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^[[16]]

AS FAR BACK AS 1873 THE BOARD OF FINANCE OF THE CENTENNIAL COMMISSION MADE AN ARRANGEMENT WITH MR. THOMAS DONALDSON, ONE OF THE CENTENNIAL COMMISSIONERS OF IDAHO, TO VISIT THE PRINCIPAL MINING REGIONS WEST OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS AT ITS EXPENSE, FOR THE PURPOSE OF COLLECTION ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE RESOURCES OF THE COUNTRY IN GOLD, SILVER AND MERCURY. FORTIFIED BY LETTERS OF CREDIT FROM THE COMMISSION, MR. DONALDSON PROCEEDED ON HIS MISSION AND WAS ENABLED TO SECURE MANY VALUABLE COLLECTIONS AT LITTLE OR NO COST. THE PROPRIETORS OF MINES ESPECIALLY, MANIFESTING A DESIRE TO BE APPROPRIATELY REPRESENTED IN THE EXHIBITION, AND PRESENTING MANY SPECIMENS, NOT ONLY INTERESTING IN A SCIENTIFIC POINT OF VIEW, BUT OF MUCH INTRINSIC VALUE.

A CONCESSION ^[[WAS]] AT THE SAME TIME OBTAINED BY MR. DONALDSON, FROM THE RAIL-ROAD COMPANIES BETWEEN PHILADELPHIA AND SAN FRANCISCO, BY WHICH TH THEY AGREED TO TRANSPORT A GIVEN NUMBER OF TONS OF THESE MINERALS FREE OF CHARGE, AND THUS GREATLY REDUCE THE COST OF THE ENTERPRISE.

AFTER THE ORGANIZATION OF THE GOVERNMENT BOARD, ON EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, THE BOARD OF FINANCE CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT IT WAS NOT EXPEDIENT FOR THE CENTENNIAL COMMISSION TO UNDERTAKE A SEPARATE DISPLAY OF MINERALS, AND AN ARRANGEMENT WAS THEREFORE MADE TO TURN OVER THE COLLECTIONS MADE BY MR. DONALDSON, TO THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, ON PAYMENT OF THE EXPENSES INCURRED AND [[strikethrough]] THE [[strikethrough/]] ^[[ITS]] AGREEMENT TO CONTINUE THE ENGAGEMENT WITH MR. DONALDSON TO THE END OF THE YEAR 1875. THIS WAS DONE, TO THE SATISFACTION OF ALL PARTIES, SO THAT SINCE THE 8TH OF MAY MR. DONALDSON HAS BEEN IN THE EMPLOY OF THE INSTITUTION, AND THE COLLECTIONS MADE BY HIM ARE PARTLY IN PHILADELPHIS ^[[OR ON THE WAY THITHER]]. [[strikethrough]] AND PARTLY STORED IN SAN FRANCISCO AND ELSEWHERE, AWAITING THE ORDER FOR TRANSMISSION. [[\strikethrough]]