28 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



existing boundaries are not in all respects satisfactory, as they do not 

 always coincide with the regular highways, and therefore permit of build- 

 ings being placed in close proximity to the park, a condition obviously 

 unsuitable both for the seclusion of the animals and because of the 

 probability of disorderly conditions arising upon such properties. 



The most notable of the efforts made to secure a better arrangement 

 was the bill on the subject introduced by Senator Gallinger, which was 

 favorably reported by the Committee on the District of Columbia of 

 the Senate, finally passed by the Senate on July 7, 1898, and is now 

 before the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds of the House 

 of Representatives. 



The text of the bill as it passed the Senate is as follows: 



S. 4191. 



AN ACT To readjust the boundary of the National Zoological Park and preserve its 

 seclusion between Park road on the east and Cincinnati street and Connecticut 

 avenue on the west. 



Be it enacted by the Senate and Souse of Representatives of the United 

 States of America hi Congress assembled, That a commission, to consist 

 of the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, the president of the 

 Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia, and the Engineer 

 Commissioner of said board, is hereby authorized and empowered to 

 acquire, by purchase or condemnation, in the same manner as was 

 adopted for the acquirement of property already embraced iu the 

 National. Zoological Park under the provision of the Act of March 

 second, eighteen hundred and eighty-nine, the tract of land lying south 

 of the National Zoological Park owned by the Union Benevolent Asso- 

 ciation of the District of Columbia (colored) and now occupied as a 

 cemetery, and. such parcels of ground adjoining the said park and 

 between its present boundaries and Connecticut avenue extended on 

 the west and the nearest road shown on the recorded highway exten- 

 sion plans of the first section on the east and south (inclusive of such 

 road in case the same is not yet dedicated to public use) as they shall 

 deem necessary for preserving its safety and perpetuating its seclusion; 

 these properties, along with Joliet street, already purchased, to be made a 

 part of the said park, for which purpose the sum of twenty-five thousand 

 dollars is hereby appropriated, to be paid half out of the District funds 

 and half out of the United States funds. The Union Benevolent Asso- 

 ciation of the District of Columbia (colored) is hereby authorized to 

 sell and convey any portion or all of the tract of land owned by them 

 on the southern side of the Zoological Park now occupied as a cemetery. 



It would seem that the passage of this bill is very desirable, and I 

 take occasion to refer in this connection to the letter which I quoted 

 from an eminent landscape artist, Mr. Olmsted, in my report for the 

 fiscal year ending June 30, 1895. 



ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY. 



The work of the past year has been successful beyond expectation, 

 and, as is stated in the report of the Aid acting in charge, it has 

 resulted iu the discovery and determination of position of over 500 

 new absorption lines, so that we iiave now over 700 new lines of well- 



