventilation in the Hall. 



Professor Baird replied that he had come into the board after the work had been 

 done. He had succeeded Professor Henry simply for the purpose of keeping up the 

 organization. After Professor Henry's death he had been appointed Secretary, but 

 at that time all the work had been done by the other gentlemen. His position was, 

 therefore, rather honorary than active. He only knew the subject from what he 

 had heard the other gentlemen say. 



The chairman remarked that Colonel Casey had been an active member of the 

 commission. 



Professor Baird assented. He (the professor) knew nothing on the subject. 



Forty-eighth Congress, first session House. Report H. 2026. 



