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als of [[strikethrough]] that [[/strikethrough]] ^[[the]] Exposition, and of several railroad companies, who propose to take part therein. The Chief of the ^[[Department of]] Transportation [[strikethrough]] Department [[/strikethrough]] ^[[Exhibits]] of the Columbian Exposition spent several days in the Museum, in August 1891, where he [[strikethrough]] had access to[[/strikethrough]] ^[[studied]] the collections and ^[[had access]] to a provisional outline of a proposed exhibit, which had been prepared ^[[by the Curator]] at the request of the Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, [[strikethrough]] in case [[/strikethrough]] ^[[to be used if]] it was decided that the Section of Transportation and Engineering should be represented in the Government Exhibit at Chicago.

With the return of this scheme of classification the following communication was received:

Office of the Director General
Worlds Columbian Exposition.

Department Transportation Exhibits.
Railways, Vessels, Vehicles.
Willard A. Smith, Chief.

Chicago, Ill., U.S.A.,
August 27th, 1891.

Prof. J.B. Watkins,
National Museum, Washington, D.C.

Dear Sir:

I return herewith a scheme of a transportation exhibit which you kindly loaned to me and which promises to be of much value. I am greatly obliged to you for the favor as also for the other literature which you kindly gave me. It will save a great deal of research which would otherwise have been necessary.

Yours truly, (Signed) Willard A. Smith