lOT) REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM., 1902. 



expense. The portion of this space assiufned to the Smithsonian Institution and 

 National Museum was on the west side of the grounds, between the Cotton Palace 

 and the Palace of Commerce. Including a small Iniilding called an "exhedra," it 

 comprised 5,682 s(iuare feet. The whole of the curved arcade, comprising 4,727 feet, 

 was occupied by the Museum. 



After consultation with the officers of the Institution and Museum, anumlierof 

 objects in the Buffalo exhibit which were too large for the space at Charleston, or were 

 otherwise unsuitable, were ordered sent to Washington, and the remainder, com- 

 prising about two-thirds of the original exhibit, were packed separately and for- 

 warded to South Carolina. A number of preparators and mechanics were detailed 

 from Washington to install the exhibit. This work was completed .lanuary 13, 1902, 

 at which time the doors were thrown open to the public. 



As the collections displayed by the Museum at Charleston were the same as those 

 shown at Buffalo, it is unnecessary to enumerate them here. A full description will 

 be found in the Report for 1901 (pp. 177-231). 



The principal omissions at Charleston were the larger mammals, a part of the 

 birds, reptiles, and fishes, the larger ethnological groups and the models of aboriginal 

 dwellings, the skeleton of ILsperornh, the collection of native elements, etc. 



The largest ol)ject exhibited was the skeleton of the huge extinct reptile, Tricera- 

 tops. This stood in a central position, and, on account of the excellent lighting, 

 showed to even better advantage tlian at Buffalo. Around it were groujjed the other 

 geological exhibits, occupying eight cases and comprising minerals, cave deposits, 

 and invertebrate fossils. On the two sides of the central space were the exhibits of 

 the departments of Anthropology and Biology. 



The principal exhibit of the Department of Anthropology consisted of six large 

 groups, in separate cases, representing native American peoples. These were supple- 

 mented by collections representing the products of different arts of t he native Ameri- 

 cans, such as basketry and pottery, and native hunting and fishing implements, fire- 

 making devices, etc. The group cases were placed against the west wall in a single 

 row, and opposite them were the smaller cases, nine in number, arranged so as to 

 form alcoves. 



The exhibit of the Department of Biology, which was at the opposite end of the 

 space, had as its principal feature a case 40 feet long, containing mammals. This 

 was placed against the west wall, and opposite and at the extreme end of the space 

 were the smaller cases, arranged like those of the Dei>artmeiit of Antliropology, in 

 the form of alcoves, and containing characteristic American tishcs, n'])tiles, batra- 

 chians, and birds. 



The collection remained on exhibition until May 81, 1902, when the exposition 

 closed. At this time preparators were again sent from the Museum to repack the 

 collections, which work was completed June 16, 1902. 



On January 21, 1902, Congress appropriated $^90,000 to reimburse the exposition 

 company for expenditures made in behalf of the Government exhibit. This appro- 

 priation was not disbursed under the direction of a Government board or of the 

 individual representatives of the several departments and bureaus, but by the Treas- 

 ury Department directly to the exposition company. This arrangement worked 

 somewhat disadvantageously, in so far as the Government exhibits were concerned, 

 as it was necessary for the exposition company to a('tual]y pay out inoney from its 

 own funds before reimbursement could be made by the Treasury. On June 12, 

 1902, the affairs of the exposition company passed into the hands of a receiver, and 

 no payments could be made until the court a(;ted in the matter. As the president 

 of the exposition company declined to continue paying Government expenses from 

 his private purse, and the court was unable to pass upon the case at once, a consider- 

 able time elapsed during which no bills were settled. It is to be hoped that in 

 similar cases in the future provision will be made for disbursement under the direc- 

 tion of a Government board. 



