Building and Grounds 261 



and engineer to prepare the plans and superintend the work. 

 F'or this purpose Mr. Adolph Cluss was employed, under 

 the direction of a building committee consisting of Richard 

 Delaficld, Richard Wallach, and Joseph Henry. He made a 

 critical survey of the building to ascertain the actual state of 

 the walls and to determine what parts it was necessary first 

 to repair. This survey revealed the fact that the original con- 

 struction was defective, and in many respects the building was 

 unsuited as a repository for records and other valuable arti- 

 cles. In consequence it was determined to not only restore 

 the ravages made by the fire, but also to rebuild the defective 

 parts so as to render the building thoroughly fire-proof and 

 entirely stable both as regards material and mode of construc- 

 tion. The expense of this reconstruction was estimated to 

 be about $150,000, and the building operations were con- 

 tinued until 1867, during the summer of which year the 

 building was again ready for occupancy. 



Since that date changes have been made from time to 

 time in accordance with the requirements of the Institution. 

 Of these perhaps the most important have been the transfer 

 of the executive offices to the east wing of the building, for- 

 merly occupied by Secretary Henry as his private residence, 

 and the reconstruction of this wing and the connecting range 

 in 1884, whereby more commodious quarters were secured. 



In 1880-81 the growth of the museum compelled the 

 erection of an annex building, to contain the overflow of the 

 collections; and an appropriation of $250,000 was made by 

 Congress and a simple structure of brick, iron, and glass was 

 built close to the Smithsonian building, upon the southeast. 

 This building is entirely devoid of architectural pretensions, 

 and does not require many words of description. It should 

 be stated, however, that the object of the building committee 

 having it in charge was to obtain the largest possible amount 



