The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-06-09
OUR CENTENNIAL LETTER.
WEEK AT THE EXHIBITION. NOTES
THE JUNIOp ENRON

ant day, and the crowded condition Of the
cars indicated a busy week in the Quaker
City. At about six o'clock in the evening
we arrived in sight of the Centennial build
ings. Immense towers and lofty spires, with
flags and banners of all nations waving from
their tops first met the eye then as we drew
nearer, the dome of the art building and the
roofs of the innumerablc structures became
visible aud soon we were able to see the
magnitude of the exposition. Arriving in
the city, in company with friend We rode
in fine style ton the front step of Il street
car TO our quarters at the Washington IIo-
TEL on Chestnut street, where we were shown
to hiJh.toned, eighth story room, which
we had no sooner entered than we discovered
that the weather was very warm. Strange to
say, as we took off our busters, coats and
vests, for the purpose of removing incidents OF
| travel, it grew warmer and warmer, where
| upon we stopped, fearing that if we divested
ourselves Of any more garments we might be
crenated. In glancing about the room we
saw an Offset at one side, which upon exam
ination proved to be the chimney from the
| kitchen. 1t was doing its level best. The
water in the pitcher at the side of it WAS
boiling, and fly which inadvertently lit on
the wall near by, fell to the floor iastantcr,
with burnt feet and singed wings. We con-
cluded that the proprietor of the house had
mistaken us for Centennial Commissioners,
or territorial governors, or st. Louis revenue
officers, or some other noted personages
otherwise we should not have met with so
CdrDi a reception. Our first act was to inform
the clerk that as we were not accustomed to
tropical climate, and being about as near
| the north star as we we'll could be, without
going up in a balloon we would like to be
put alittle nearer the north pole,or else have
them send up refrigerators for two. This
request brought them to terms, and we were
| placed in more comfortable room, where
the temperature was not much above 100 de-
grees, Fahrenheit. We were delighted with
our first Centennial experience. 1t was as
we'll as they could do for us however, as the
house was trying to accommodate nearly six
hundred guests, most of them Knights Tenn
plar, who had come to participate in the pa
rade. Our Inconvenience were more than
compensated by the sights at the Exhibition.
In the main building are to be seen the pro-
ducts of the industries of almost every ma
ton on the globe. Egypt, Japan, China
Spain, France, the Netherlands, Germany
Austria, and many others are all represented.
A visit of one week is only sufficient to give
| -
the visitor a faint idea of what is to be seen,
and enables him to spend month at sec
ond visit in a profitable manner. From the
main building we went to Memorial Hall,
one of the few editices that will remain to
commemorate the event when the show
closes. There are to be seen the arts as H.
lustrated by the different nations, oil paint
ings, engravings, mosaics, water colors, in
fact every conceivable kind of picture.
Statuary, bronzes, &C., &C., are there exhib-
tied. week would be short time in which
to do this building alone, full justice, and
this may be said of any of the buildings.
In the United States department are models
of vessels, implements of war, uniformed
| fgures of all nations, immense cannon, &c.
| The carriage house is well worth inspec
tion. Here one sees all kinds of vehicles,
from the most exquisite and fairy-like ph,e-
ton to the ponderous English coach the
sleigh of the Laplander and the chariot OF
the king; magnitice mt rail road coaches and
the m ost delicate of baby carriages. The
stove and tinware department is also in
this building. The Swedish school house is
model in its way Every conceivable APP
paratus is found in its walls. But SUPPOSE
that any country could furnish as complete a
model as that for.exhibition. 1t is doubtful
if many of them are like it in reality.
Horticultural Hall is like q dream OF
fairy land. Tropical plants and flowers OF
every variety arranged with the most ex-
quisite taste make one forget everything
else for the moment. Fountains cool the
air, and an organ at one end in the gallery
furnishes sweet music while the visitor wan
ders through the walks and loses himself in
wonder and admiration, A tent near this
building is the most attractive spot on the
grounds. AS one enters the door the eye
falls upon boquet covering about Il hall
acre. 1t is composed of rhododendrons OF
every shade, the whole blending together
and producing an effect utterly indescribable.
Machinery Hall, Agricultural Hall, and
Others contain many attractions, but can
not take more space in particularizing. In
truth we were unable to visit one-fourth of
the buildings, as there are 100 of them
within the enclosure. The state houses are
neat and many of them very credtable.
The Pennsylvania building is the largest
and is located within q stones's throw of
Machinery Hall, facing the lake. 1t is lO5 x
90 feet and ofGothic architecture. On either
side OF the main entrance are two towers
thanking large one, while neat pore h
extends around portion of each of the
ioul sides Of the building, The main en-
trance leads into a large hall about sixtv
feet long by forty wide, and high in pro-
portion, the roof being formed of numerous
graceful arches. The walls have been prop
erly painted and ornamented, and it is pro-
posed on them shall be hung the portraits
OF all the Governors of the State, from the
| tlhe Oh rem 10 the present. On either side
of the ball are two rooms, each about twenty
feet square, The first of these on the right
is intended for the use of citizens of the
State, with an adjoining room fitted up in
elegant style as ladies' par!or. The car
pet is Brussels and the furniture of walnut,
covered with maroon rep. On the opposite
side the first room is intended as COM
mitfee room, and the furniture is finished
in red. The Governors room adjoins it ON
the west, and is fitted up in fine style, the
| furniture being finished in blue. Each apart
ment has connected with it retiring rooms,
and every convenience is arranged for those
who shall frequent the building, The to-
tai cost of the building and furniture was
Sl7 800. 1t is in charge of A. c. Mullin,