REPORT 



OF THE BOAKD OF MANAGERS OF THE THIRTY-FIFTH ANNUAL 

 FAIR OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE, 1863. 



The Board of Managers of the Thirty-fifth Annual Fair, in con- 

 formity with section 29, of the by-kiws, respectfully report : 



That the first meeting of the board was held on the l7th of 

 March, 1863, and on the 23d they organized by the election of Mr. 

 William H. Butler as Chairman, Mr. William S. Carpenter, as Vice 

 Chairman and Mr. John W. Chambers as Secretary. 



As no public exhibition of the Institute had been held since 

 1860, and as it is made the duty of the Managers to hold a Fair, 

 unless otherwise ordered by the Institute, it was thought advisable 

 by the Board that the Annual Exhi'bitions should be revived, ac- 

 cordingly one of the first acts of the Board was to appoint a com- 

 mittee to take into consideration the subject of selecting a proper 

 location for the Fair. 



The Committee appointed therefor reported, that after a careful 

 examination of such places as appeared available for such a purpose 

 that the Academy of Music, in Fourteenth street, seemed to possess 

 superior advantages to that of any other, inasmuch as its reputa- 

 tion is favorably known beyond local limits, as well as of its central 

 locality, rendered easy of access by various lines of railroads and 

 omnibusses, and furthermore that the building could be prepared for 

 the Exhibition at comparatively trifling expense. 



The selection was approved, and at an early daj^ an official public 

 announcement was made that the Annual Exhibition would be held. 

 It was extensively advertised in the newspapers and the following 

 circular was issued : 



" The Board of Managers of the Annual Fair of the American In- 

 stitute, take great pleasure in announcing to the public that they 

 have rented that spacious and beautiful building, known as the 

 Academy of Music, in Fourteenth Street and Irving Place, for the 

 purpose of holding their thirt^^-Fifth Annual Exhibition. 



This Fair, as those heretofore held under the auspices of the In- 

 stitute, will be restricted to American productions; it will be gen- 

 eral in its character, embracing Manufactures of all kinds, New 

 Inventions, Improvements in Agricultural Implements, and the 

 Mechanic Arts generally, but the machinery will not be propello 

 by steam power. 



