Transcribe Baird, Spencer Fullerton. Letter to Ward, Henry A. (1876-09-12)

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[page 1] ,International Exhibition, 1876 BOARD ON BEHALF U. S. EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS: SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION U. S. Government Building, Centennial Grounds, West Philadelphia, Pa.,</ em> Sept. 13 1876 Dear Professor,

       I have your letter of the 10th,

with the accompanying enclosure. I am sorry to say that i do not see how I can pay the amount referred to at present. We fully expect -ed to be able to liquidate all our liabilities by the beginning of the present fiscal year, but Congress cut-down our appropriation from the estimated $25,000, which we expected to get, - to $10,000, on the plea of the necessity of reducing the expenditures to the utmost extent, thus leaving us $15,000 short, - a deficiency which you can readily imagine is almost fatal to us in the circumstances. Indeed we expect to close the building during the coming winter, as we cannot afford the coal required to keep it warm.

       We are promised from several sources

that a deficiency appropriation will be made as soon as Congress meets, & we live in hopes of that; otherwise, our condition will be bad indeed.