The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-05-12
The Centennial Opening.

and hurry which characterize our West
ern cities. But just now Philadelphia
does not lack for numbers to make her
streets interesting. On every hand, for
several days past, have been. seen the
signs of the coming event, in the
Ethronged streets, the thronged hotels,
the thronged lodging-houses; and the
crowd hourly increased by thronged
cars and steamboats, which We're pour
ing out their passengers upon the great
Centennial City.
In looking about upon the animated
crowds already here to witness the
opening ceremonies, l feel satisfied that
for one hundred years, ever since the.
memorable Declaration of Independence
was signed in Independence. Square,
this city oil Philadelphia has not occu-
pied SO much oil public interest as now.
She is now In her centennial glory; and
she is acquitting herself we'll to win
merit for this sublime occasion.
| 1t was not the good fortune OF your
correspondent to be at either OF the
w orld's Fairs OF Paris or Vienna. But
| If their appearance and arrangements
at their opening day, tnan this is now,
they we'll deserved compliment and con-
graduation. w hen Paris allotted nine
teen acres to the conyeniences of her
great Exposition, the space was thought
10 be immense. But here are too hun
lred and thirty-siI acres devoted to this
grand OCCASION.
i Precisely at 10o'clock to-day the open
Ling exercises ofthe Great Centennial EX-
Iposition of the United States began. Ii is
needless to dwell upon these exercises
in detail asyou will receive them all by
Telegraph In, advance mail. The morn
ling mad been rainy. and the grounds,
worked up by the tread OF innumerable
feet pressing on to witness the ceremo-
nies and to see the dignitaries, were
muddy and slippery. But as the weather
cleared and became fine everything as
hmed cheerful aspect, with no dust
to soil or cloud the sights.
Bishop Simpsons invocation of the
Divine Presence was heard in perfect
silence, and produced solemnlzing i'm
preston upon the vast assemOiage be-
lore him. Gen. GranPs speech was not
we'll delivered, though its tone OF senti-
menJ was mucn commended. Grant may
| light well, but he can not crate TO much
purpose. .....
The music of the occasion was beyond
. all praise. Wagner's Centennial piece
was criticized as not containing any,
Thing American in it. Its performance
was however exceedingly grand and i'm
, posing. But when Theodore Thomas
arose with his trained choir, and
a thousand 0oices at once broke
forth In perfect harmony, singing
the sublime anthem penned by ourNown
. poet, WHITTIER, commencing
|
The centuries fall like grams OF sand,
We meet to-day, united, free"-
stirring the American heart-throbs to
Il patriotic devotion, the effect was most
thrilling. 1t fired the blood and en-.
tranced the very souls of that vast
silent auditory. l doubt if ever
ION the face Of this wide earth
music achieved for itself a greater
triumph than was witnessed here as
that vast volume of song rolled forth,
like tunefur thunder, upon that myriad
lthrong of listening people. Its appro.
priateness, as well as it's powerful har.
mony, gave it peculiar force over the
feeling OF the sympathiZing audience
and which was enhanced by the re.
, sponsive thunders that came boomin g
. down from the hundred-gun battery on
| st. Georges HILL.
The expectant audience had been kept
! | waiting awhile for the coming of the
! President. Immediately ON his appear.
> ance laundering shout of welcome
Y arose from q hundred thousand voices
i as hearty and prolonged as any hero
: ever heard.
While waiting for the President, the
great sea of upturned faces before the
, platform were eagerly serutirizing the
: dlgnitaries already there. The Emperor
0 of Brazil was recognized, and received
A | a hearty "huzza" OF applause. A grant
: programme of procession for return hat
> been arranged; but this was all dis
| solved under the pressure OF the
multitude that crowded every cor
/ ner of space; SO that when the
4 opening ceremonies closed, Presiden
+ and Cabinet, Emperor, and notables 0
all degrees, were 1ndiscriminately
t | mixed with the sovereigns known A the
: People. General Grant, however, wat
seen escorting the Empress Of Brazi
d while the Emperor gave his arm TO Mrs
e Grant, and other dignitarieS assorted
and consorted themselves as best they
: could.
e The opening speech of Gen. HawIey
. the President OF the Centennial Com
= mission, was well delivered and dis
u tinctly heard. But Gen. Grants ad
n dress was inaudible to the audience
q w When the speecnes were concluded
8 Dom Pedro was seen to applaud mos
d Justify; as though he were enjoying th
e occasion like any truant school-boy
His easy and hearty manner seemed &
j. endear him TO The whole multitude be
b fore him.
r The immense crowd was perfectly OF
d derly and good natured. But who O
L what can resist crOwding lhrong 0
4 fifty thousand Americans, alrunused-t
0 restraint and control Of movement
7 The police arrangements were quite In
II adequate for anything but to make a.
e occasional row whenever the exercis
+ Of authority was even attempted, whic
fortunately was not often.
4 The whole city outsIde OF the ground
}. was gorgeous with flags that streame
v and fiuttered in the breeze, as thoug
y participating in the gayety of the oc
u casion. Upon the whole, 1t mus
q / be considered that the openin
]. lof this great Centennial occasion
/ was most gorgeous; and eyerythinl
I gives promise OF unequaled success
Z And we trust that our own will exceed
+ all that has gone before in the history o
+ international Expositions. ~
y m ao QUoD L1BEr.