402 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 
village did not offer other sufficient accommodations. 
Baird had therefore laid the case before the Appropria- 
tions Committees of Congress and been authorized to 
add a residence building to the permanent Fish Commis- 
sion group at that point. This was completed during the 
summer of 1884 and proved a great relief and convenience. 
The party returned to Washington in October. To Baird’s 
handicaps of illness and overwork were now added others 
in the shape of petty squabbles between some of the old 
Smithsonian clerical employes, which needed a deal of 
patience to alleviate, and which a less considerate man 
than Baird would have summarily settled by instant 
dismissal of the parties. Then there arose in Congress 
a discussion as to whether the National Museum and Fish 
Commission should not be separated from their relations 
with the Smithsonian and placed in charge of some of 
the Executive departments, incidentally affording politi- 
cal “plums.” Charges were also made against the Assist- 
ant Commissioner by a discontented subordinate. All 
these gave Baird much worry and without doubt decreased 
to some extent his physical powers. These dissensions 
and their consequent investigations were long drawn out 
and were by no means at an end with the year. The 
Professor was seriously ill by the 24th of February and 
confined to the house until the 5th of March. Warned 
by his increasing disabilities, husband and wife prepared 
for the future by making their wills. 
The conditions in Washington during the year follow- 
ing the fourth of March, 1885, were unique. Before the 
outbreak of the Civil War government business had been 
carried on with looseness. Much was left to the judgment 
of the executive officers, and it is probable that these 
officers were as honest and faithful to their trust as any 
