Appendix YIII. 



REPORT OF THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITU- 

 TION AND NATIONAL MUSEUM, TRANS-MISSISSIPPI AND INTERNA- 

 TIONAL EXPOSITION, OMAHA, NEBRASKA, 1898. 



Sir: I have the honor to snl)init the following report on the Trans-Mis8isHippi and 

 International Exposition, held at Omaha, Nehr., from Jnne 1 to Oetober 31, 189S: 



The at't of t-ongretsss approved June 10, 1896, anthorizing a display of the resouree.s 

 of the (Tovernment at the exposition, provided for i)articipation by the Smithsonian 

 Institution, and the sum of $24,088.81 was allotteil by the Government board of 

 management for the expeiwes involved in the preparation, transportation, and 

 maintenance of the exhibit. 



All dependencies of the In.stitution were re]iresented l)y displays at the exposition. 



The space assigneil to the In.stitntion was locateil in tlie central part of the Gov- 

 ernment building, and compriseil about 4,000 s(|uare feet. The frontage on the main 

 aisle was about 84 feet and the depth 42 feet. The exhibit was planned to give a 

 general idea of the scope and character of the Institution and its several Imreaus. 

 For obvious reasons, the activities of the National Museum were more thoroughly 

 illustrated than those of other bureaus. 



Though the exhilnts selected were as far as possible of interest intrinsically, the 

 main object was to illustrate methods of work rather than to display exhaustive col- 

 lections, whii-h, indeed, would have been impossible in view of the, limited space 

 available. The methods employed by the Institution in the classification, mount- 

 ing, and labeling, and general installation oi objects of diverse kinds were fully 

 shown. The ca><es — with the exception of those specially built for the exhibit of the 

 Smithsonian Institution proper, and the stationary wall case.s — were of uniform 

 dimensions (units), and finished in every instance in a substantial and attractive 

 style. A harmonious color scheme was maintained throughout the entire display. 



SMITHSONIAN INSTITITION PROPER. 



The exhibit of the Smitlisoiiiaii Institution proi)er, occupying a (piadrant under 

 the dome of the building, was as follows: 



A complete set of the publications of the Institution and its bureaus. (In as})ecial 

 upright case. ) 



A cast of the bronze tablet recently placed on the tomb of Smithson in Gen oh, 

 Italy. (In front of the same case. ) 



Personal relics of Smithson: Photographic copies of the title pages of his more 

 important papers; the seal of the Institution. ( In table cases. ) 



A picture of the Smithsonian building. (In a table case. ) 



Framed portraits of the Secretaries of the Smithsonian Instituti(^)n: Joseph Henry 

 (1846-1878), Spencer Fullerton Baird (1878-1887), Samuel Pierpont Langley (elected 

 1887). 



Copies of the history of the first half century of the Smithsonian Institution in dif- 

 ferent Ijindings; title page and illustrations for the same. (In a table case.) 



Objects and papers relating to the Hodgkins fund: Copies of publications; Hodg- 

 kins medals in silver and bronze (portrait of Thomas G. Hodgkins, who bequeathed 

 the fund to the Smithsonian Institution in 1891 for use in promoting researches on 

 atmospheric air). (In a table case. ) 



Two large photographs of the serodrome of Professor Langley. 

 82 



