264 ANNUAL REPORT 



EVENING SESSION. 

 Thursday, January 19, 1888. 



The meeting was called to order at 7 o'clock p. m. by President 

 Elliot, 



THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 



President Elliot. I believe Mr. Gibbs wishes to make an explana- 

 tion in regard to a matter that came up this morning, and he is at 

 liberty to do so now. 



Mr. Gibbs. It is simply for the purpose of correcting the record, if 

 it needs correcting. During my absence at the morning session I 

 have understood the question was asked by a member if any account 

 had ever been rendered to the State of the expenditure of the moneys 

 that were raised to collect and maintain the State colleciive exhibit at 

 the World's Exposition at New Orleans; and some gentlemen who were 

 here and who were connected with the exhibit made the best answer 

 they could under the spur of the moment; but I feared in one or two 

 points they might have misapprehended the facts, and to enable the 

 Secretary to get them in the official report, I will answer the ques- 

 tion, and also another question that came up. 



The itemized vouchers for all expenditures were returned to the 

 Governor of the State, under whose instructions all the work was 

 done, and were duly audited at the close of each month and turned 

 over to the State Auditor; and when the Exposition closed the mat- 

 ters that remained unadjusted were finally closed up, and all vouchers 

 bearing the governor's approval were turned over to the State Audi- 

 tor, and I presume will appear in the auditor's published report. So 

 far in regard to that. 



Then the question arose, as I understand, in regard to the prepara- 

 tion of the commissioner's report upon the subject. I left the State 

 and changed my residence some four or five months after the close of 

 the Exposition, but during all the time I was here I was anxious to 

 and did proceed to make a report, but was unable to do so on account 

 of the delay of two or three parties — who had important employment 

 in connection with the exhibit to submit — to present and furnish their 

 reports whieh would be necessarily parts of mine. Our failure to re- 

 ceive those reports has prevented the preparation of the complete re- 



