The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1885-09-03
FINAL. R EHsOgET
COMMISSIONER SEBRING.
BRONSON. FLA. July 13. 1885.

BRONSON. FLA, July 13, 1885.
To His EreeAency, h. A. Perry, Gooermor Of
| Florida:
have the honor respectfully lo submit the
| following report rs Commissioner of Florida to
| the Worlds Industrial and Cotton Centennial
Exposition at New Orleans, from the date of my
commission, January 10Th, 1891, to the 1st of
June, 1888. Upon the receipt ofmy commission,
! January, 1885, at once had IA consultation with
Governor w. d. Dloxham, who had nominated
| me to Chester a. Arthur, President of the Uni.
| tel States, and after due consideration of the
| plans proposed by each, it WAS the opinion OF
| Governor BoXham and myself that we divide
| the State, giving to Colonel W. ID. Chiplcy, AL
| ternalc Commissioner, The portion of the State
| west OF The Suwannco river, while should take
That portion south, and that II ctgoT0uS campaign
| be lnauguraed in behalf ot the State making Il
| proper display al New Orleans, and by address
ing the people of the various counties at proper
| tlmes and places, we clt with Governor l'lox-
| ham, whose whole heart was in the work, that
| we would thus awaken a proper feeling OF the
| importance of every citizen doing his whole duty
| in this great work. But righi here we found Il
| very serious obstacle confronting us: the State
| Was without an appropriation for THIS important
| work, and not a dollar couId the Governor give
us to carry on our work, and il would BE- II year
before the Legislature would be III session, and
IN the meantime the Exposition wonlsl opo II, and
all or major part ot the work mast hc done.
he undertaking Was il hcrcurni one md the
outlook discouraging inGtod bat encouraged by
Governor BlOXhams words oi ho,c and belief
that our people would rally, wen, on into the
heid 1" faboF. Having II lcw hundred dollars
that could command for nt ccssary travelling
expenses, started upon this great work feeling
the heavy responsibility that WAS resting upon
me. From the hour undertook This most in
portant work gave up my business and threw
my Whole soul into the work, having but one dc
sire, and that was that Florida should take IL
high rank along with her sister .EtrttS ani sub
scqucnt events proved | was not 10 bc disap.
pointed.
In February, 1884, Colonel W d. Chiplcy, the
Alternate Commissioner met me at jacksonville,
Florida, and alter consulting as To our future
course OF action we issued crCulaH letter Ia the
people of Florida, appealing to tucn To aid us in
this great cause by contributing trees and plants
ana 10 have them pui IN proper condition tor
shipment | was lo start on my mission South
whlic Colonel Chplry went West to makr pre-
paralions for the great work hci'hc him. On ihc
26th OF February | went To New Orleans and
had an audience with Director General Edward
y. Burke, and in dcvisng plans tor the most
successful accomplishment OF HE w"lk before
found Major Burke hear and ooul III The work
he had undertaken. Major Burke gave me ii
circular of instruction he had prepared upon
county organizations, and gave me-, as tai us he
could his pl;tns for the future. Thus armed and
cnihnscd, | returned 10 Florila and II; once com.
vi The thirty -nInc counties visited IN person
thirty OF them aud organized in each what Was
known rs ----- County WorldS Exposition
Association, whose duty It WAS to c"llcC; and
forward AT the proper time their exhibit. In
these county organizations every one was asked
To participate and urged To take an active part
III bringing thtir respective counties to the lron
ut this, which promised to be the greatest
Worlds Fair ever held Iou will bear in mind
that we were all this time working " Without
means from The State. La April met Professor
y. III. Curtlss the eminent botanisI, and heard
from INN his plans 0i proper display of our
large forestry, ferns and medicinal plants. |
saw at glance that The plans OF Professor Cur
tlSs were practical, and assured him that | would
adop them, and Just rs soon is could get HE
money would have him go 10 work to make
the collection. A lew days later received Il
telegram from Major Il. a. Bun kc to meet him
in Washington, -. c. on The 7lh of May, 1884
AL tins meeting were some thirty Ut the L. =
Commissioners, and at this meeting ii was dc
cdcd to ask Congress tor loan OF million
OF dollars and The Board OF management pro
posed 10 give to each State and Territory, as II
gift To secure Collective Stale Exhibit, the sum
"f five thousand dollars. felt happy, for This
WAS the first ray ol financial hight that
had bcamcd upon us. The loan asked
was given, but the Board of Manage
mcnt did not get the money rs soon as
expected, and il was The OH day Of August, 1884
before got the first instaIlmcnt ot this $1,000
AS soon us the money came into my hands |
started Professor CurtSs into The forest 10 collect
IN exhibit OF our forestry, and which subsequent
~ proved to bc the finest made in the Govern
mcnt Building feel warranted in saying thai
had Prof Curtss been prompted by other than
patriotic feelings, he would NOT have lc1 his fiuc
home in heat OF the summer to roam over the !
State and undergo Il thousand prlVaiIOnS Tor The !
small amount OF money he received. From first |
10 last found Prot. CurtSs IA devoted son OF
Florida, always ready 10 do any thing in his |
power to advance The interest OF his adopted !
State | continued my canvass OF the Stale, Wis
hing various places in the different countless and
calling upon the railroads, corporations, firms !
and individuals soliciting their sHpp0H in col !
lecting proper exhibit OF The resources oi our
Stale. In this way | spent my time working |
day and night, inviting all to join in this great
onward march OF ctctti-uttOn. The ladies OF our
State were active workers and made an exhibit |
that II flcctcd great credit upon their ntc |
gence.
You will remember that 1884 was evcnful |
political year, and the whole State WAS ablaZc |
and excited upon the political issues, and ii |
made my work very much more laborious and |
difficult 10 keep the people worked up to the !
importance OF proper exhibit. was prom
ised exhibits from the various counties and prom |
incnt citizens, and felt sure that | would not |
he disappointed. In July asked for twenty
five thousand square feet, and from promises
Director General was so great that Foridas |
space was cut down 10 9,}40 square feet From |
The 9th OF August To the 2d OF December re-
ccived $;,33532 with which to carry this
work paying Professor Culti>s ami his expenses |
and travelling expenses OF myself, paying for cX-
hbs bought, and to make my installation at
New Orleans. Before leaving for New Orleans |
| issued circular Oi instruction regarding ship |
ment of goods, and also made an appeal TO my |
countrymcn 10 do all in their power TO have |
Florida properly represented Tins circular was |
issued about the 10h oi Novcinber, 1884 and on |
the 2l Of December, reached New Orleans to |
be present upon the arrival OF the exhibits. On !
the 9Th OF December, 1884, Prot Clrtiss shipped
me "a hall carload Of exhibits. With the com |
menccmcnl oil December the elements seemed !
to cOnsprc against the management of the EX- |
position. The whole country Was dclugcd the |
workmen could not work on The building, and |
the root was but little or no protection. Every |
thing was chaos-The day OF opening was post
poncd from tho 4th OF December To the 10Th Of |
December; but during the time from the Alb to |
rs but little work had been done on account of |
the bad weather, and on opening day moi sin |
vlc State, or the United States government, had /
their exhibits 0nc-halt up. Nebraska, Kansas
and Maryland were arlhcr advanced than any
other States The United States government
exhibits were in their boxes. North Caroina,
South Carolina Virginia, West Virginia, Penn
svIyaniu, Delaware and New Jersey were no
further advanced than Florida. New York had
nothing upon her space, while Iowa. Minnesota,
Vermont, and in fact all the States were in Cha
o,ic confusion A car that left Jacksonville on
II. had Grln