Title: Notes on Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition

Description: 

Aspersions on character. Notes written by Gurdon W. Wattles. References to Wattles, Gurdon W.; Rosewater, Edward; Porter G. C.; 7 pages previously folded in hirds. First 3 pages of text read as follows: [Page 1] At the public meeting called at the Commercial Club Rooms on ___ to effect a preliminary organization of the Trans Mississippi and International Exposition some one unknown to me professed my name as a member of the board of directors. I had not at that time subscribed [?] to the stock but my name was put on the list for $100 unknown to me and I was elected as one of the elven directors. I was not present at this meeting and had not in any manner solicited or suggested my election. When the board met to organize on ___ I nominated Mr. J. T. Lindsay as President and he would have been unanimously elected but he declined to accept. Others were proposed but declined. At last after voting unanimously for my election [?] I conceded to accept temporarily the place. On numerous occasions I asked to be relieved but my request was refused.
When the permanent organization was agreed upon in an interview in 
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The Omaha Bee on ___ I advocated the election as president of some prominent and well known citizen like Senator Chars. T. Manderson and declined to serve longer in the position. In this and subsequent interviews I outlined the organization substantially as it was afterwards made. A committee was appointed by me at a meeting on ___ to nominate permanent officers. This committee consisted of E. Rosewater, Frank Murphy.
A short time before this committee was to report to the full board I was informed by Mr. Lindsay that some on had made charges against me concerning my business record in Carroll Iowa.  I at once placed in Wm. Lindsay's hands such evidence as I had at hand concerning the falsity of these charges and they were [illegible] before the nominating committee and I was informed that after condemnation
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I was unanimously nominated for the position of president. When the committee reported to the full board Mr. Lindsay took occasion to review the charges that had been made and to say that the committee had unanimously concluded they were false and that I was the best man for the place.
When the Executive Committee was organized it soon became evident that Mr. Rosewater and Mr. Hitchcock could not agree on any matters of business and their frequent dispatches retarded all transactions until I finally expressed myself in forcible language regarding their actions. Soon after this Mr. Hitchcock retired from the committee and Mr. Rosewater began to advocate numerous proposition to which meeting I nor the other members of the committee could agree. First he proposed the holding of the exposition in 1898 and proposed thatit be postponed tilll 1899. He opposed all steps to