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Includes a notarized statement from A.C. Baker, a United States naval officer and Assistant Chief of Transportation Exhibits at the world's fair, regarding the continuing feud between Cridler and Colonel William McKay. Baker believes McKay is "going to write a letter to President Francis telling what his opinion was of Cridler and how unfit he was to perform his duties with the Louisiana Purchase Exposition." He is also convinced McKay "instituted the suit to put Cridler in a hole."

Scope and Contents Includes the first letter to Cridler from Carrie Jenkins Harris, a well-connected, politically active author and editor from North Carolina who often wrote under the pseudonym "Charles Edward Lloyd". There are a number of letters from Harris to Cridler found throughout the collection. A regularly appearing theme in her letters is her determination to be appointed as a representative of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition to the country of Greece. Cridler would later describe Harris as a...

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Includes a retained copy of a letter Cridler wrote to Walter B. Stevens, Secretary of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. Cridler explains his "rule" for correspondence whereby he "treats only one subject in each letter." He further adds that his correspondence is "arranged under countries." He implores Stevens to bear this in mind when writing to him, and to refrain from "lumping several subjects together" in single letters.

Scope and Contents Includes a series of letters between Cridler and Charlemagne Tower, United States Ambassador to Russia, regarding an incident in St. Petersburg involving Cridler, Tower, and John Hay, Secretary of State. Also includes correspondence with Richard Dorsey Mohun, a long-time United States commercial agent to the Belgian Congo and advisor to King Leopold II of Belgium. Mohun wants further information from Cridler about the partnership between James W.S. Langerman, vice-consul in Morocco, and the...

Scope and Contents Included in folder is a lengthy letter from William H. Hunt, U.S. Consul to Madagascar. Hunt was appointed in August 1901 and at that time was one of only a few African-Americans employed in diplomatic service at the State Department. Hunt confides to Cridler regarding the difficulties of his post in Madagascar, explaining "the fact cannot be concealed that the Madagascar Consulate is not a bed of roses, either as regards climate, cost of living or social advantages; and it would be...

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Cridler kept much of his correspondence with Adolphus Busch, the German-born co-founder of the Anheuser Busch Brewery, in a separate file. Foreign promotion of the fair, or "exploitation" as it was called, was carried out under the supervision of a standing commitee led by Chairman Busch.

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Cridler kept many of his incoming telegrams and telegram forms in a single file.

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Miscellaneous world's fair materials. Includes brochure in Spanish.

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Printed book: The Louisiana Purchase and Our Title West of the Rocky Mountains. (Washington DC: Government Printing Office, 1898). The book's cover is engraved to Hon. Thomas W. Cridler on front cover.

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Includes materials with information regarding rules and regulations affecting transportation of exhibits to St. Louis, Missouri.

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Includes four circulars from the fair's executive divisions with news from various countries.

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Miscellaneous materials including hotel receipts, clippings, Masonic Relief application, and Cridler's medical test results.

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Loose pages from unidentified report listing imports and exports of mechandise by various countries.