CENTENNIAL EXPOSITION AT CINCINNATI. 
883 
estimates for the exhibit had been based on the expectation that the 
exposition would close on October 27. By the closest economy it had 
been found possible to make the allotment of $10,000 suffice for our 
needs and the return of the material to Washington, but that was all, 
and it was evident that a continuance of the exhibit beyond the orig- 
inal date would involve expenditures which we had no means of defray- 
ing. The matter was promptly laid before the Commissioner and, upon 
proper representations having been made by him, the President decided 
to allot to the use of the Fish Commission exhibit the additional sum 
of $1,500. 
Deputy representative appointed , etc . — My plans in connection with the 
work of the Division of Fisheries had been formed on the assumption 
that the exposition would close on October 27, and the pressing nature 
of some important affairs relating' to the division made it impracti- 
cable for me to remain in Cincinnati rnutdi beyond that time. There- 
fore I left Cincinnati for Washington on November 4, and on the same 
date appointed Mr. E. C. Bryan a deputy representative in charge of 
the exhibit, to act under my direction, with instructions to pack and 
ship the collections as promptly as possible after the close of the expo- 
sition. This was satisfactorily accomplished, and on November 22 Mr. 
Bryan and party left Cincinnati for Washington. 
On account of my absence from Washington, Mr. Bryan had charge, 
under the general direction of the Commissioner, of unpacking and 
renovating the collections and reinstalling such material as had been 
taken from the National Museum. This work was done in the most 
painstaking and creditable manner. In addition Mr. Bryan rendered 
very important service in connection witli the correspondence and other 
clerical duties connected with the exhibit. 
Disposition of material . — Some misunderstanding arose on the part 
of the officials of the Treasury and War departments concerning the 
disposal of material purchased for the exhibit of the Commission. 
However, when the proper explanations had been made, the matter was 
arranged to the entire satisfaction of all, for the officials concerned 
quickly saw the advantage to the Government of retaining valuable 
collections that might be needed at any time (besides being useful ad- 
ditions to the permanent exhibits in Washington), and for which only 
the most meager returns could be expected, if sold at auction, as at first 
contemplated. 
As a matter of fact, all the material belonging to the Commission 
which it was intended to return to Washington was en route for that 
city before the representative was informed by Maj. Witcher of the 
order (270) of the War Department. Such material as was not deemed 
of special value to the Commission was turned over to Maj. Witcher ; 
that which had been takeufrom the National Museum was reinstalled, 
and the remainder was, by direction of the Commissioner, turned over 
to the superintendent of Central station, Washington, D. 0. 
