42 [ASSEKELY 



$4,653,77, was expended for rent and fixtures, of the places of exhi- 

 bition, and premiums awarded. 



Niblos' Garden, the principal place of exhibition, and on account of 

 which a great portion of the expense of rent, fixtures, &c., is incurred, 

 is the only one in the city suitable in locality, space, and construction, 

 to give the best effect to the display, and considering the injury to his 

 grounds, shrubbery, plants, &c., is not deemed extravagant. Most of 

 the amount paid him, is required to put the premises in order when 

 the fair is over ; and whether extravagant or not, it cannot be procured 

 at a less sum ; other places not so convenient might be obtained for a 

 small consideration, but the public would not be satisfied, their pa- 

 tronage would be withheld, and the Institute would lose both its popu- 

 larity, and money. The expense of printing, and light, exceeds $1400. 

 Light is procured at the lowest possible rates, and the small amount 

 paid for printing has provoked an attack on the Institute from two of 

 our city papers. 



The printing is not half the amount paid by some of our sister 

 cities at their fairs. Their existence depends on extensive publicity. 

 The account shows that the cost of three items, steam power, carpen- 

 ter work, and loss on luniber, amounts to $ 1275,00. The lumber 

 and labor are both procured as low as the market will admit. 



The premiums are intended to be graduated by the amount of re- 

 ceipts, which are estimated near the close of the fairs, and before the 

 awards, so as to leave only a sufficient sum in the treasury to meet 

 the probable expenses till another fair, and a prudent provision for 

 contingencies. If an edifice could be obtained, the premiums might 

 be doubled. 



It is designed to apply a portion of the unusually large receipts of 

 the last year in enlarging the library, and one thousand dollars has 

 been proposed for that purpose. A suitable plate for the diplomas ex- 

 ecuted by accomplished artists, is demanded by the character of the 

 Institute, which will probably cost six or seven hundred dollars. The 

 receipts from this time till the next fair, will, under ordinary circum- 

 stances, fall short of the expenditures, more especially as a large sum 

 will be required in filling up new rooms for the repository, a change 

 of rooms having been required by the common council. 



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