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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION   655
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Henry White, Chairman
Frederic A. Delano
Herbert Adams
Gari Melchers
J. H. Gest
Charles D. Walcott, exofficio

Special Committee.

In this connection, Mr. Delano submitted the following resolutions for the Board's consideration:

WHEREAS; There is no provision for the housing and exhibiting of the paintings, sculptures, fine industrial arts, and similar collections belonging to the Government, held in trust by the Board of Regents;

WHEREAS; COllections to the value of several millions of dollars are in storage or temporarily on exhibition and are crowding out important exhibits and producing a congested condition in the Natural History, Industrial Arts, and Smithsonian Buildings;

WHEREAS; Provisional plans have been prepared for the building for the National Gallery of Art, funds for the same having been provided by private subscription;

WHEREAS; It will require several months to provide for finishing the plans and specifications for suitable building for said National Gallery of Art;

WHEREAS; It will require from two to three years to build and prepare for service a building for the said National Gallery of Art;

WHEREAS; Congress by joint resolution approved in 1923, authorized the use of a site on the north side of the Mall between the United States National Museum (Natural History Building) and Seventh Street; and authorized the erection of an art building "when funds from gifts or bequests are in the possession of the said Regents";

BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution that Congress be requested to enact into law the following authority for the erection of a National Gallery of Art building;

To enable the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution to commence the erection of a suitable fire-proof building with granite fronts for the National Gallery of Art, including the National Portrait Gallery, and the history collections of the United States National Museum on the north side of the Mall between the Natural History Building and Seventh Street, Two million, five hundred thousand dollars, provided that the total cost of said building complete, including connection with the present heating, lighting, and power plant of the Natural History Building, and elevators shall not exceed nine million dollars.
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