friend of mine who lives in St. Louis and who was in pretty close touch with what was going on, to look after matters there for me during my absence, and to keep me advised of what went on, and if new bids were requested to telephone or telegraph me.  On the morning of Tuesday, November 29, 1904, I received a telegram from Mr. Ranstead requesting Mr. Krug and myself to go to St. Louis at once, as Mr. Taylor and President Francis desired to have a talk with us.  We left Chicago for St. Louis on the first train out—­11.03 a. m.—­and arrived St. Louis at 6 p. in.  November 29.  We met Mr. Ranstead at the Lindell Hotel.  We talked over matters that evening.  The next morning, November 30, Mr. Krug, Mr. Ranstead, and myself went to the office of Mr. W.B.  Stevens, secretary of the Exposition Company.  We waited in Mr. Stevens’s office some time.  After a while Mr. Stevens took us to Mr. Taylor’s office.  The salvage committee was in session in Mr. Taylor’s office.  There were present at the time President Francis, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Samuel Kennard, and Mr. J.A.  Holmes.  We talked with the salvage committee, and asked them how they wanted us to submit a bid, and what they had to sell that they wanted us to bid on.  President Francis said that he wanted us to bid on all the buildings shown in the specifications, and to include the intramural stations, the bridges, and the fence around the grounds; also the railroad rails and the copper wire.  President Francis said that the bid must be in by 4 o’clock that afternoon.  It was then about 12 o’clock noon.  Mr. Krug said that he could not make an intelligent bid on such short notice and asked for more time.  Mr. Kennard then spoke up and said:  “Mr. Krug, you can give us a bid on the buildings, including the intramural stations, the bridges, and the fence this afternoon, and have it in by 4 o’clock, and we will give you until Friday, December 2, to put in your bid on the rail and the copper wire.”  President Francis then stated, “Mr. Krug, there are 2,000 tons of steel rail to be disposed of.”  Mr. Krug asked for a statement showing the amount of rail and copper wire, and stated he would be able to put his bid in before Friday if he was furnished the statement.  President Francis stated they could not furnish such a statement.  We then left the office and walked around the grounds looking over the stations, the bridges, and the fences.  We did not look over the rail and wire that afternoon, as we thought we would have more time for that the following day.  After we had gone over the ground we went and figured out a new bid and returned to the office of Mr. Taylor about 4 o’clock.  The salvage committee was in session at the time.  Mr. Frank and Mr. Abraham Harris, of the Chicago House Wrecking Company, were holding a conference with the committee at the time.  About 5.30 p.m. the Harris brothers came out of the committee room without their overcoats and hats on.  They had left them in the room where the committee was meeting.  As soon