Transcribe Baird, Spencer Fullerton. Letter to Ward, Henry A. (1876-04-07)

[page 3] 2 Indeed the chances are, I may say seven in ten; but this will not probably be available before the first of July; & I cannot wait until then, as the collection must be moved at once, so as to reach the building within the limitation, & should be on its way even now.

       If such an arrangement were made, & the

money forth-coming immediately I could take official vouchers, so that when the appro- priation is made I could collect the bills on those vouchers & thus, ^let you^ be re-imbursed for the money. This would then be returned to you, while at the same time I should consider the original agreement - as still in force; namely, to furnish just such a se- -ries for any one of the specified public institutions for which you are catering. It would be with -in our province, if we could afford it, to pre- sent just such a series to public institutions, & you would have the benefit of such a collection at a very trifling cost.

       I think it will be well for you  to inter-

-mit further works in the Smithsonian Collections,