Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-07-27
OUR TRIP TO THE CENTENNIAL EX-

at last. ana on the morning OF Tile Attli
Of June, at $50 a. IN. our little band of
seventeen, including our Principal, as
sembled at the Alexandria and Washing
ton ferry wharf, eager to be on our jour
nev to the greatest Worlds Fair yet on
record. There was no assemblage of
anxious mammas with their good ad-
vice, and smiling sweethearts, as on tor
mer occasions, to bid US beware of the
pretty Quaker girls, but that was done,
no doubt, the day, or, at least, the even
ing before. We left, not with our bayo-
nets glittcring in the sunlight and the
rolling of the drum sounding in our ears,
but simply donncd the grey, to distin-
euish us as cadets We reached Wash
ineton at 9 o'clock, where some took the
street cars for the depot, while others pre-
ferred to walk. AS there were no Wes-
tons among those who used natures We
hicles, they happened to be behind time,
so we had to wait until 12.1 clock be-
fore we could take the next train for
Baltimore.
Whilst we were waiting, some of us Wis
tied the Capitol to pass off the time, for
vou should know minutes seemed hours
to us. at that time. We could but adj
mire the patience of a young gentleman
of our party, as well as sympathize with
him, for he waited in the rotunda of the
Capitol four hours, for the appearance
of certain young lady, who did not
come.
All were present in time for the next
train. and we were borne off to Baltl-
more by the B. & 0. train. After march
ing through Baltimore, we reached the
P. W. 4 B. depot in time to leave on the
% mixed train ior the City Of Broth
crIv Love. We were not borne on the
pinions of the wind. if so, it was slow
breeze. But | must not dwell too much.
Stopping at all the waystations, we had
plenty of time to straighten our cramped
iirbs. We arrived at Wilmington about
sunset, and our train made short halt.
Of coarse, we did not see much of the
city, as | suppose, the portion, through
which We passed, was the most unpre-
tending. l dare say there was deep
impression made there upon some OF our
party by quartette ofWilmington bellies,
with whom they were seen engaged in
pleasant handkerchief Irritation. A
couple of our party became quite enam-
ored, on the cars, before We reached our
place of destina ton, and wanted to play
rallant and desert for little while, but
To- the cruel words, 'JaN IN, were
uttered, and they were compelled, as sol
diers, to take their places in the ranks,
and march to the cars which took us
close to our boarding house. We arrived
at our headquarters at 1870 ?. NJ. |
suspect that some Of us were little dis
appointed in not halting before grand
hotel, but we were more surprised to find
such excellent accommodations for the
low rate ofboard. Advent well that night
and we slept soundly after the fatigue
ofthe day, save few, one of whom slept
with his head out of the window, and an
other spent the silent watches OF the
night, lashing the toes of the sleepy ones
to the bed posts. For the first time, we
learned that night that our old friend.
DR.. Wood, had been left at home, and
he. who had stood the test of St. Johns
climate six long years aud been SO well,
had, in the absence of our old family
physician, to call in the services of
quack. We were up bright and early
next morning, expecting to 60 out to the
Centennial grounds, very soon, butwere
disappointed to find that the gates were
not opened before nine o'clock. Mr..
Gcib kindly conducted US to within sight
of the grounds. Here We were divided
into squads. Whilst we were waiting for
the gates to be opened, we procured our
dinner, in the shape of a lunch and con-
templated the magnitude of this stupen-
dous undertaking.
Before us was the enclosure-a fence en-
closing 236 acres, of land the fence being
over three miles in length. The Main
Building forms a large portion OF the enclo'
sure The enclosed ground is covered oy
$50 buildings and more are being added
continually. The estimated cost of all this
is eight and one-half millions of dollars, aud
it is the largest Worlds Fair there has ever
been held, the next largest, being that OF
Vienna in 1873. I have said enough OF the
outside, from this point of view, for after we
entered the grounds,w we took ride all around
n the cars, from which we could get an ex-
eror view of all the buildings. This ride
:au be taken for the low price of five cents
We paid our fifty cents at the gate and walk
d right into the Main Building What
strikes the eye, is more than we can describe,
For size, elegance aud adaptability to the
purpose for which it is used, no previous
structure can bear comparison with.this.-
Running in all directions are aisles, or ave-
lueS, (Which alone are computed to amount