1816 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 
For repairs to buildings, shops, and sheds, National Museum, includ- 
ing all necessary labor and material, $8,000. 
Norr.—The current appropriation for this purpose is $4,000. An increase of $4,000, 
making a total of $8,000, is requested. The larger sum is required in view of the 
fact that the Museum building, which was cheaply constructed in the beginning, is 
now 16 years old, and the roof, floor, and walls are constantly in need of repairs. 
The original wooden floors still remain in several of the large halls, where they are 
now so badly worn and decayed as to necessitate their immediate replacement by 
some more substantial material. The interior walls require painting throughout, the 
recent changes incident to the building of new galleries having added to their 
unsightly appearance. 
For the erection of a fireproof building for workshop and storage 
purposes for the National Museum, said building to be constructed 
under the direction of the Superintendent of the Library of Congress 
in accordance with the approval of the Secretary of the Smithsonian 
Institution, $50,000. | 
Norr.—Owing to the fact that the Museum building is not provided with a base- 
ment, it has been necessary to make use of temporary detached quarters for work- 
shops and for the storage of surplus specimens and the furniture drawn upon for 
exposition purposes. These temporary quarters include a brick building and three 
frame sheds on Ninth street SW., known as the ‘‘ Museum annex,’’ which are leased 
by the Government at an annual rental of $2,000; a frame carpenter shop, adjacent 
to the Museum building, and two frame sheds near the Fish Commission building on 
Armory square. None of these structures are fireproof and the destruction of any of 
them would entail considerable loss. 
It is requested, in the interest of the safety of Government property, as well as a 
matter of convenience and economy, that provision be made for the construction of 
a special building adapted to the purposes above named. Preliminary plans have 
been prepared for such a building, 50 feet front by 130 feet deep, with a basement, 
entirely fireproof in its construction, plainly finished and corresponding in materials 
and workmanship with the Museum building. It is estimated that a building can 
be erected in accordance with these plans, including heating appliances and plumb- 
ing, at a_cost of 20 cents per cubic foot, or about $50,000 complete, the interest of 
which amount, at 4 per cent, would only equal the rental of the present leased 
quarters. 
The site suggested for the building is the Government reservation between the 
National Museum and Army Medical Museum, with frontage on B street south. 
For rent of workshops and temporary storage quarters for the 
National Museum, $4,500. 
Nore.—The sum of $2,000 is required to continue the rent of buildings on premises 
at No. 431 Ninth street SW., in the city of Washington, known as the ‘‘ Museum 
annex,’’ which are used for workshops and storage in place of the quarters formerly 
occupied for the same purpose in the sheds adjacent to the Smithsonian Institution. 
The use of these buildings is secured by an annual lease, renewable during a term of 
years. 
Should the plan for a fireproof building, estimated for under the last heading 
above, be not approved by Congress, it is desirable that the further sum of $2,500 be 
appropriated for the rental of additional quarters in which to place the carpenter and 
cabinet shop now in a wooden shed adjacent to the Museum building, and for the 
storage of material contained in two wooden sheds near the Fish Commission build- 
