- PIFTY-EIRST CONGRESS, 1889-1891. 1321 
NATIONAL MUSEUM—BASEMENT. 
March 3, 1890--House. 
A letter from the Architect of the Capitol, transmitting estimate of 
the cost of erecting a basement story under the National Museum 
was submitted: 
Arcuitecr’s OFFICE, UNITED States CaPIToL, 
Washington, D. C., February 28, 1890. 
Sir: In compliance with the requirements of the act pr Pes for the sundry civil 
expenses of the Government, approved March 2, 1889, I have examined the National 
Museum, and have estiaated the cost of constructing the basement story under that 
building. 
It is thought that the only portion of the basement available for workshops and 
suitable for storage would be a cellar, running around the outer walls of the building 
and extending inwards 30 feet, so that the rooms thus obtained may have light 
and air. 
These rooms should be roofed with brick arches supported by iron beams. Pro- 
vision is made in the accompanying estimate to floor with tiles the entire rooms 
under which these basements come, in part, as the present wooden floors of these 
rooms are now in bad condition and will soon be unfit for use. 
Estimate. 
PF <eavatine. 6,220-yards of earth, at$l- 20.25 2222s cose le sce eee Sa -- $6, 220 
Underpinning front walls, 672 perches, at $7 -....1.--.-------------------- 4, 704 
Stone masonry, inner walls, 1,248 perches, at $6........---..-.------------ 7, 488 
Fireproof flooring (including columns) 1, 866 yards, at $5.50 -..-...---.----- 10, 263 
Marble tiling, 30,400 superficial feet, at 75 cents .......-------------------- 22, 800 
Fifty-six windows, at $25 ......- eH SR Es Wy eee Sn eee eee a 1, 200 
Removing and replacing pipes and sewers......--------------------------- 3, 000 
Perennerren eee Hewat. ee es econo Sark eee aie oa Seen Smo s Sao. 300 
Concrete floors in cellars, 1,866 yards, at 90 cents........------------------ 1, 680 
STE gh ae eM, BN Lie auliee SMSIET ACA Lod gE dd SARS SAE A Ce Sept ee ae dae 57, 675 
I will say that by reason of the sewer, steam, and gas pipes running under the 
present floors the work of constructing these PER rooms, though practicable, 
will be extremely difficult. 
I beg to say that I am of the .opinion that a site ae a storehouse and for work- 
shops required may be purchased in the neighborhood of the Museum and a fire- 
proof building erected thereon with a capacity as great as these proposed basement 
rooms for a sum less than will be necessary to construct this basement. 
Very respectfully, 
Epwarp CLARK, 
Architect United States Capitol. 
The SPEAKER OF THE Hovss oF REPRESENTATIVES. 
Referred to Committee on Expenditures on Public Buildings. 
NATIONAL MUSEUM—ESTIMATES. 
December 2, 1889—House. 
Estimates for 1891. 
For the construction in a fireproof manner of an additional Museum 
building, to be erected under the direction of the Regents of the 
