LIFE IN WASHINGTON 235 
his manuscript, he was politely informed of its receipt 
and that it would be carefully “filed with the archives 
of the Institution.”” This was usually sufficient for the 
vanity of the inventor. But later on some one, irritated 
at the non-appearance in print of his lucubrations, would 
write an angry letter inquiring the reasons therefor, and 
would be politely informed that all the valuable archives 
of the Institution had perished in the flames. The 
Professor once declared that the relief of mind thus 
afforded was almost worth the cost of the fire. Fortu- 
nately the fire-proof floors of the upper story kept the 
flames from the ground floor and basement, and the 
invaluable library and collections, though somewhat 
injured by smoke, water or hasty removal, were for the 
most part saved. 
During the period of the war, in his intercourse with 
committees of Congress on matters affecting the Institu- 
tion, Professor Baird won a reputation for simple straight- 
forwardness and scientific worth which gave him great 
influence with the best men at the Capitol, and made 
him many powerful friends. 
This enabled him, when those gloomy days were over, 
to facilitate research in connection with Governmental 
surveys and other expeditions. In this way a vast deal 
was accomplished for Science and the way toward the 
establishment of a National Museum was measurably 
cleared. 
In reference to his early work at the Smithsonian 
Miss Lucy notes: 
““On his appointment as Assistant Secretary he brought 
his collections to Washington and turned them in toward 
the formation of the Museum which was the dream of his 
youth and the achievement of his later years. An impor- 
