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#33 Ferry Avenue, 
Detroit, Michigan,
November 2nd, 1905.

Dear Dewing:-

As you doubtless know, Morris, old managing director of the Philadelphia academy, has resigned his position. His successor is a young man named Trask, who is a son-in-law of Mr. Coates, the president of the Academy.

Trask seems to be a totally different man from Morris and one whom I should judge capable and appreciative. I have had some correspondence with him and yesterday he came here in person and spent several hours with me. He is anxious to have the forth-coming exhibition of the Academy as fine, if not finer, than any preceding exhibition.

During the late summer he has been renovating the building and along with other repairs, has changed an old room into a new one, giving it sky-lights, and he says, - "Making it an attractive room."

Now, he has asked me to take this room and hang it with a group of pictures by yourself, Tryon, Thayer and Whistler. He leaves the selection of the of the pictures and the hanging thereof entirely to me. He pays the expenses and stands ready to meet any condition I feel inclined to make, including, if necessary, the placing of cheesecloth, of some proper tone, over the new hanging which has recently been put in position on the walls of the room. 

The exhibition of the contents of the room will be made at the time of the regular exhibition, which opens January 22nd, next, and closes March 3rd. The regular jury and the hanging committee will have nothing whatever to do with this room. 

I told him at the beginning that because of the dislike Mr. Whistler had for the old management of the Philadelphia Academy, I could not loan any of Mr. Whistler's work in my possession. But I have given him the names of Canfield and several other owners of Whistler's with whom he is to correspond.