The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-05-11
From the Centennial City.
PHILAprIpu,A Nav 1875

PHILADELPHIA, May |, 1875.
Mr.. EDITOR To say that the past
winter has been a severely cold one, as
well as prolonged, would convey nothing
new to any observing or intelligent mind,
in either New England or the Middle
States, or to say that spring has appar.
emily made many Intellectual efforts to
jostle the old hoar king from her wearied
lap, would savor of tautologJ. Ordinari-
ly long before this, the voice Of the tu.tle
is heard in this land, as well as the shrill
notes of the blue bird, the chirping of the
chickadee, and the sweet warblng of the
ever welcome robin-redbreast yet no
tunetul notes Of returning teathered song.
sters are yet heard, trilling the elastic
air. All is silent as far as bird song ia
concerned, except the twittering of the
little English sparrows, who stop over
with US, as they spring from branch to
branch among the trees in the public
squares, or the carol Of the brown mock.
ing bird, as he utters his homogeneous
notes to passers by, when be chances to
bear the fortune of having his cage and
himself showed or hung out Of second
story window for an airing, at season of
the year, when it would be supposed to be
spring time.
Business seems to be as much lag
gard as the season There has been
much disappointment at the continued
stagnation of nearly all kinds of business,
Money is abundant with bankers, brokers
and capitalists. As an evidence of tie
plethoric condition of the money market.
1t may be remarked that few days since.
the Pennsylvania railroad company Dor.
rowed In open market in this city, two
million dollars, at four and half per
cent on six months time. Such tran.
ssction unequivocally indicates that capi
tai does not find an outlet through the or.
dlnsry and legitimate channels of trade
and business; consequently an incubus
rests on the industrial aud producing in.
terests OF the country. The most astute
congress that ever graced, or disgrace1
the halls Of the Capitol at Washington, is
utterly powerless to break the bands of
the present paralysis that hangs ike a
pail over the industrial Interests of this
fia0jRhT, over = trading and extravaganza,
brought about the present state of things,
and they alone must accomplish the ro.
cuperation.
Notwithstanding the hard times, the
centennial buildings are being pushed for
ward with much energy, Ex.Gov. Big
Ter OF this state, who is operating in New
York, in the interest of the great exposi-
ton, has arranged for grand excursion
from New York to come off the eleventh
inst, leaving that city at an early hour
in the morning, after arriving here, visit
the centennial grounds and return the
same evening The Governor says the
Pennsylvania railroad, will place two
trains on their road at Jersey city, for
the purpose, free of charge. and that the
hospitable citizens of Philadelphia, will
serve them good and free lunch, and
the centennial commission will do the
necessary talking free Of charge. The
New York good proportion of the lead.
ing bankers, merchants and business men
Of that city, that they may see what has
been done, what is now being done, and
what is in contemplation, as regards the
future, or what may appertain to this
great coming event which is to celebrate
and appropriately commemorate the natal
day of American Independence, which
foreshadowed event should enlist the pa.
triotism and the aid of every true Ameri.
can. This excursion will bring face to
face, and lead to conference of the lead.
ing business men of the two leading cities
Of the country; and it is to be hoped il
may form and prove a nucleus of euthu
siasm, that will radiate from center to
circumference, until the nations pride is
aroused, and the national heart shall beat
in unison with the true inspiration of a
national patriotism.
The Germans are taking effective
measures to erect a colossal statue OF
Humboldt in Fairmount Park, and the
Italians Of the city contemplate erecting a
gigantic statue in memory of Columbus
and the Presbyterians of Philadelphia
propose building shaft twenty-five feet
in height, to perpetuate the name and
fame Of the celebrate Rev. DR.. John
Witherspoon, that sturdy old patriot, who
was one Of the signers of the Declaration
of Independence, and who was for quite
a length of time President of Princeton
College; these are to be erected before
the centennial year.
What is denominatsd Bazaar of ma
tions" has been holden for about three
weeks, a sort of affair, in the interest anG
under the auspices of the Y Nj. G. Asso
clation, the proceeds to be applied to th'
building fund of the ine structure they
are now erecting, at the intersection o.
Chestnut and Fifteenth sts., opposite tn,
Colonnade Hotel, Gross receipts 40 600
Expenses 10000. Net proceeds 10000
P. T. Barnum, Esq, with his grea
Hipprodome has lately been in town
something over a week. The great show
man had many adverse circumstances t
contend with. In addition to almost con
tinuous stormy weather during his stay
, his enormous stretch of canvass, over fiy,
hundred feet in length, fell to the grount
under the pressure of rain, sleet, ice AM
snow, which made it necessary to summon
one hundred sail makers to repair the in
, jury, it having been badly torn, a stron!
: wind also prevailing which caused de
lay of two days. His largest balool
D named p. T. Barnum that went up from
. near the Hippodrome, IN its descent nea
Hammonton, N. j., sailed aioul tire
0 top, and emptied the big "gas bag" ant
9 nearly killed the aeronaut, Prof. Donald
son. who was the engineer and manage
P Of the air ship. In the afternoon of tn
Q Sunday intervening, during his stay, n
d threw open the vast enclosure for pull
lie temperance meeting. The audienC
4, room and the audience were so large, this
o three stands were extemporized, the gret