original specifications.

As stated in the former letter, the intramural cars and
equipments were excepted from all offers of sale because the
company had already contracted for the sale of them.

After the first bids received under the specifications referred
to in the tenth allegation had been rejected because they were
in the opinion of the salvage committee wholly insufficient, new
bids were asked for all of the salvage of the company including
such right and title as it might have in the copper wire, in the
electric lights, in the iron piping, in the fire apparatus,
etc., with the exceptions of the intramural cars and equipments
and the property of the General Service Company. From that time
to the acceptance of the proposition to sell the Chicago House
Wrecking Company the negotiations proceeded on the plan that the
Exposition Company would sell all right, title, and interest to
its property with the exceptions of the cars and equipments and
property of the General Service Company.

Under the original specifications a certified check for one-half
of the amount of the bid was required and the terms were half
cash, but this requirement and these terms did not enter into
the negotiations following the rejection of the first bids. All
bidders showing a disposition to bid for right, title, and
interest of the Exposition Company to all salvage except as
stated were treated alike. Certified checks were not required on
these later bids. The negotiations were carried on verbally with
the bidders in turn, it being understood that the company would
insist upon what it deemed to be an adequate cash payment when
the contract of sale was concluded.

The secretary of the company is authorized to say that the
executive committee courts the fullest investigation of all
circumstances connected with the sale of the salvage and that if
the National Commission shall deem it necessary to include in
its report mention of the allegations contained in the letter of
the president of the Commission, dated February 28, the
committee asks that in justice to the Exposition Company such
investigation shall be made and the conclusions of the
Commission shall be given.

Very respectfully,
WALTER B. STEVENS,
_Secretary._

Mr. LAURENCE H. GRAHAME,
_Secretary National Commissi