ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 

 1917 



To the Trustees of Field Museum of Natural History: 



I have the honor to present a report of the operations of the Museum 

 for the year ending December 31, 19 17. 



The progress during the year just closed in the construction of the 

 new Musetim building in Grant Park has been important and perceptible. 

 This would naturally appear to be so to the casual observer, because the 

 work has been, so to speak, above ground, but from the standpoint of the 

 architects and general contractors this is also the fact. During the year 

 the inside and outside fill was completed. The setting of the exterior 

 marble commenced in May, and at the end of the year the east and west 

 wings of the building were practically completed as was also the basement 

 work of the north and south entrances. Sixty per cent of both the 

 marble carving and the sculptor marble are complete. The brick work 

 in all the exterior walls is finished up to the roof line, and the interior 

 court walls have been completed to the second floor. There has been 

 difficulty in obtaining brick for the court walls, which accounts for this 

 work not being finished. All the steel floor beams are in place with the 

 exception of the north and south entrances. It is believed that the steel 

 for the roof of the entire building including the nave, but not the 

 entrances, will be in place before April 191 8. It is also anticipated that 

 all the roofing including the tile composition and glass work will be 

 finished not later than August first. Excellent progress has been made 

 in the plumbing work and approximately fifty per cent of this labor 

 has been completed. The steam fitting has progressed with the other 

 work and about twenty-five per cent of this contract is installed, ex- 

 clusive of the boilers, stokers and coal handling machinery. Levels are 

 continually being taken for signs of settlement or movement, but thus 

 far there has been no moving whatever either horizontally or vertically 

 during construction. 



With no ceremony and in the presence of only a few of the Trustees 

 and executive officers of the Museum, a copper box was placed in a 

 comer stone of the new building on Friday, September 28, 191 7, at 

 2:00 o'clock P. M. The box contained a typewritten history of the 

 Museum from its inception until the date indicated; a photograph of 



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