The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-09-27
THE CHICAGO EXHIBITION.
Opening of the Interstate
Exposition.
TIE BUILDING AND APPOINTMENTS.
Twenty Thousand Persons Witness the
Opening Ceremonies.

CHICAGO, Sept. &c, 1873.
The Interstate Industrial Exposition was for.
mally opened last evening, and under such aus
pices as warrant the belief that 1t will prove a
success. The immense building, 500 feet long by
100 feet wide, with double galleries around the en-
tire length completely thronged with visitors,
the lowest estimated number being 10000 The
various departments are not yet entirely filed
although all Of the space has been taken by exhib
itors, many OF whom have not been able to get
their articles in place, owing to the brief time
that has elapsed since the building was In condi-
ton to receive them.
The programme OF the opening ceremonies COM
menced with the playing OF selection OF national
airs by the band. The Chairman OF the Executive
committee then, In brief speech, recited the re-
suit OF the labors OF the committee and presented
The building TO the Board OF Directors.
Addresses OF welcome were then delivered by
mayor Bond and Governor Beverage, after which
Senators Logan and Oglesby made brief speeches.
THE EXPOSITION COMPANY
is a JOINT stock corporation formed OF prominent
citizens of all occupations. About $500 600 OF stock
has subscribed and paid up. The building
has cost about $500, 900, including all expenses.
The officers Of the company are the following
Potter Palmer, President Hon. W. +. Coolbaugh
Vice President; J. Irving Pearce, Treasurer; John
r. Reynolds, Secretary; N. s. Bouton, Chairman OF
Executive Committee; John B. Drake Edwin Lee
Brown, A. G. Hesing, David A. Gage, r. T. Crane,
W. w. Boyington, H. H. Taylor, Jacob Rosenberg,
George II. Lafn, Executive Committee.
THE BUILDING
stands on Lake Park, q strip OF land between
Michigan avenue and the Lake, belonging to the
city. 1t thus fronts upon the lake and enjoys
every possible advantage Of situation hight and
air. 1t Ia also easy Of access, being within two
three blocks OF all the street Car lines and
near the hotels and railroad stations In.
deed, a railroad station has been erected
largest roads IN the West running past
it on the breakwater which skirts the lake. the
and 200 IN depth, not inclusive oil additions and
"annexes," with grand dome IN the centre and
are round instead OF being square, meritonous
departure from the usual practice. The materials
is OF iron and glass. The central dome is 60 feet
IN diameter and 100 feet high; the aomes
diameter and $50 feet in height Then there
as middle front projection at the grand entrance,
feet. The first OF these has two story balcony,
rooted, so by 20 feet; the others have single bal
trance which runs up to height Of 70 feet, is the
music stand Roun1 the whole building runs
gallery. with seats in 'front.' and row OF stalls lor
lng as promenade. In the end domes there are
three galleries, while steam elevators convey peo-
pie desirous OF looking down upon Chicago and the
lake to the top OF the building. The ROOT Is sup
ported by 30 main trusses and 81 nali-trusses Tie
inches wide; the latter are Of the same thickness
and Inatetial, but only inches IN width. 1t
the usses ana the cTssns the sop root
is still 20 eet higher. There IN the exposition
building 7leooo bricks; $1,000 feet Of lumber;
square being 10 by 10 eet 1873 tons of bolts, nuts
and plates 1900 feet Of galvanized IRON
1000 feet OF glass in the windows, 5000 ieet
OF sheet glass In the venators, and g. 400 feet OF
Offices there are 1000 ieet additional Of glass.
There are $4,000 feet OF gas pipe In the structure,
one-nal OF which ID very large, some OF 1t being
inches.
On entering at the front projection The orices
Of the Secretary and Treasurer are Oh either hand
Above them, looking out through glazed fronts
upon the grand hail. are the Board roo u and the
press room, convenient chamber, forty by
twenty with all possible Accommodations for the
reporters and correspondents who may be present.
The grand hall, 500 by 200 feet, capable OF seating
10000 persons whenever it is needed for purposes
requiring snch an audience-then stretches before
the spectator In the centre. under the dome. Is
very % sSs ea s Inc nUt1efn eX
which Is furHisned by two engines OF go morse
power. Additions containing 10, 900 square feet OF
agricultural machines and implements The
southern end OF the hall Is occupied
every imaginable department OF Industry being
exhibited. Thus there are ofices where newspa-
pers are mace up printed and publlSned; watch
factory with dozen pretty girls busily engaged
an manufacturing every possible part OF watch,
from the balance wheel TO the case; gigantic
soda fountain, towering over q boot factory, which
~ bounded by graveyard, and drug store IN
rDetto nelRhbOr 70 confectloners.
Across the hall, from the entrance to the Art
Hall, suit OF three rooms As by 12O the first being
devoted to statuary and architectural designs the
second to paintings and the thiid to photographs.
Most oil the works o! art are contributed BY local
artists or loaned by wealthy connoisseurs. The
city sends Armitage's fine allegorical painting
presented by the proprietors of the London
GTdphtcj, commemorative OF the destruction OF
Chicago, and the Succor OF the stricken city by
Britannia and Columbia. Bierstadt sends his last
work-a new SIC, 900 picture-called Autumn in the
Oi more than common merit The light Is furnished
from tinted skylights in day time and is unusually
good, while at night perforated gaspipe, 500 feet
long, with 500 burners, casts Its radiance, IRON
height OF sixteen feet upon the pictures. This de-
partment is freprool
Beyond this department are the tefreshment
rooms, 240 feet Dy 20 feet. and the sitting rooms
LOT ladies' and gentlemen. Among the accessories
are Darbers shops, telegraph Offices, q branch Post
ONCE, whence are distributed all letters addressed
Oihces and a railroad station. The building within
s painted a blush gray, the trusses, beams and
projecting woodwork being done in white.
Inc building Is lighted by 40 windows and Is
nghting 1t at night very complete. Besides the
Soo burners In the art hall and u "sunght" in one
Hone, large centre ring, is feet in diameter, with
DO burners, hangs beneath the great DOME Dis
triDuted over the building are 80 six-eet rings,
each one having SO burners; these hang "a feet
above the noor. There is an Slight pendant every
~ eet under the galleries, 10 of these pendants
having IN all 1850 lights. On all the arches above
Lie saiery there are brackets, with lights each.