io Report of the President. 



Endowment. 



Receipts from all sources $69,548 80 



Balance Jan. 1, 1897 $7,258 10 



Transfer to Maintenance Account to balance 



deficit, Jan. 1, 1897 3,406 23 



Disbursements for the increase and development 



of the collections 54,182 40 



Transfer to Maintenance Account to balance 



deficit, Dec. 31,1897 1,51001 



$66,356 74 

 Cash surplus carried over to Jan. 1, 1897 3,192 06 $69,548 80 



Additions to the Building. — Early in April the State 

 Legislature enacted a law empowering the municipal authorities 

 to erect a new lecture hall and an addition to complete the corner 

 of the west wing. Plans for these structures were promptly 

 prepared, and received the approval of the Trustees, the Commis- 

 sioners of Parks, and the Board of Estimate and Apportionment ; 

 the latter at the same time authorized the issue of the bonds as 

 provided in the Act. 



Within a brief time contracts were let for the structure to 

 complete the east wing, for the erection of the addition to com- 

 plete the west wing, and for the construction of the large lecture 

 hall at the north end of the old building. 



Rapid progress is making on all of these buildings, and unless 

 some unforeseen delay prevents it is expected that the halls will 

 be ready for cases and fittings during 1899. The new lecture 

 hall may be ready for occupancy late in the coming autumn, and 

 will have a seating capacity for fifteen hundred persons. This 

 hall will provide ample accommodation for the large numbers 

 which at times heretofore have been unable to gain admission to 

 the courses of free lectures to the public. 



Attention is called to the diagram inserted in this report which 

 exhibits the two end structures and the new lecture hall at the 

 north end. 



With these additions the south front of the Museum will be 

 completed in accordance with the original plans adopted at the 

 time the first structure was erected. 



