Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-01-15
MUSEUM RuvunuNc
IT'S Completion Announced.
REPORT or THE ARCHITECTS,

WASHINGTON, January Sd, 1881.
TO the Ron. Building Commission OF f,pproo
guiding FOR National Museum care or W. r
Sherman, chairman.
Ge'iHe7aen:-We have the honor to report to
you the completion Of the new building unde,
the appropriations available for this purpose
and simultaneously to submit report of opera
Cons On the construction OF the building Sine
January i. 1850, the date OF our last report. The
progress OF the work was so that the plaStering
OF the building could be commenced as soon Is
1he state OF the weather permitted 1t, in the
early part OF the spring. lC was completed b}
the middle OF August, and, after this misce,a
neous work Tor finishing, such as iron balconies
rallDgs and stafrways were put up, all the
oIlces were foored and put in readiness for oc.
cupatlon, the cellars were laid with asphaltlc
concrete. the wooden floors OF all the outside
halls were laid upon solid bed Of hydraulic
cement concrete. and a concrete base was laid
ior the noors OF the main and square halls All
the numerous details OF the steam heating ap-
paratuS were attended TO, so that steam coyl
be put On with the advent OF the cold weather.
ana though the heavy walls and piers were con-
sldefably chilled by long continued exposure
au!fng the early fail, and the excessive mois III
In tne unfinished building, com tortable h Il
was obtained within q few days. aud was IN Ain.
sanea curing the Coolest days OF this unusual y
severe winter, no more than reasona lie
amount OF fuel being used for heating the va t
space OF ABOUT g. 150 900 cubic feet included sit :
liz The walls and roofs Of the building.
halls ard rotunda, as intended under the es /.
mates. has not been put on since hardly wi, b.
out any dlf1erence OF opinion II Was held b ,t
notnins less than chasIe Thing would 90 is
made for this without delay. On the othsr
hand, much more than an equivalent OF the
cost OF this surfacing has been spelt on work
nor inctuaea IN the estimates but deemed i'm
earl early date as possible. The approaches to
the building" for which always a separate
sstlnale Is brought before Congress, have beea
ton. We may be allowed to state a few of
these items, not originally contemplated, but
Included Ia the construction account to wit:
Al the windows were glazed With two glass
for each pane. and an Improved skylighi for
photographer was put up at cost Of 81 955,
Three more cellars than originally contemplated
were constructed, and annexes to the corner
pavlliions, involving expensive 1reproof doors,
were fitted up; the lofts in the corner payilltons
were converted into additional finished stories.
cost =, 800. The covered spaces In front OF and
sheitering the four main entrance doors were en-
N,eo4.0s. Ali the brickwork OF the extensive
racades was oiled and penciied at a cost of
~, 90. terraces We're formed to regulate the
grades OF the ground around the building
2,42s. There was expended for cut-stone on the
approaches to the main entrance, S., 2S6. Total
si4;'33Cs. Tie conditions imposed upon us TO
Keep within the appropriation have been COM
piled with In good faith. A substantial fire
proof building has been completed st less cost
per square foot of the enclosed area tnan that
OF inc temporary buildings erected for the In
ternatiOnal exhibition In philadelphia In 1876
The principal adopted, to have all the WIN
dows In side walls and lanterns glazed with two
sheets OF glass. having an intermediate air
space mas acted very well. and it is desirable to
eX enc the same feature over the understde5 OF
the roofs In the halls by the Introduction OF
hight iron ceilings about Is inches distant from
tncse plastered undersides. The Intermediate
air space In this case to be packed with non
conducting fire proof material. such as mineral
WOOL or Its equivalent This will secure for the
building very Pleasant temperature in sum
mer, reduce the expense of heating the huge
building In winter and remove any tendency to
wares condensation on those exposed under
sides during the rapid changes OF temperature
and hygIonetric condition OF the atmosphere
peculiar 10 this Climate and locality.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
me appropriations made b. Congress are
For construction OF building, s250, 900; for steam
h,natipg apparatus $3.50 for electric work,
Expenditures and liabilities January 1st,
1881: Earthwork. s3,2S2 pa foundations.
go s0s 6s; brickwork s'7. 637 IS; cutstone work,
SIS, $s3S; galvanized iron work, ST. 7s41s; root
ing, s21 ,55l.43 concreting floors OF offices and
nails st, zoo ~; north vestibule, laid with ell
lumber, SIS, 5v62s: clustering SIG 1914: glass
and yentiators, $,722.64: painting and glaz-
ing. Including material and labor, Sc sI7.sa;
onp Of s,a,ua aRa on aIn aas 8, a s2
cellaneous expenses, $40 S62. 80; construction
ana superintendent by The architects, 5000:
steam heating apparatus, exclusive OF all
electrical apparatus, ss22.3l total, s2s7 ,422 81
or this sum there has been actually expended
s2S.5 4as q; liabilities under agreements, 50 913:
balance avaHaG.e, after nleetlug Liabilities I'M
der Gate OF January I. 1881, S17.;,3
We nave the honer TO be. gentlemen, your
most otedient servants,
CLUss IL SCHULTZ, Architects.
THE LAST MANS SocIkTY.s-rhe dea OF
John Nattfer, In Cincinnati. Thursday, ends tn
prominent Cincinnatians, dining together.
agreed to commemorate that event by an an
nual elmer so long AS they lived, the chair of
esch men perto De placed at the table after his
Geath. bottle OF wine was locked In casket
ana me Key thrown away. the same to be
opened and the wine drunk bEtke last survivor
after the death OF all the Others. DR.. Vattter
was member OF this society, and some years
ago performed this last duty In remembrance
OF his dead associates. In past years he has
eaten this annual dinner alone, with the six
but never used. His death ends the strange
organization known as 1.-The Last Mans So
ciety."
REPORTED DISAPPEARANCE OF A POLITICIAN
a dispatch from Reading, Pa. to the Phlladel-
ph1a Times states that VIM. w. Hoag, a promi-
Eept democratic politician OF BerkS county
and Tilden electOr in 1876. has absconded on
account OF financial enlbalrassments and fam
lily difficulties 1t IS said that q divorced woman
has disappeared and gone with Hoag, who
leaves Wife and several children.
Two CHILDREN BURNED TO DEArH.-The resi-
dence OF James o. Buckley, on Hemlock Lake
New York, was burned to the ground Thursday
morning. Two children, boy and girl, aged
respectively and 10 years, were burned to
death Tie parents barely escaped from the
lower story, while the children slept up stairs
and could not be reached.
MURDERED AT A BALL-A quarrel between
James Gentry and Dory Dickinson at society
party In Ashe county, &c. growing out of Jeal-
ousy IN regard to young lady. resulted In
Dickinson stabbing Gentry several times caus.
Ing bis death in a few minutes dickinson
escaped.
AN ORDER for IA locomotives to cost over
81 ,00O, O00, has been given to tho Baldwin Loco
motive Works at Philadelphia by the Denver
and Rio Grande Railway, for the equipment. Of
its extension.
AT THE ANNUAL MEBTING Of the New York
Genealogical and Biographical Society last
night. General Grant was proposed as an hon.
orary member, and will be elected at the next
meeting.
A FopcpD VIII Harmon n pnlto yr:,n xroo