Report of the President. 1 1 



Additions to the Building. — Early in the year the favorable 

 conditions in the cost of building encouraged the Trustees to con- 

 sider that the time was opportune for the completion of the east and 

 west wing corners and the new Lecture Hall, and that the unex- 

 pended balances from the several appropriations would be sufficient 

 to meet the cost of this work. We were disappointed in our expec- 

 tations, however, owing to the rapid increase in the cost of labor 

 and the great advance in the cost of iron construction. These 

 conditions compelled the abandonment of the first series of plans 

 and the preparation of a scheme modified to meet the situation. 

 Specifications were prepared for the completion and equipment of 

 the new Lecture Hall only ; the present hall being inadequate to 

 meet the increasing demands of the public. The contract was 

 awarded to Thomas Cockerill & Son, they being the lowest bid- 

 der ; and I am assured that the Lecture Hall will be completed 

 during May, 1900. 



Transportation. — It is a pleasure to acknowledge the court- 

 eous and liberal assistance accorded the Museum by the following 

 railroad companies : The Central Pacific, the Union Pacific, the 

 Wabash and Missouri Pacific lines, the Canadian Pacific, the 

 Chicago & Northwestern, the Atchinson, Topeka & Santa Fe, the 

 Denver & Rio Grande, the Mexican Central, the Internacional, 

 and the Erie. These corporations have substantially aided the 

 work of our field parties in the Western and Southwestern States, 

 and in British Columbia. 



Early in the year an invitation to visit the Museum was ex- 

 tended to the President of the United States of Mexico, in antici- 

 pation of his proposed tour of our country ; the visit was deferred 

 owing to the pressure of his official duties. Secretary of State 

 Mariscal and suite subsequently visited the Museum on October 

 1 8th, and were received and entertained on behalf of the Board 

 of Trustees. 



Attendance. — The number of visitors from January 1st to 

 December 31st was 458,451. The report is very gratifying, 

 inasmuch as we were obliged to close the Museum on Tuesday 

 and Saturday evenings between May and October, in order to 



