Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1874-10-15
PHILADELPHIA.
our sATUR DAY LETTER.

OPENING OF THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE EXHIBITION
AN UNEXPECTED suCcKss-DOUBLE THE NUM-
BER OF EXHIBITORS ANrIcIPATKD--sEoUEL TO
THE CENTRAL INsURANcE co swiNDLE-THE
REroaN Neutrality-suspicious. BAIL cAsE-AcroRs
AND CRITIcA-NEw NEwsPAPERs-BUsINEss
FoLLy-REILaroUs MEETINGS, &c., &c.
Specidi Correspondence of The Commercial.
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 0.
The opening Of the Franklin Institute Exhibi-
ton has been the principal feature Of the week.
No matter what time is given to make
ready it seems to be the fate OF all
such enterprises to be caught unprepared when
the time for opening arrives. But the fault is
generally that Of exhibitors, rather than OF the
managers. The arrangements IN this case were
AZ perfect ~ they could be made and the tu-
multnous state OF things on the inaugural day
WAS not to be laid to the account OF the 1nut-
tute authorities. There were many late eomers
W there always are, aud there were numerous
others who had not thought OF participating IN
III tl,ey saw how the current was running. "As
well to be out OF the world ~ out OF tile fash
iou," IN business ~ we'll ~ in Society. Conse-
n,lently last hour demand WAS made upon tue
Institutes resources, Of which they lad
Lsd no intiniation, and which somewhat
eonfused the Inauguration. These late conlers
might have been refused under the rules, put
it was 10 desirable to make the display complete
that the managers waived ceremony and bade
ali enter until there WAS no longer All inch OF ex-
hibting space. The great show has now set
tied itself down aud is in perfect order attrart-
ing thousands Of persons day and night
The public is agreed that, despite some draw, ,
backs, the exhibition is the most complete ana
satisfactory ever seen here. ln machinery it s
especially large, and every product OF tha skill
of PennsylvAuix mechanics may be seen, from
the steam engine to platinum points FOR gold pens
n there was nothing else in the exhibition tho
display in the Machinery Department would rem
der the affair success But it 10 equally rich IN
manufactured products in silk, woollen sid
| cotton goods in iron, bronze, steel and other
metal work ; in manufactures Of leather and
wood in carriages, harness, gas.hxtures,and'
in brief, in all the many matters which supply no
ciety with it, comforts or luxuries, necessities
The display OF hronze work IN particularly line,
and the extent and beauty OF the gas-tixtures
exhibited surprises even those who knew that
Philsdslphia led the country in this trade. The
drawbacks referred to relate to the exhibition
building and its situation. Although very
spacious and well suited to the wants OF exhibi.
tors the Market street depot il not no well
no galleries from which may ba had view OF
lie busy door and in which TO promenade in the
intervals Of sight seeing. The Chinese Muse
nm galleries were among the great attrHcuons
of the Franklin Institute IN other times: Nor are
there here any numerous by-planes where vlsl
tors can sit ard rest, - they may at fairs in the
, Academy OF Music. Furthermore, tile neigh
, borhood of 18th l. Market is = rather undesira
Bile one for ladies and children 70 yislt. Al nHh
it is quiet, but by day when ladies' 8.
! alone it ii driving, business locality in whicl
! sight ssers seem out Of place. This mention il
made in entire fairness and only to give as com
plets general picture Of the exhibition as pos
sible. Putting one thing with another,it il
: doubtful II any other building would hav
Z served the purpose better, II - we'll. That th
q project has been genuine success may be in
= ferisd from the fact that whereas the plan orig
9 inaJiy was designed for the accommodation o
. between 600 and 700 exhibitors, yet by TnesdA
+ noon 1900 parties had applied for space. Man
: had to be rejected, and all the week since appli
{. catious have been received which could not b
" entertained. Come and sec us, and Judge.
Tho ''rairing" Of railway tt0ck, to enable til
fraudulent Central Insurance Co." to offer II
necessary $500. 400 Of capital has been complete
;. " exposed. A counterfeiter and forger name
:" Ripley has been arrested in New York who va
the real fiuancier Of the concern, his tactics col
N sisting in buying shares Of Reading and oths
II stocks and Ltsring them 10 ~ 10 make them ~
NJ pear to represent greatly increased values. Ril
. ley hAd his headquarters In New York and shil
1t ped luis work to Philadelphia fast ~ finishes
N Tne fraud 10 now ssen in all it's simple uglnes
ut and the business public wonders how it con
Il have besn 20 thoroughly deceived.
10 The Reform Association has published anoth
sn appeal to Independent TAx-Paysrs, dwelling {
resent snormiaes in municipal government, .,