Appendix IX. 

 REPORT ON ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION. 



Sib : I have the honor to submit the following report of the participation of 

 the Smithsonian Institution and National Museum in the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific 

 Exposition at Seattle, Washington : 



The act of Congress approved May 27, 1908, authorizing an exhibit by the 

 departments and bureaus of the Government at the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Expo- 

 sition appropriated the sum of $200,000, to be expended under the direction of 

 the United States Government board of managers, composed of three persons 

 in the employ of the Government, one to be designated by the President as 

 chairman, and one as secretary and disbursing officer. This board was charged 

 with the selection, purchase, preparation, transportation, arrangement, safe- 

 keeping, exhibition, and return of such articles and materials as the heads of 

 the several departments and Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, respec- 

 tively, should decide to be embodied in the government exhibit thus author- 

 ized. There was also appropriated the sum of $125,000, to be expended under 

 the direction of the Secretary of the Interior, to aid the people of the district 

 of Alaska and the Territory of Hawaii in providing and maintaining appro- 

 priate and creditable exhibits of the products and resources of Alaska and 

 Hawaii; and $25,000 was appropriated, to be expended under the Secretary of 

 War, to aid the people of the Philippine Islands in providing and maintaining 

 an appropriate exhibit of the products and resources of the Philippine Islands. 

 In addition to this, the Secretary of the Treasury was directed to erect suitable 

 buildings for the government exhibit, including an irrigation and biograph 

 building ; also a fisheries building, and buildings for the exhibits of the district 

 of Alaska, the Territory of Hawaii, and the Philippine Islands, for which an 

 appropriation of $250,000 was made. Mr. Jesse E. Wilson, Mr. W. de C. 

 Ravenel, and Mr. W. M. Geddes were appointed members of the government 

 board of managers; Mr. Wilson, chairman; Mr. Ravenel, vice-chairman; and 

 Mr. Geddes, secretary and disbursing officer. 



The act also provided that the Smithsonian Institution and National Museum 

 should exhibit such articles of material of an historical nature as would impart 

 a knowledge of our national history, especially that of Alaska, Hawaii, and 

 the Philippine Islands, and that portion of the United States west of the 

 Rocky Mountains. The Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution designated 

 Mr. W. de C. Ravenel, administrative assistant, United States National Museum, 

 as representative of the Institution and National Museum. Of the total appro- 

 priation, $24,000 was allotted to the Smithsonian Institution and National 

 Museum and about 10,000 square feet of space in the main government building. 

 The preparation of this exhibit was begun as soon as possible after the board 

 was organized, in accordance with plans submitted by the representative, and 

 was practically installed in the government building by June 1, when the 

 exposition opened. 



In the preparation of the exhibits by the Institution and the Museum the 

 principal idea kept in view was to present an outline of our national achieve- 

 ments and progress, and of the facts connected with the development of the 



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