38 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



deemed it expedient to invest the money in such State stocks as were 

 then considered most eligible, and accordingly there were invested 

 in — 



Indiana 5 per cent, stock $75, 000 



Virginia 6 " " " 53,500 



Tennessee 6 " " " 12,000 



Georgia 6 " " " ' 500 



Washington 6 " " " 100 



Amounting in all to * 141, 100 



This scheme has afforded an ample opportunity to compare the 

 relative advantages of the two principal plans of organization and to 

 verif} 7 the predictions which were originally made in regard to the 

 building. Though but a portion of the income has been devoted to 

 the active operations, they have produced results in the way of in- 

 creasing and diffusing knowledge abundantly sufficient to justify the 

 anticipations which were- entertained in regard to them, and to con- 

 vince the most skeptical of their primary importance. As to the 

 building, it is now abundantly proved that a structure of one-fifth of 

 the cost would have been sufficient for the wants of the Institution, 

 and that two grave errors were committed in the adoption of the pres. 

 entone: first, the plan was but little adapted to the uses to which the 

 edifice was to be applied ; second, the style of architecture required a 

 far greater expenditure than the amount to which the cost of the 

 building was limited. For the purpose of architectural effect the 

 interior was very inconveniently divided; the buttresses, turrets, and 

 towers, while they add very little to the accommodation of the build- 

 ing, greatly increased the cost. To have constructed the building 

 in a substantial and durable manner, in strict conformity with the 

 Lombard style of architecture which was adopted, would have re- 

 quired an expenditure of at least double the amount of the sum 

 appropriated for the purpose. It was, therefore, necessary, in order 

 that the exterior might be constructed in freestone, that the interior 

 should be finished in wood and stucco, and that thus recourse 

 should be had to the presentation of a falsehood to the eye in the 

 very inauguration of an enterprise for the advancement of truth. 

 The two wings and the two connecting ranges were completed in 

 this manner. The main building, which is 200 feet long and 50 wide, 

 embellished with six towers, was also in process of completion, the 

 framing of the interior having been finished, when the underpinning 

 gave w T ay and the whole of the woodwork fell to the ground. After 

 the occurrence of this accident a commission of architects, appointed 



