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Printing labels, blanks, circulars, &c.

Tools, materials for cleaning, binding records, &c., &c.

Salaries of secretary, chief clerk, and assistants, labor

ers, and contingent labor

189 81

614 70

Interest on temporary over-draft

9,552 80
72.00

12, 898 34

PUBLICATIONS, RESEARCHES, &C.

Publishing transactions, researches, &c., for Smithso

nian Contributions, quarto....

Miscellaneous collections, octavo..

Smithsonian reports, illustrations, stereotyping, &c.,

.$4,633 09

1, 177 45

1,050 75

1,011 47

99 70

1,682 57

9,655 03

$775 42

2, 801 84

octavo

Meteorology, computations, &c.

Apparatus.

Explorations, natural history, and archæology

LIBRARY, MUSEUM, AND EXCHANGES.

For purchase of books and binding..

.....

3,226 72
1, 488 29

2,068 88

10, 361 15

57, 100 59

Literary and scientific exchanges
Assistants in museum, janitor, watchmen, laborers, and
for labelling and arranging shells and ethnological
specimens..

Incidentals for museum-alcohol, bottles, &c..
Freight on books, specimens, and other property
received and sent away..

Expenditures during the year..

Deducting this amount from the receipts of the year and cash in bank on 1st January, 1868, as previously stated...

Leaves a balance in bank January, 1869, of ...

.$67, 453 33

$10, 352 74

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EXAMINATION OF ACCOUNTS.

The committee has examined 576 receipted vouchers for payments made during the four quarters of the year 1868. Evidence of the receipt of materials and property, and of services rendered, and payment to the claimants or legal representatives, was found for the whole amount expended during the year. An examination of the quarterly accounts current, bank-book, check-book, and ledger showed that the payments were made as required by the regulations prescribed by the regents; and the cash balances stated in the accounts current were in the authorized depository after the payment of all the quarterly accounts charged in the abstracts of expenditures.

In the receipts for the year 1868, the sum of $5,116 31 is noted as having been received through the Department of the Interior, appropriated by Congress for the preservation and charge of its property in the museum collected by government exploring expeditions. The expenditure of this sum was made and accounted for in strict conformity with the financial regulations prescribed by the regents.

ESTIMATED RECEIPTS FOR 1869.

Interest on the Smithsonian fund in the treasury of the United
States $650,000, payable 1st July, 1869, and 1st January,
1870, at 6 per cent. in gold...

Probable premium on sale of coin..
Interest on Virginia 6 per cent. stock.

Sales of useless property and other incidental sources during the
year...

Total income in 1869.....

APPROPRIATIONS FOR 1869.

It is proposed to apply the income of the year as follows: For general expenses...

Publications and researches.

Library, collections for museum, and exchanges..
Continuing the repairs of the building...

Leaving from the yearly income a balance of.

$15,000 00

15, 000 00
10, 000 00

5, 000 00

45,000 00
8, 567 00

$39, 000 00

13, 000 00 1,067 00

500 00

53, 567 00

$53,567 00

It will thus be seen that the Institution has paid all its indebtedness; provided all needful accommodation in the gradual reconstruction of parts of its building destroyed by fire; published large editions of annual contributions to science; accumulated a saving from its income of 1868 of $10,352 74, and an estimated saving of $8,567 from its income of 1869-making the sum of $18,919 74 as an available fund in January, 1870, to enable the Institution to conduct its operations on a cash basis from the beginning of the year, and to continue and extend' its investigations in the various branches of physical science; at the same time supplying apparatus for warming the various apartments in the building.

RICHARD DELAFIELD,
PETER PARKER,

Executive Committee.

WASHINGTON, January, 14, 1869.

JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS

OF

THE BOARD OF REGENTS

OF THE

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.

WASHINGTON, January 20, 1869.

In accordance with a resolution of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, fixing the time of beginning of the annual session on the third Wednesday of January in each year, a meeting was called for this day.

