The Clerk read as follows: WASHINGTOND, 0. April 18, 1866. Sm: I have the honor to acknowledgethereceipt of your letter of the 9th instant. in which you desire mete communicateto you the circumstances under which Messrs. Berry Higgins reeommencedwork in 1864on the north wins:0 the Patent Officebuilding; and what wassaid as to the prices they should botpuidfor the marble and fllllltfia also whether I no erstood the workup or ti e pertico of this wing to beincludedin the original contract and whether the ponscaotniotmn c taifinrgiceiwnatos.cine nmsiydienrdagtimonetnhte. ahfiag imporimce of labor. 0. In reply to these interrogatories.I have to state that the origiupl contract for the marble and themar binleg wwoarskof thenorthmo of the Patent Office build day of Ampraild, e1W8i5th7a, Mnrd. thoahtn F. Connolly on thelst it wasnot contemplated at that time to erectany portico stall on the north front: This is manifestby the omission of any allu.101]in the contractto such an appendage, as wellas by the factthat Congressdid not authorize it until long after the contractin queition wasm e. These fpaocrttsicsoetwtlaestnhoetqiunecslutidoenmd ionsttrh.ceeoidriegdin altyhl aatgtrheeenmoertnbt. 0n the 16thday of December.1861.Mr Connolly transferred his contract, by legal and proper docu ments. and with the oflicia sanction of the Government. by the SecyInterior. to Berry Messrs. J: Higgins. Copicsof this transferWith all the documents including the original contract, are on file in the dept. No progress having been madeon the aforesaid north porticc at the breaking out of the rebellion, the workwiis suspendeduntil the26thday ofAugust. 1864when. in pursuanceofordersfrom the SecyInterior I directed the aforesaid contractors, Messrs.Berry Higgins. to proceedWith the work. On the receipt of this order they called a on meand stated.very emphatically. that they cond not execute the north porticoat the prices paid to Provest, Wjntor 6: Co.for the eastand westportieoes.the details of which. it was undorstood, wereto governthe architectureof that on the north. The reasons they gave for the conclusions they had thus arrived at were. that the quarries wero abundone dand filled with mud and water: the railways. hoisting appa ratus and machinery were destroyed; that every thing would have to be commencedanew and that a fearful rise had taken placein the pricesof labor, machinery and transportation. I told them that inasmuch as thonorth orticoformedno part of the ir agreement, theywoul not be held to the prices paid in formertimeson the eastern and westernportieoes and I urge duponthemthe necessity of reopening the quarriesWithoutdelay.andof proceedingVigorously with the work. at the same time statingto themthat the factsof the one wouldwarrant me, as the super intendent of the building, in awardin them a fair and equitablecom ensutionfor their abor. In all these suggestions I ad the sanction of the SecyInterior. and wefelt not only assuredthat this was the bestarrangementwe could makeunder the circumstances butwe considered ourselvesfortunate in inducin contractorsofsomuchabilityaud energy as Messrs. crry & Hlgflllfl to undertake toreopen thesequarries.put up this necessarymachinery and deliver the stone at such pricesaswe might subsequently decide, on the part of the Government were in ht and proper. And nowhavetosaytha t.in view 0 all the nowledgethat the subsequent progressof the work has developed. I am of the opinion thatthe cost of the material for the north ortieo is fully double of that which was delivered or the east and west porticoes. and wereit left to metodecideI would award them 100%. advanceon the pricesof the aforesaidportieoes.theerection of which took place manyyears ago, and at ii. time when the quarries werein full operation, and quarrylabor and expensesWere 100%.less than they now are. As it regards the workmanship of the aforesa did north portico, I am of the opinion that the same schedule of prices should prevail as governed the payments on the east and west portieoes.with the addition of 60%.to half theitems. that being the average increasein the prices of the labor of marble masons since the aforesaid eastern and western porticoeswere erected. This would have been my award had the power of fixing theseprices re maInined with me. mosteases.where a contract is entered into for a certain work. the contractor takes the risk of a rise or a fall of prices.but in the present instance there is no contract to which the contractors may be held. so far. at least.as it regardsthe portico in question. Iotut therefore devolves upon the Government to int to Justice.which can best be dono by adding to prices formerly paid for similar work and materials whatever advance a general changeof values mayhave made apparent. These remarks and conclusions apply aswcll to the unite and the granite work ot the aforesaid onnolryt portico as the do to the marble excepting that the cost 0 procuringthe granite was not enhanced beyond the ordinary rise in the cost of of liarryingand transportation. I ain therefore of the opinion that an addition of 60 %. to the pricespaid for the granite and the granite work of the east and west porlicoeswould form a proper scheduleof pricesfor the northern portieo. I have the honor to remain sir. very respectfully, yours. nOMAs U. WALTER Late Architect U.S.CapitolExtension, '0. Hon. JOHN H. RICE, Chairmanof ComPubBldgs and Grounds. HoRep.