Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-05-09
Grand Opening on Yesterday.
A Magnificent and Well Finished
structure.
Excellent Mustc and Elegant Deco.
ratiOns.
General Features and Events of the
Day.
Immense Variety of Articles on Eek.
hibitiOn.
The Attendance, ETC., Etc.


in the completion and arrangement of I'll
building. AS a result, we witnessed ye
terday the opening to the pnblic for indu
trial exposition purposes, of one of the mol
imposing, capacious and complete struct
ures of the kind, bothin design and finish
ever erected In the country for simils
purposes. Having in former articles de
scribed elaborately and in detail, the de
sign, capacity and dimensions OF the huge
attractive and uniaqs edifes fqEbbesfFI qgEbbefIaoG @
repetition. Our remarks, then, in thi
connection, suggested by the opening da,
of the Exposition, will be more Of gen
eral than of specific character.
THE DAY AND SURROUNDINGS.
Yesterday, the Sth of May, 1871, marke
an epoch in the history of our goOdly cit,
and growing State, and with its rising sui
dawned new era and sprang a fresh i'm
petus as regards our industrial and manu-
featuring progress and development.
is the first Exposition Of the kind ever hell
! in Nashville, and was inaugurated in the
most favorable and suspicious circums!an
ces and surroundings. The time selected
could not have besn more propitious o
better designed for the complete success
of the enterprize. Surrounded with al
! the gorgeous and attractive beauties of the
lovely and floral month of May, and oul
beautiful city enVironed with green-claG
hills and waving forest foliage, both the
season and the occasion formed ar
appropriate and fitting industrial inaugu.
ration The morning was cleal
and bright, with blue skies glow
| ing above and genial sunshine smiling be.
| low.
PREPARATIONS OF THE MORNING.
A glance at the hotel registers Sunday
evening showed that quite a number o.
strangers from abroad, and visitors from
| the different portions and counties of the
State had arrived, called together by the
grand and extraordinary event. The
morning train brought many more, and a
an early hour our streets and thorough
fares were astir and alive with expectation
and pleasing excitement incident to the
event. Vehicles were whiFling past hither
and thither, the sidewalks were lined with
pedestrians and lockers on. hackmen
cracked their whips eagerly, horsemen
were passings and repassing, show-windows.
counters and shelves glittered and sparkled
with rich goods and costly fabrics temp
ingly displayed, clerks and statesmen were
active with their extra touches, and our
landlords were busy preparing for the
rush upon them during the weeks to fol-
low. All indications we're conclusive that
an occasion of unmerited interest and i'm
portance had arrived.
ON TO THE EXPOSITION.
About nine o'clock the large and superb
transfer wagon of the Adams Express
Company, with its spanking team deco
rated and caparisoned for the occasion,
was seen passing along Cherry street from
the Ash Barracks, conveying the inimit-
able band of the 10th infantry. Richly
plumed, epauletted and uniformed, their
brightly furnished and well toned instru-
ments gllttering in the sun, they passed to
the Exposition, disceursing delightful and
inspiring music as they went This was
the signal for general interest. Attracted
Gathering and swelling in numbers, wend-
ing their ways along Cherry and Church
streets toward the great industrial ceutre
of attraction.
AT THE EXPOSITION GROUNDS.
On reaching the building the band took
their places on the elegant balcony con-
structed expressly for them over the main
entrance of the building, and continued
the most enlivening music, that foated
upon the morning air, blending in peaceful
and thrilling accord and harmony with the
notes of preparation within and the sounds
of happy and peaceful industry with
out. On their arrival, Gen. Peppybacker,
il compliance with previous arrangements
and announcement, fired a salute Of fifteen
guns. The roar Of The guns announced
the opening of the exhibition, and as the
sound pesled ont upon the morning air,
reverberating and trembling away in the
distant valleys, it was in striking contrast
with the cannon-boom that erst shook cur
hills and startled our valleys, when they
were filed with hostile troops end thorny
with bayOnets. As this salute was fired, pro-
claiming the vastness of our resources, the
blessings Of our country and cur cline,
and the success OF our commercial and in
dustrial enterprises, we felt truly that
peace has it, victories as well as war, and
that enterprise and hardy industry wore
fairer crowns and bore banners brighter
than circle the brows of despots or float
in the van of blood-stained and conquer
ing armies.
APPEARANCE OF THE BUILDING,
No one can fail on approaching the
building to be most vorably impressed
with its extensive proportions, impos-
ing appearance, architectural design
and elegant and elaborate finish. The To-
cation on the corner of Broad and Vine
streets, is the best that could have been
selected in the city. The building, with
its main entrance fronting on -oad, with
wings of Iual proportions fronting Vine
4 ~ ha l.
irg elaborately finished and elegantly
pointed and covering the larger portion of
the space on the lot, presens an appear
ence at once grand and attractive. The
grounds fronting each Of the wings are
graveled and made perfectly clean and free
from dust, while the streets have been
newly macad8mized. The substantial,
solid arched roofing of the building, curv-
ing in Just and exac. proportions, is very
attractive, while the ornamented cornices
and walls are beautifully painted, the
whole looking pleasingly refreshing. M
merous flags float from the wings and roof
of the building, which IS profusely deco
rated externally with evergreens and fes-
toons. The appearance from the streets
fronting the building and around it is one
of active life and vivid animation.
INTERNAL ARRANGEMENTS.
These could not we'll be excelled. They
combine beauty, convenience, elegance
and good taste with the utmost care to
the practical purposes Of the Exposition.
On entering, the variety of fixture and the
heterogeneous mass of articles on exhibi-
ton that burst upon the view are over
whelming and bewildering. On the left
of the entrance is well fitted parlor, de-
signed and prepared exclusively for the le-
dies and appropriate to their use during
the Exposition. Other apartments are ad-
mirabiy arranged for the purposes to which
they are applied. In the center of the
structure there is large space devoted to
the floral department, and in the middle
of this space there is a handsome and
unique fountain, ten feet high, with innu-
merable Jets of sparkling water, thrown to
q distance Of several feet above the apex
Hundreds of je!s dart in silvery spray from
| the fountain, and fill IL the large, hand
! some and capacious basin below, looking
beautifully refreshing. Around this basin
| are arranged in tasteful order, in rich and
/ profusive abundance, and endless variety,
| beautiful and rare flowers, chiefly from the
! gardens and conservatories Of Messrs
/ HEAVIER and French. These are the con-
! trihutions of the horticultural Society, ard
( various other attrac, ions in this line will
| yet be added. From this central and cir
cular space the view to the right and to
the left and all around is one of indefinite
variety and absorbing interest. Textile
fabrics, fine arts, manufactures, specimens
Of handicraft, minerals, mastodon remains,
scientific inventions and discoveries, works
of art and products of nature, the veinous
and arterial structure of man, the frame
work Of the horse, rich marble, elegant
boots and shoes and every article of ele-
CANT manufacture, fine pictures, paintings,
books, photographs, carpets, blankets,
cotton and woolen goods, laces, spreads,
and in fact everything useful that is grown