My name is H.S. Albrecht. I reside in St. Louis. Have lived here the past twenty-five years. I am engaged in business in St. Louis. In regard to the sale of the salvage of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company I herewith make the following statement: When I saw by the papers that bids were requested for the wrecking and removal of certain exhibit buildings now on the World's Fair grounds I decided that I would make a bid on same. I submitted a bid on that part of the salvage to be disposed of as shown in the specifications prepared by Director of Works Taylor and on following buildings: Mines and Metallurgy; Liberal Arts; Education and Social Economy; Manufactures; Electricity; Varied Industries; Machinery; Transportation; Forestry, Fish, and Game; Agricultural; Horticulture; four dairy barns, octagonal; live-stock forum; Live-Stock Congress Hall; stock barns; Steam, Gas, and Fuel Building, and cooling towers; Festival Hall; terrace of States, including pedestals and statuary; two pagoda restaurant buildings on Art Hill; four fire-engine houses; five toilet-room buildings; five band stands. The time limit set for the removal of the buildings and debris was short--namely, three months--and no one could make a reasonable bid. I made my bid in the sum of only $50,000 for that reason, and accompanied same by a certified check for $25,000, as required by the Exposition Company. The bids were to be opened at 12 o'clock noon of November 10. I, with a number of other bidders, was present in an anteroom adjoining the office of Mr. Isaac S. Taylor, director of works. The bids were not opened at the appointed hour, and we waited there for three hours and until 3 o'clock. We expected the bids to be opened in public, as is done 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