Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-07-16

Centennial Harvest Homo was held in tli
| city to-day, tho elaboratoness of which woult
have done credit to our larger cities. 1t wai
| held in the apple orchard OF Col. r. G. johnson
IN the central part of the city, The attendance
was very large, estimated ut from 5000 to G,00t
people. The ouire county united in the effort
and contributed to the great success which wal
| achieved, although tho noghboring counties al
30 turned ont largely and assisted to swell the
unprecedented size Of tho gathering. Ia Salem
city the day wore
MUCH THE APPEARANCE OF A HOLIDAY.
Business was not altogether Suspended, bn
clerks lounged idly about tho store fronts, while
the business mon generally devoted thor time
and attention to the celebration. Flags anC
banners were thrown to the bree2e in every part
OF the city, and never before was there such
display OF bunting III any Jersey town. Even
Cape May and its oifng during the regatta could
not begin to compare with 1t. Over fourteen
hundred iiags, OF all nations, had been procured
from tho Navy Yard at Philadelphia through
Secretary Robcson, and the orchard grouid-
were ono vast sea Of bunting, which iloated from
tagstaila and tent fronts, or was twined among
the decorations everywhere. A large amount OF
canvas was also obtained from the game source,
under which the various departments OF the
Harvest Homo were conducted. The arrange
nent and
were very complete and beautiful. The, entire
live acres of the enclosure were mono too large
for tho several departments, some twelve or
fourteen in number. Tho principal Of these
were tho large Restaurant Tent, the Century
Pavilion, the Floral Temple and the Sylvan Wcll.
These were all uuiquc in design, tasteful in mr.
rangelncnt and very pretty to look upon. The
Restaurant Tent was large enough to accommo-
Date 900 persons at ono sitting and Its decora-
tons were striking and handsome. On an eleya-
ted platform at one end were gathered quanti-
ty of revolutionary mlsketd and munitions Of
war; at tho other several implements of pence
full huslandry with shoavos of grain, &c, while
between these hung fcstoons of ovcrgreens and
ilags artistically wrought into devices typical Of
the bounty of peace. Within this tent were ta-
strikingy aud neatly arranged. Tho lady atten-
dants wore the Martha Washington cap and IN
come instances the dress also.
THE CENTURY TENT
was emblematic of the progrcss OF the CEN
tury by decades, and within each division, desig-
mated by a motto in front with the year printed
upon it, were tables spread, over which ladies'
dressed in the style OF each decade presided
Each decade marked distinct style i'll dress,
with but little variation between them. Very
little difficulty, it is said, was .experionced in
drawing tho lines Of distinction between the
styles; but looking forward to this work OF fit-
ture generations, when the second Centennial
arrives, it s sufficient to appal even IN tho
temptation of it, aud those who undertake the
work must of necessity bring with them stout
hearts, willing hsnda, and Il patient rosca,ch'
Tue FLORAL TEMPLE
was unsurpassed in design and beauty OF finish.
The outside franc work was of the Chinese pa-
CODA fashion, interlaced with cvergroens and
nags. Within, rising from lnoss,coyered and
moss grown rock bed was u fountain whose Jets
We're constantly ascending aud falling in gentle
showers upon the display of water lilies and 9th
nfNtt kn "a. afat liz
pleasing were also Incorporated in this tompe,
denotng patient caro- and great skill and tastc i'll
its preparation. The ladies at this table were
dressed in Martha Washington style. Tho Sy
iian Well WAS something similar to the Floral
Temple, but it was enclosed by rustic building
about which travelling vines were clambering
everywhere. The lady attendants wore the reg
uar Syrian costume.
OTHER FEATuRE5.
The other features OF the arrangements wero
a Swiss dairy, decorated with SWISS ilaSs nnd
trimmed with evergreen and unthreahed straw I;
Ice cream stand, eola water fountain. shooting
galleries, a Punch and Judy performance, and
numerous other smaller tents for storage pnr-
poses Looking into some of those 1t waA not
difficult to understand how ton Thousand
people could be fed. In one large box were
piled roasted pigs, turkeys aud chickons, beef
cooked in general different ways, ham, veal,
mutton, Nc. in the groatcst abundance, and
near by were the greatest quantities of all Kinds
of the best of food prepared in the most careful
manner. Numerous games were also in con-
Btant progress on the grounds.
ANCIENT REL.c9.
An interesting part of the celebration WAS the
Relic Department Within il was probably as
fine collection as can be brought together by
any county. Aniong the display was noticeable a
venison dish used by DIR. BENZ Rush century
ago, and humorous similar metal dishes of heyo-
lntionary times ; q cradle made in 1865 a clock
tnI fror,, Epo hv oh N in
samples of wood which had been under mud and
water IS years, but perfectly preserved time
piece made i'll the 10th century swords and nu-
merous other revolutionary relies ancient fans,
combs, bcdquilts, autographs, &c. As q curious
document mention might bo made of Il
receipt given by the Six Nations for so, ,0OO i'll
payment for Fort Stanwix, to which the sigma
turea of the chiefs OF the nations are attached.
Some one had written their names, opposite
which each chief had put his own mark-sOme-
times in the shape of an animal, but al well ex-
ecuted. Another curious instrument was a deed
made in 1870 which WAS written on parchment
sheet about the size of the COMMERCIAL. y gun
captured by Washington from the Hessians at
Trenton, was also there, with numerous articles
of furniture some of which were 300 years old.
In the way of musical instruments WAS jingle
Jangle and Spnnet, tho latter something similar
to piano. IL was made in 1924 and was the
first used in Salen lts keyboard lis still per-
feet.
spEEcHRs, &C.
lii the afternoon, the vast multitude present
assembled about the grand stand, where theJ
were first welcomed by Clement II. Sinnickson,
Representative in Congress from the 1at Dis
trict, after which Hon. q. M. Robeson was intro
duced and made q patriotic address. DIR. G.
J'roup Maxwell, of Delaware, made few re-
marks in behalf of Gov. Cochran, who was pres
ent but declined making speech.
In the evening the orchard was brilliantly
lighted with Chinese lanterns. and Professor
Rat pnN a q Of
The object OF tho celebration was 10 procure
funds with which to embelieh the New Jersey
Department in tho national exhibition, but
the event had local significance in that it was
the bi-centennial celebration OF the settlement
OF Salem county. The Harvest Home WAS con-
ceived by Miss II IL. Thompson aud Miss X. N.
Casper, the Executive Committee Of the State
Committee, of which Mrs. W. L. Dayton il
chairman, and was carried out with the as
sistance Of tho ladies of Salem county entire,
many gentlemen cooperating. The success
which was achieved is due manly to the active
mart taken by tho ladies', j, VI, Il.