Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-05-31
AFFAIRS IN PHILADELPHIA.
Centennial Notes. sc.
PHILApELPHra. Nav .

PHILADELPHrA. Nav .. iS5s
Editor S0 :-Philadelphia has at this time
but one idea, In commercial point OF view
and that OF course is the centennial. Scarce
an advertisement Of any kind. sort or des-
cription but refers TO IL directly or Indirectly
and almost the first question asked a strang r
is. &" Are you coming 20 the eentennial2" or
perhaps, What do you think OF the &c lten-
nialY' The buildings for the exhibition are
celug erected very rapidly. and before their
vast proportions the structure used for the
sanitary fair would appear n mere infant
The buildings are OF frame: the only perna
nent one Is the memorial han. which i to he
used as an art gallery. There is every rea-
son 20 believe that the centennial will be a
success, but. unless there are
MORE HOTEL ACco-TuoDATIoNs
prov ded. we must say We wall be sorry for
the general public who come 10 visit 10.
There are, strictly speaking. but two first
class hotels i'm. this city. or these the Con-
tinental contains about three hundred CUE 4
cha mbeTs. and the Girard House is cousid-
erably smaller. 1t is doubtless one of the
highest compliments that can be paid 20
Philadelphia 10 say that, as a rule. the hotels
are not good. The quiet and respectable
descendants of Penn and his contemporaries
generally prefer the comforts and privacy of
a home, even though il be small. 10 the ar
tificial life of large hotels. This last pecu-
liarity Is one of the chief points OF di ference
between New Yol kerS and the citizens OF
this goodly town; therefore i'm New York
There are many first class hotels, while here
tirctiOns in the two sister cities NAV be
traced 10 the above characteristics.
IL is proposed 10 buiId a handsome hotel
here, near the Park. and so arrange il that
when the Centennial il over IL can be divided
into rows Of elegant dwelling houses: as vet
II is not commenced. aud TO us il seems im-
possible 10 complete il at this late day. Many
private families are renting their houses 20
foreign legations for the months or the Cen
tennial; we hearl OF one lady up town who
rented her establishment in this way for
SO. 600.
PHILADELPHIA IMPROVEMENTS.
There are several exceedingly handsome
buildings in process Of construction here; the
new post Office, at 9th and Chestnut streets:
the Young Mems Christian Association. at
18th and Chestnut; the new Academy or Fine
Arts, on Broad, above Arch. and the Public
Buildings. at Eroad aud Market. viii all be
greet addition 10 the architectural beauty
of our Quaker City. The city Fathers bow
ever made decided mistake in placing the
publ C. buildings in the intersection OF two of
the finest streets in Philadelphia. and thus
closing the only thOroughfares (which there
Is any 'eaSOl To be proud. When finished
this edifce will be a third larger than the
capitol AT Washington. The architect is Mr..
John Macarthur. VINO. 81 will be rememb afCI.
declined being Mr.. Mullers successor last
winter.
THE GEOLOGICAL GARDEN.
which " as opened al the Park last summer.
is one of the most successful enterprises OF
the kind ever attempted. IL is located al
what was formerly known as Solitude, an
part devoted 10 the geological garden con-
tanned about twenty-five acres. II is beau
uIdlly situated on the Schuylkill. and the
grounds are laid Off with much taste. The
buildings for the various classes Of animals
ale scattered about in a charming grove cC
beach trees, and with the fountains and
flowers make picture fair 10 see. There i
one quite venei able individual in the cOllec-
ton OF animalS-an elephant, supposed TO be
one hundred and thirty years old. He seems.
however, in the perfect possession of all OF
his faculties, judging from the alacrity with
which he devon red sundry daintieS bestowed
upon him 10y the little ones. The rhinocerOs
l. said 10 be the largest ever brought 10 this
country. The geological society. some time
since, accepted bequest from an old Quaker
gentleman, upon the condition that there
sboIld be no intoxicating liquors sold at the
garden; SO ladies and children visit ii unat-
tended by gentlemen. and we must confess
we were more interested in watching the
bright, happy faces Of group of intelligent
children than in seeing ali the animals.
We wanted TO speak of that theme dear tO
eN cry feminine heart, the summer fash ions,
but this letter grows too long. More anon.
RAY RAYMOND.