Chapter 872. To establish the National Bureau of Standards
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CHAP. 872.— An Act To establish the National Bureau of Standards. March 3, 1901. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, That the Office of StandardNational Bureau of Standards established. Weights and Measures shall hereafter be known as the National Bureau of Standards. Sec. 2. That the functions of the bureau shall consist in the custodyFunctions of bureau. of the standards; the comparison of the standards used in scientific investigations, engineering, manufacturing, commerce, and educational institutions with the standards adopted or recognized by the Government; the construction, when necessary, of standards, their multiples and subdivisions; the testing and calibration of standard measuring apparatus: the solution of problems which arise in connection with standards; the determination of physical constants and the properties of materials, when Such data are of great importance to scientific or manufacturing interests and are not to be obtained of sufficient accuracy elsewhere.
Sec. 3. That the bureau shall exercise its functions for the Government—for whom exercised. of the United States; for any State or municipal government within the United States; or for any scientific society, educational institution, firm, corporation, or individual within the United States engaged in manufacturing or other pursuits requiring the use of standards or standard measuring instruments. All requests for the services—requests for services. of the bureau shall be made in accordance with the rules and regulations herein established.
Sec. 4. That the officers and employees of the bureau shall consistOfficers and employees. of a director, at an annual salary of five thousand dollars; one physicist, at an annual salary of three thousand five hundred dollars; one chemist, at an annual salary of three thousand five hundred dollars: two assistant physicists or chemists, each at an annual salary of two thousand two hundred dollars; one laboratory assistant, at an annual salary of one thousand four hundred dollars; one laboratory assistant, at an annual salary of one thousand two hundred dollars; one secretary, at an annual salary of two thousand dollars; one clerk, at an annual salary of one thousand two hundred dollar’s; one messenger, at an annual salary of seven hundred and twenty dollars; one engineer, at an annual salary of one thousand five hundred dollars; one mechanician. at an annual salary of one thousand four hundred dollars; one watchman, at an annual salary of seven hundred and twenty dollars, and one laborer, at an annual salary of six hundred dollars.
Sec. 5. That the director shall be appointed by the President, byDirector, powers, etc. and with the advice and consent of the Senate. He shall have the general supervision of the bureau, its equipment, and the exercise of its functions. He shall make an annual report to the Secretary of the—report. Treasury, including an abstract of the work done during the year and a financial statement. He may issue, when necessary, bulletins forBulletins. 1450public distribution, containing such information as may be of value to the public or facilitate the bureau in the exercise of its functions.
Sec. 6. Appointments. That the officers and employees provided for by this Act, except the director, shall be appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury, at such time as their respective services may become necessary. Sec. 7. Appropriation That the following sums of money are hereby appropriated: For the payment of salaries provided for by this Act, the sum of twenty-seven thousand one hundred and forty dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary; toward the erection of a suitable laboratory, of tireproof construction, for the use and occupation of said bureau, including all permanent fixtures, such as plumbing, piping, wiring, heating, lighting, and ventilation, the entire cost of which shall not exceed the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, one hundred thousand dollars; for equipment of said laboratory, the sum of ten thousand dollars; for a site for said laboratory, to be approved by the visiting committee hereinafter provided for and purchased by the Secretary of the Treasury, the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary; for the payment of the general expenses of said bureau, including books and periodicals, furniture, office expenses, stationery and printing, heating and lighting, expenses of the visiting committee, and contingencies of all kinds, the sum of five thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to be expended under the supervision of the Secretary of the Treasury.
Sec. 8. Fees for tests, etc. That for all comparisons, calibrations, tests, or investigations, except those performed for the Government of the United States or State governments within the United States, a reasonable fee shall be charged, according to a schedule submitted by the director and approved by the Secretary of the Treasury. Sec. 9. Regulations. That the Secretary of the Treasury shall, from time to time, make regulations regarding the payment of fees, the limits of tolerance to be attained in standards submitted for verification, the sealing of standards, the disbursement and receipt of moneys, and such other matters as he may deem necessary for carrying this Act into effect.
Sec. 10. Visiting committee. That there shall be a visiting committee of five members, to be appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury, to consist of men prominent in the various interests involved, and not in the employ of the Government. This committee shall visit the bureau at least once a year, and report to the Secretary of the Treasury upon the efficiency of its scientific work and the condition of its equipment. The members of this committee shall serve without compensation, but shall be paid the actual expenses incurred in attending its meetings.
The period of service of the members of the original committee shall be so arranged that one member shall retire each year, and the appointments there-after to be for a period of five years. Appointments made to fill vacancies occurring other than in the regular manner are to be made for the remainder of the period in which the vacancy exists. Approved, March 3, 1901.