South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1875-11-12
Editorial Excursion.


home entirely worn GU; in body and mind
and have felt in no condition to write
since. they will readily pardon a long
story made short We left home, on
Saturday, the 10th ult., for Martinsburg.
the place designated as starting point.
On Monday, the 18th, forty members of
! the West Va. Press having met togeth-
or, We held meeting in the Office OF tho
Independent. and the President and Sc.
| cretary Of the Association, Messrs. Scho-
| field and lIodgson, the former OF the
State Journai at Parkersburg, and the
latter OF the Morgan Mercury at Berke-
ley Springs, were appointed an execu-
| tive committee for the excursion. A.
bout noon OF the same day, headed by
these Dignatarics, We assembled ut the
Depot of the Cumberland Valley Rail
road-from whence the obliging and
courteous Superintende mt, Gen. j. +.
BOYD. accompanied us TO the city OF
Philadelphia. This grand old city, with
its many historic associations, its stea-
dy thoroughgoing, snfe business char.
acteristics, and beautifully laid out
streets, avenues and parks, as we'll rs
scrupulous cleanness, has very justly
| been pronounced the handsOmest and
cleanest city in the United States. We
were comfortably qaartered in the a.
merican House, formerly named the
Continental, opposite old Independence
IIall-and to this grand old structure
we first wendell our way--from thence
VIC proceeded to visitCentcnnial grounds.
Paramount Park is traversed by the
Schuylkill river; il contains 2,740 acres
and the city Of Philadelphia has already
spent more than S6,000,000 on it. In
this magnificent tract is situated the a.
rea destined for the Exhibition. The
grounds will cover about $50 acres.
which are enclosed for buildings, besides
which there will he other Enclosures for
the displays OF horses and other cattle
At Vienna the AGRA was 260 acres, inclu-
ding tie space for horses and CATTLE
The buildings at Vienna gave about
2,000,0 900 square feet Of ground floor
surface for exhibitors and covered ~
acres. There are now under contract AZ
Philadelphia so acres of buildings, Civ
ing 2, 10. 900 square feet OF surface, aud
the applications for space are 50 hume
rous that this immense space will be
insufficient. These comparisons will
serve TO show the scale on which the Elk
hibition is planned. It is to be bigger
than that Of Vienna, as Vienna surpass.
cd anything that had gone before
There ia 10 be q main Exhibition build
ing, q parallelogram $50 feet long, AGA
feet wide and with an area Of nearly I'll
acres.
Memorial Hall, which is the finest OF
the Exhibition buildings, is erected with
money especially appropriated for the
purpose by the State of Pennsylvania
II is designed to stand for all time; is O.
freproof structure or granite and brick,
and will he the Art Gallery OF the Exhi
bition, IL stands on line parallel with.
and short distance northwsrd Of. the
main builiins. and is in comanding
position, looking southwark across the
Schuylkill over Philadelphia. 1t stands
upon terrace 1872 feet above the level
OF the Schuylkiil river. Being designed
for an absolutely fireproof structure,
nothing combustibls is used. Th. de-
sign il modern Renaissance. II covers
an acre and a half, and is 365 feet long
2l0feet wide, and 50 feet high, over u
ispac:cus basement y feet high. A dome
rising $50 feet shove the ground, sur.
mounts the center, capped by collos-
sal ball, from which rises the figure of
Columhis. The Machinery building.
the horticultural Building and the AZ.
ricnltural building arc on the same mag
niiccnt scale & OF elaborate construction.
miscellaneous Buildings-In addi.
tion to the five main buildings there are
also others. To provide for the offices
necessary for the administration OF the
Exhibition. fine building, one story
high, has been erected to the westward
Of The main buildings. covering l72 feet
by so feet, and containing % apartments
which are already occupied. Another
structure, of similar size, containing %
rooms. is also to he built q few rods dis
tant. These buildings arc ornate and
tasteful. with porches NIL around, and in
them will be found the Executive Offices,
the Custom House. etc. To the east
ward Of the Machinery building tho L..
nitci States Government is to erect q
building covering about two acres. in
which will be made special exhibitions
for the various Government departments.
representing the Indians. Army. Navy,
the coinage, geological and mineral
wealth, and other similar subjects. This
ia 20 illustrate the faculties of the Gov.
ernmCut IN time of peace and lis resour.
ces as war power. Included will be
an Interesting cxlihition by the Smith
sonian Institution NJ Washington. Con.
gross ut tie last session appropriate Ell
$685. 600 los purpose. Buildings are
also 90 bc provided for tho accommoda-
ton OF the police. thc Gre department.
and tho Finance Board. Among otter
provisions will be- au Office for tho re-.
covcry OF lost children.
Upon tie highest ground IL the park,
a short distance north oc tGc Enclosure.
is an observatory 80 feet in height
This oycrlooks all the buildings ami nc.
fords fine view OF The exhibition grounds
and The city md its enyirOns. This
structure is III ornamental column of