The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-06-24
CENTENNIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
PHILADELPHIA, June 81, 1876.

the EXnlDltlon 10 4 great Doa constructor
swallowing things" whole, but, like that
king of reptiles. it becomes passive and
content after much eating, so the great
Centennial Constructor now lies in good
condition, being examined, and, l hope,
caressed!-in other words, the - Worlds
Fair " is complete in its numerous parts
and is receiving the visitation of an admir-
ing and condemning public, put them
all on the same level. was going to write
you about
CART"
but the field seems such foreign one to
ME that I've concluded to take up some OF
the branches of our domestic shoots and
speak of practical things; for instance, the
manufacture of glass. This is an article
much used in every household, and GER
tainly tends to our bodily comfort. Here
we have every branch of glass ware made
under one roof; of course it is to a limited
extent, for much of the manufactured arti-
Gle requires extensive works.
Glass is said to be among the accidental
discoveries of the ancients; it is q simple
compound of silica and an alkali, but vary
ing very much in its admixture, yet always
belonging to the class called insolubles;
therein is one acid, i'll common called silcac
acid, or simply slick. 1t is truly an inter-
esting scene to see this crude earthly ex-
crescence, refined by fire, and fashioned
into the most beautiful, transparent arti-
cles of glass ware. Here we have the arti-
Gle pressed into dessert saucer, now bot
tie blown, now goblet turned; figures in
Vulnerable from the Father of his Country
to the Martyred President!
ETCHING ON GLASS
differs widely from that which is grooved,
the latter is patient toll by hand, while the
former is produced by the corrosive power
of hydro fuoric acid, any part of the glass
exposed is acted upon. Figures or mono
grams drawn by a rule through a coating
of wax. exposing the glass receives the de-
sired effect, and to an unaccustomed eye
is the same in appearance as If cut with
stone. Thus We always find the cheap i'm
itation keeps pace with, and at times out
strides, the genuine production. 1t is sup
posed that
THE EGYPTIANS
were the first to successfully make and use
articles of glass. Opaque specimens, bear
ing the name of Queen Hatasee, of the
18th dynasty, 1445 B. c., is exhibited in
the English Museum. The first specimens
of transparent glass do not appear earlier
in Egypt than the Goth dynasty, or about
$50 B. G. Bottles of that date were made
of flint. One of the greatest curiosities OF
the Medieval Age is the Portland Vase,
also at the British Museum. 1t is pre-
sumed to be of Roman manufacture, rep
resenting the marriage of Pleteus and
Thetus the coating being cut away and
Al lali al
colored that it is treated more as cameo
than piece of glass ware. We next visit
ed the
LEATHER DEPARTMENT..
and the extreme neatness and perfect order
carried out here makes me feel proud that
their soles do not wax hot in shoe leather!
The leather trade of this country contn-
gent with that of the manufacture of shoes
forms one of our staple trades; indeed, to
make shoe we'll is "high art" Mickey
and Biglow Association have their sewing
machine in running order. l will not at
tempt description, although it is full
worthy of it. You must see it sew shoe
in about three seconds to appreciate it, and
then learn it pays its owners a royalty OF
six hundred Thousand dollars per annum.
A very ingenious machine is the
LOCKWOOD AUTOMATIC ENNELoTh MahIis,
being almost human in its movements Of
cutting, folding, cumming and counting
100 envelopes per minute. ltwas invented
by D. J. Ferry, and attracts a constant
crowd in Machinery Hail. While here let
me tell you of
FRIED KRUPP's LITTLE GUNS.
Fried commenced as a poor boy, and is
now at the head of one of the largest ord
nance foundries in the world, employing
1000 hands in full running order. The
gentlest persuader he has sent here on ex-
hibition is ga thing of beauty" and, |
presume, it will prove ga JOY forever
for Turkey has bought it; and several Eu-
ropean epicures being fond of Joacl, the
feathered sick man may rejoice in its music
1t is rifle breech-loading gun, for coast
defense, to be mounted in the harbor of
Constantinople. 1t is an exquisitively fin
ished piece of ordnance, being perfect in
every detail it is % feet long, with diam
eter of 15t inches or 35@ centimeters, aud
weighs 125 tons; it throws ball twelve
miles, but its most effective work is at ten
or less. Do not overlook the gun, for it
may yet have history. The
JUDGES OF AWARDS
are now making their circuits among the
exhibits, and there is some little tlutter and
no little wire pulling caused thereby. 1t
seems almost an impossibility to make a
purely disinterested award, yet the gentle
men chosen for this duty give great salts
faction, they being made up of an impair
tial selection of nearly every country and
cline. The
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC COMFORT
has been open to the public for some time,
and recommend its hospitable roof to the
dusty and foot-weary sight-seer. The
Maryland State Building is also open to
her sons and daughters, and it makes quite
creditable show, even here, as geographic
cally she stands guardian to the little Dia-
.lni.a IL lai,ilo and