SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 
UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
WASHINGTON, D. C. 
April 28, 1931 
Dr. Alexander Wetmore, 
Care, American Consul, 
Port au Prince, 
Halti. 
My dear Doctor Wetmore: 
I believe you will be interested to hear that Mrs. Ferris, of 
Philadelphia, made her long-delayed visit to the Museum last week, and 
everything seems favorable to our receiving the Ferris Collection. 
Before Mrs. ^erris’ visit, we had decided after careful in¬ 
spection by all concerned, that the North West Range — formerly the 
Costumes Hall -- was better adapted to the display of the Ferris paintings 
and models, than was the Northeast Court which had been considered at first. 
This new location is satisfactory to Mrs. Ferris. Indeed, she seemed much 
pleased at the attitude of the Museum and was willing to meet any conditions 
that we felt had to be imposed. She was in Washington from Tuesday to 
Friday and came to the Museum on several occasions. As soon as she can 
get in touch with her attorney. Senator Pepper,(who was once a Regent of 
the Smithsonian), she will make provision in her will for the collection 
to come here. She was supplied with the form of bequest suggested by 
the Institution for use in all such cases. 
Mrs. ^erris has, besides the historical paintings by her husband 
and carriage and ship models made by him, some fine brasses, armour, guns, 
prints, pallets and painting outfits of famour artists, old furniture, etc., 
and an art library. She proposes to bequeath the collection of her husband 
work to the Institution and to provide that the Institution may also select 
such of the other things as are wanted. She said she would leave the 
paintings on display in Philadelphia until next autumn, when she proposes to 
bring them down to the Museum. 
I have not as yet taken advantage of your induction to get in a 
lot of golf while you were away. For sometime we had bad weather regularly 
in the middle of the week, but I am hoping to do better now that warm days 
are in sight. As a matter of fact, it is very cold here just now, and high 
winds and sleet on Sunday last interferred materially with my golf. 
