BUFFALO SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCES 257 



Foreign Trade Bureau. This bureau is devoted chiefly to the 

 development of international trade. It has a very complete equipment 

 and an extensive chain of correspondents throughout the world which 

 enable it to furnish information regarding foreign markets and business 

 methods. It maintains a translation department by the aid of which 

 exporting houses can carry on correspondence with their clients in all 

 parts of the world in any language. It also receives thousands of 

 inquiries annually from foreign merchants desiring to purchase Amer- 

 ican-made goods. These inquiries are promptly turned over to man- 

 ufacturers in a position to supply the lines asked for. 



Historical Sketch. The Philadelphia Museums were organized 

 in 1894. The first department developed was the Commercial Mu- 

 seum, with exhibits of commercial products of all kinds, designed 

 chiefly to aid merchants and manufacturers in securing foreign trade. 

 Educational work has since become an important activity in the mu- 

 seum. 



Financial Support. The museum receives a variable income 

 from the city. The amounts appropriated for 1909 were as follows: 

 maintenance, $40,000; repairs, $2000; grounds, $1000; power house, 

 $3000; supplies, $12,000. Special appropriations are received from 

 the state legislature for special purposes. In 1909 appropriations 

 to run two years were made as follows: For preparation and in- 

 stallation of exhibits, $20,000; for permanent improvement of 

 buildings, $25,000; for educational work in the state, $25,000. 



The Foreign Trade Bureau is supported by subscriptions from bus- 

 iness firms which use its services. $36,000 was received from this 

 source in 1909. 



Buildings. There are three permanent exhibition buildings 

 originally constructed by the United States government for the Na- 

 tional Export Exposition in 1899. Improvements on these buildings 

 have been made by appropriations from the state and city. There are 

 178,000 square feet of floor space available for exhibition, and 34,000 

 for offices, workrooms, etc. The buildings are so constructed that the 

 floor space may be nearly doubled when necessary. There is in addi- 

 tion a power house built of granite and steel at a cost of about $100,000, 

 and a storage building with a floor area of 120,000 square feet, a green- 

 house, stable, tool house, etc. The total cost of the buildings to date 

 has been about .$850,000. 



Administration. By a director, responsible to a board of trus- 

 tees composed of prominent citizens who hold office by appointment 

 of the mayor, and eight ex-ofhcio members, including the governor 

 of Pennsylvania, the mayor of Philadelphia , and other officials. 