No quorum being present, the board adjourned to meet on Wednesday, 27th January, 1869, at 7 o'clock.

WASHINGTON, January 27, 1869.

A meeting of the Board of Regents was held at 74 o'clock p. m. at the Institution. Present, Hon. B. F. Wade, Hon. W. P. Fessenden, Hon. L. Trumbull, Hon. G. Davis, Hon. J. A. Garfield, Hon. J. V. L. Pruyn, Hon. R. Delafield, Hon. P. Parker, Rev. Dr. John Maclean, Hon. S. J. Bowen, and Professor Henry, the secretary.

Mr. Wade was called to the chair. The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved.

The secretary stated that since the last session, Mr. Sayles J. Bowen had been elected mayor of the city of Washington, and thereby became ex-officio a member of the board in place of Mr. Wallach, and that Professor Agassiz's term had expired, but a resolution reappointing him a Regent had passed the Senate. General Delafield, in behalf of the Executive Committee, presented the annual account of receipts and expenditures for the year 1868, with estimates for the year 1869; which was read, and,

On motion of Mr. Pruyn, the report was adopted.

General Delafield also presented the following report relative to the Washington city canal, which was read:

Report of the executive committee on a resolution of the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution on the influences of the Washington city canal on the health of the population of the city, May 15, 1868.*

The executive committee, to which was referred the resolution of the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution of the 22d of April, 1868, instructing it to ascer

*Senate Mis. Doc. No. 95, 40th Congress, 2d session.

tain what measures are proposed to be taken by the city authorities of Washington in regard to the canal, so far as concerns the Smithsonian Institution, has examined the subject and now report, for the information of the Regents: That the Washington city canal has been constructed under the authority granted by the following laws:

On the 1st of May, 1802, Congress passed an act incorporating the Washington Canal Company, to raise $80,000, and construct a canal from the Potomac to the Eastern Branch, to admit boats drawing three feet water to pass through the whole extent of said canal, with the right to charge and collect tolls and wharfage. If not so completed within five years, it was to revert to the United States.

This act seems to have expired by the failure of the company to execute the work, and on the 16th of February, 1809, Congress incorporated other parties, to raise $100,000, with the same title, to construct the canal through part of the city of Washington, as laid down on a plan of the city defining its limits, to admit of boats drawing three feet water to pass through it; and if, at any time, the canal shall become obstructed so that boats and scows drawing three feet water cannot pass through from the Potomac to the Eastern Branch, the company shall not collect tolls or wharfage, and all the rights under this act shall cease, unless the canal is completed within seven years from the passage of the

act.

Before the expiration of this seven years, and on the 6th of May, 1812, Congress authorized money to be raised by lottery for completing the canal, rendering it navigable, and draining the marshes and low grounds contiguous thereto, and on the 7th of May, 1822, authority was granted by Congress to the city of Washington to contract with the canal company to change the direction of parts of the canal, to drain and dry the low grounds on the borders of Tiber creek. On the 20th of May, 1826, the canal company was authorized to increase the width of the canal along the present boundary of the Smithsonian grounds, and elsewhere, to 150 feet in width, and also to construct basins; and within five years shall construct the canal through its whole length to contain water at least one foot in depth at ordinary low water.

