1226 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 
NATIONAL MUSEUM—NEW BUILDING. 
June 12, 1888—Senate. - 
Mr. J. S. Morrmz, from Committee on Public Buildings and 
Grounds, reported a bill (S. 3134): 
That the sum of $500,000 is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the Treas- 
ury not otherwise appropriated, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for the 
erection of a fire-proof building for the use of the National Museum, to cover 300 feet 
square, and to consist of two stories and basement, to be erected under the direction 
of the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, in accordance with the plans now on 
file with the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, on the southwestern 
portion of the grounds of the Smithsonian Institution. Said building to be placed 
west of the Smithsonian Institution, leaving a roadway between it and the latter of 
not less than 40 feet, with the north front on a line with the south face of the build- 
ing of the Agricultural Department and of the Smithsonian Institution; and all 
expenditures for the purpose herein mentioned shall be audited by the proper 
officers of the Treasury Department. 
Mr. Morri1z, from the same committee, submitted a report (S. 1539) 
to accompany bill (S. 3134): 
To demonstrate the pressing necessity for additional accommodations 
for the vast amount of materials which has been accumulated for exhi- 
bition in the National Museum, it will perhaps be sufficient to present 
the communication of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, and 
the statements made showing the immense number of entries to the 
catalogues of the Museum since 1882. 
The plans presented, viz, the basement, gr ound floor, at sodatiee 
story plans, with front plesiiiod: do not give all the dncomiaed fea- 
tures of the building, but are complete enough to be the subject of 
careful estimates, and although competitive estimates have not been 
made, the estimators on these figures agree to give bonds that the work 
shall be efficiently done without exceeding the amount. It is probable 
if the work is let out by contract that it would be completed for some- 
thing considerably less, 
Your committee therefore recommend the passage of the bill. 
SMITHSONIAN InstituTION, Unirep Srares Nationa Museum, 
Washington, June 2, 1888. 
My Dear Sir: I send herewith, in accordance with your suggestion, a plan of one. 
of the floors of the proposed Museum building, together with a perspective drawing 
in color on a smaller scale. I hayealso plans for the basement and first floor together 
with an elevation and transverse section. These are at your service if you desire 
them. They have been prepared with the utmost care and represent the results of 
an exhaustive study, which has extended over several years, of the plans of the best 
modern museum buildings in Europe and America, nearly all of which have been 
personally inspected by officers of the Smithsonian Institution. 
The building, as proposed, covers the same area as the present Museum, but is 
intended to consist of two stories and a basement, thus affording nearly three times 
as much accommodation under the same area of roof as the building now in use. 
The arrangement of the interior of the proposed new structure is, however, consid- 
erably modified as the result of the experience of seven years’ occupation of the 
