The Portland daily press., 1875-07-30
Some Things About the Centennial.
A Look Mt the Buildings land Surround
ings.
To the Editor of the Press:

To the Editor of the Press: .f-
know it will help our cause in Maine to
say few familiar things about the prospects
of the coming Centennial, and to this end ask
you to print these impressions of mine, gath
cred in flying trip to Philadelphia, where,
though there be miles of mansions emptied for
the Summer, and scarce one sign of social life
is to be observed, city where not even play
house is open and the bare bill-boards blister in
the sun, there is, nevertheless, wonderful work
going on which it would be very inspiriting to
all the people of the land to see.
Paramount Park, never SO well kept as Cen
tral Park-indeed so grand are its proportions,
through which mighty river sweeps, that it
can scarcely be "kept" at all-is invested by
an army of workmen engaged in building and
identifying. Foremost among the work is the
Art Building, nearly done as to the rough and
heavy work, ard certainly one of the most
beautiful structures in the world, every inch of
whose space is bespoken to hold the art treas
sures promised to be ready next Spring. Hor-
tieultural Hall, for flowers, plants, shrubs and
trees from the whole continent, and covering
space not far from the size Of Lincoln Park,
could be finished in twolmonths if desired, and
is the smallest building yet planned Agri-
cultural Hall is to be done by Jan. LIST, and is
designed not for a show of perishabe products,
but for cereals and kindred crops, and especial
ly to show the changes and final attainmentsin
agricultural implements. In this latter fea.
ture it is designed to make the most interest
ingIexhibition ever held.
But when we come to the Main Building all
the above mentioned ones are, for the moment
forgotten. Think of an immense structure of
iron and glass, of faultless shape, that would
reach from Congress Square to City Hall,
whose width is equal to the distance from the
latter point to the Postofice, whose rooflcovers
within few feet of twenty-five acres! And
Machinery Hall is Only a third smaller, and is
on the same general plan and the same line of
work, SO that the railway tracks run alike
through both. And here let me mark the ex-
cellence of plan throughout. Not only are all
the materials of these vast structures brought
to the very places of their use by these spur
railway lines, but these rails are to remain for
use in bringing away the exhibitors goods. be-
ing foored over meantime. And further, the
transportation scheme is already SO perfect
that the exhibitor from Portland, or Bangor, or
anywhere, has only to ship his contribution,
with proper direction, prepay the freight and
the terminal charges and the article is set
down upon the very space to be occupied, and
the boxes saved and stored for use in re-shp-
ping. He who studies the plans and prospects
of this approaching Worlds Fair will marvel
quite as much at the minuteness of detail as at
its bold proportions.
So here stand all the evidences of mammoth
fact, an enterprise no longer equivocal as to
destiny, and so near at hand that the plainest
person can see all things will be ready for the
earliest stir of the coming spring. The build
ings and grounds will be in perfect condition,
and all the surroundings equally fine. The
headquarters of the commission is a delightful
spot upon the grounds and the building is
charming cottage shape summer palace-plain
and not costly, but very beautiful. The British
Commissioner, (the managing director of the
Kensingston Museum) has ordered the erection
of headquarters for himself and his co-workers
at an expense of 10000, and has gone home
to England to make the final preparations for
her part in the Exposition. Morocco will show
in pavilion of her own. The Swedish COM
mission has been allotted space for a school
house and arsenal; the Japanese are here, the
busiest of all busy people, arranging not only
for their grand Bazaar, but for complete Jap
aneese village, and the houses oe the latter are
81 now ready for shipment hither. While L was
talking with Mr.. Goshorn the Director-General,
on the day of my visit, dispatch was received
from the Austrian government asking for
Il, 900 feet in the art Building and 81 000in the
Main Building-her first request being only for
$4,000 in all. This is sample of the awaken
ing zeal exhibited by leading foreign govern
ments, and already 1t is getting to be a serious
problem what can be done with American pro-
ducts. Applications for carriages alone up to
date call for and cover upwards of $4,000 square
feet. Tue decision of. the LADIES' Executive
j Committee to erect building of their own for
"Woman's Work, to cover one acre and cost
$50, 900, plans of which are now ready and APP
proved, will release much space in the other
buildings hitherto set apart; while several states
b have decided, as ia the case of Missouri and
Kansas, to make collective exhibitions of their
own resources. These last moves will help out
marveiously as to space for the general exhibit
tors. -A rss
But the immensity of, work being done is
not confined to the Centennial officials. Private
enterprise is all alive to the OCCASION One
company OF UulluerS naS nOSt OF W0rkmen
putting up hotel that will lodge and feed five
thousand people. This is just across from the
Park horse car depots, and is 10 be built upon
the following plan: A four-sded tenement.
house structure, covering an ordinary Pennsyl-
yapia square, with the enclosed court to be
temporarily rooted and prepared for vast din
ing room, and the rest of the rooms used for
lodgings. After, the Exhibition this centre
space is to be cleared and the whole property
resolves itself into tenement houses again.
Such is a sample of the solid American wit
and forecast that on every hand wait upon this
vast central enterprise. .r,
have crowded these facts and suggestions
together here for the purpose of making them
y appeal to the people of Maine to do an honor
able part in this mighty work. Shall we not
send something BETTING state that has more
varied and self-sustaining resources than-I
say-any other in this whole land? Every in
terest of seishness and sentiment urges MS to
take early heed; for as to prosperity of people
and peace OF kindred and nations Philadelphia
will bear the rarest and the ripest fruits of this
grand Centennial time. X.