On the 2d of May, 1831, the canal company sold all its interest to the city of Washington, which was conveyed by a deed dated the 23d of July, 1831; and on the 31st of May, 1832, Congress confirmed this sale, and enacted that all the right, title, interest, property, and estate of the Washington Canal Company are vested in the mayor, aldermen, and common council, for the aforesaid use, with the proviso, that the canal shall be finished and completed, of the breadth and depth and in the manner and within the time hereinafter prescribed, and not otherwise. The act then prescribes the width at different parts, and then that the canal, throughout its whole length and breadth aforesaid, and the basins, shall have a depth of at least four feet water at all times, and that the whole shall be walled on its sides, and made suitable for steam-vessels, to be used therein, and finished by the 1st of March, 1833, and in default, all the rights and privileges granted by this act shall cease and determine. No tolls or wharfage were allowed to be charged or collected whenever the canal was so out of repair as to impede the free navigation with four feet water. By the same act all the right, title, property, interest, and estate of the United States, of, in, and to that part of the public reservation designated as the mall, was vested in the city corporation, in fee, to be sold, and the moneys applied to the construction of the canal. A street of 80 feet wide on the south side, in addition to the 40 feet landing, was also authorized, and previous specified acts, conflicting with this act, were repealed.

On the 2d of March, 1833, Congress appropriated $150,000 to aid in fulfilling the objects and requirements of the act of 31st of May, 1832, provided the city corporation relinquished all title to the land vested in it by the 8th section of

the act, and all the rights and privileges granted by the 8th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th sections of said act.

On the 3d of March, 1849, Congress appropriated $20,000 for clearing out and deepening that portion of the canal which passes through and along the public grounds, provided the city expends a like sum in cleaning out and deepening the other portions.

On the 3d of March, 1851, Congress appropriated $20,000 for completing, clearing out, and repairing that portion of the canal which passes through and along the public grounds, provided the city expends a like sum in clearing and repairing the other portions.

On the 23d of February, 1865, Congress authorized the city corporation to lay taxes * to introduce the necessary sewerage and drainage facilities under or upon the whole or any portion of any avenue, street, or alley.

On the 16th of February, 1866, a bill was reported in the House of Representatives creating a sewerage commission, with power to improve and regulate the Washington city canal, as may be necessary; and on the 6th of March an amendment to the bill of the 16th of February, 1866, was reported, limiting the number of commissioners to three, giving them power to adopt and lay down a complete and uniform plan of sewerage, as it may deem necessary and most advisable, with reference to the public health and general interest; the city to raise $150,000 to execute the work by contract, and the United States not to be responsible for an amount exceeding one-half the outlay or expenses incurred under this act. There was no further action on this bill or amendment.

About the same time, to wit, on the 7th of March, 1866, the Senate of the United States passed a resolution requiring the appointment of a board of United States engineers, to report a plan for improving the canal and sewerage of the city. This board, on the 2d of April, 1866, made a partial report for the temporary improvement of the canal, which the city authorities adopted, and appropriated $75,000 to carry into effect.

Such is all the legislation on this subject the committee has been enabled to find, up to the end of the year 1867; from which it appears the United States granted to a company the right to construct the canal in question, on certain conditions and for specified uses; that this company sold all its rights to the corporation of the city of Washington, and the United States approved the sale and transfer, granted additional rights, and exacted additional facilities, limiting the uses to navigation by steamers, barges, and scows over the whole surface and length of the canal and basins, from the Potomac to the Eastern Branch. No authority is found for converting the canal into a sewer or recipient for the sewerage matter of the city, nor can the committee find that the purposes of the sanal for navigation have ever been carried into full effect. It would further appear that the city can make no sale, transfer, disposition, or change of its rights, interests in and uses of the canal, without the authority of the United States, and it may well be questioned whether or not the city has lost all its rights in the premises, by failing to make the canal navigable, and using it as a sewer and reservoir for the excreta from a large proportion of the population of the city.

PROPOSED ACTION.

On the 6th April, 1868, a bill was reported in the board of aldermen, granting to certain citizens all the rights now held by the city in the canal for a term of 30 years. It proposes to grant, for the sole use and benefit of the parties named, all the rights, &c., of the city to the canal, and all the rights conferred by the United States, under the act of the 31st May, 1833. The corporators are to .narrow the existing canal, and deepen it to one foot at low water, and finish the same in June, 1873, and may collect tolls and dockage. The company shall extend all sewers now leading into said canal to the outer surface of the canal

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