by the
United States Government and the city when they dispose of large
properties. We were called into Mr. Taylor's office and were informed by
President D.R. Francis that the bids would not be opened in public, but
in private. I immediately arose and offered an objection to this mode of
procedure, as I did not think it was the proper way to handle the
matter. I told them what I thought of the whole proposition. My protest
was a vigorous one. A Mr. Harris, a representative of the Chicago House
Wrecking Company, immediately arose and stated that he desired to have
his bid kept secret. Mr. Francis overruled my objection and sustained
Mr. Harris. Mr. Francis asked the other bidders present what they
desired as to the manner of handling the bids, and they all stated that
the bids should be opened in public and not in private. Not only as a
contractor, but as a stockholder of the Exposition Company, I demanded
that the bids be opened publicly, in a straightforward manner. We were
instructed to go out into the anteroom and remain until called for.
About fifteen minutes later I was recalled alone to the meeting room of
the salvage committee, where President Francis questioned me in regard
to the $50,000 bid, and asked whether I could remove the property in the
time limit set. I informed the gentlemen that I could make my bid
considerably higher if I was granted more time in which to remove the
debris. President Francis asked me how much more I could bid, and I told
him I could not state offhand. The conditions as to the removal of the
wreckage in the specified time, namely, three months, were somewhat
prohibitive, as it would be impossible to fulfill the requirements
without an enormous expense. It would be well-nigh impossible to get
sufficient men and teams on the work to complete the same in the
specified time. President Francis stated to me that it was probable that
all the bids would be rejected. I requested him to ask for new bids,
which were to be opened in public, or that the property be sold at
public auction. I saw by the newspapers a few days later that all bids
had been rejected, and my check for $25,000 was returned to me. I later
saw by the papers that the Exposition Company contemplated forming a
company among the directors and wreck the buildings themselves and
dispose of the salvage. Later on I saw in the papers that the Chicago
House Wrecking Company was figuring to buy all the World's Fair
property, and was