20 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1924 



inefficient electric light fixtures under the galleries in the exhibition 

 halls were remodeled, increasing the amount of illumination by 50 

 per cent with a saving of 40 watts for each fixture in current con- 

 sumption. The art textile exhibition hall in the east north range 

 was repaired and painted, as were also the hallways on the first and 

 second floors of the northwest pavilion, several offices in the west 

 and the south towers, and the mezzanine room in the southwest 

 pavilion. New wooden floors were laid in two rooms, one in the 

 west tower and one in the northeast pavilion. The cafe was closed 

 from May 15 to the end of the month, during which time it was 

 thoroughly overhauled and renovated, the skylight repaired, and 

 new awning over it provided. 



The flat tin roofs over the eight ranges and the cafe, and the sides 

 and ends of all lanterns on the roofs over the four main halls, four 

 courts, and four pavilions of the building, were painted. The old 

 worn-out asphalt water table on the outside of the northeast range 

 was removed and a heavy reinforced-concrete pavement of greater 

 width substituted. This was constructed with special view to the 

 display there of heavy specimens which heretofore were of necessity 

 placed alongside the roadway. 



In the Smithsonian Building a concrete floor was substituted for 

 an old brick floor in a basement room, and besides other minor re- 

 pairs, the roofs of three towers and a portion of valley gutter over 

 the main section of the building were painted. The exterior walls 

 of the Aircraft Building, which are of corrugated metal, and all 

 seams of the corrugated sheet-iron roof were likewise painted. 



Heat, light, and power plant. — The power plant was operated 

 satisfactorily with comparatively few repairs. As customary in 

 recent years, the plant was closed down during the summer season, 

 which extended from July 1 to September 12, 1923, and from May 

 29 to June 30, 1924. During this time electric current was purchased 

 from the Government contractor. 



The heating season was two weeks longer than the preceding year, 

 due to the very late and unusually cool spring. Heat was main- 

 tained in the buildings continuously from October 5, 1923, to May 

 29, 1924. The total consumption of bituminous coal for heat, light, 

 and power was 3,267.2 tons, and 15.8 tons of stove coal were used 

 for domestic hot water purposes in the summer. The average cost 

 of bituminous coal this year was $7.79 for each ton, against $9.06 

 the previous year. 



The buildings were more satisfactorily heated than in past years. 

 The 9 -inch steam main in the engine room which has always given 

 trouble has been gradually replaced, doing away with loss in steam. 

 The installation of traps to prevent short circuiting of the steam 

 from the supply to the return mains also improves the service. Par- 



