The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1876-05-11
CENTENNIAL LETTER.
IFrom our regular Correspondent

PHILADELPHIA, MAY Sth, 1876.
Arrangements for the convenience
and comfort of visitors to the Exhibition
are very complete and extensive. Moth
ing that ingenuity could suggest has
been omitted yet with all this people
cannot expect to escape the discomforts
which are inseparable from large gather
ings. It is human nature to ''go with
the crowd and the larger the attend
ance promises to be the more anxious
people will be to go, though the MAJOR
ty of them viii never cease to complain
of being iostled and Inconvenience in
the general scramble. The department
of public comfort has commodious Of
fee at the main entrance, which includes
a free reading room, facilities for writing
and correspondence, together with lava
tories and closets, and boot-blacklng
and clothes brushing room. This de-
partment will undertake the care of UNI
brellas, cloaks, shawls, &C., for which
checks are given, and when the visitor
is ready to leave his 'straps" will be
found at a station in any part of The
ground he may designate. The Centen-
NAL Rolling Chair Company have pro-
yided 800 chairs elevated on wheels, and
so constructed as to be almost nolseless
which for a moderate charge by the
hour may be employed to take persons
where they like about the grounds. The
luxury of this provision will be better
appreciated when it is understood that
according to the latest estimates tour
through the aisles of the principal exh1-
bition buildings comprises walk of for
ty miles. A bank on the grounds, under
the management of solid PhiladeIphians
will receive deposits, cash drafts and
furnish exchange. A narrow guage rail
way makes cicuit of the grounds and
connects with all the principal buildings.
It is provided with cars furnished by
various manufacturers as an advertise
ment. Telegraph conveniences and
messenger facilities are provided at sew
eral stations about the grounds. By an
ingenious continuance of Mr.. w. 5.
Philips. Superintendent of the Tele
graph, every one of the eighty turn
stiles set at the several entrances of the
grounds will be connected by wire with
a dial in the main Office of the Centen-
NAL Commission. When a person en-
tiers through turnstiles he Is instantan
eousIy registered on this dial. At any
instant of the day, therefore, it will be
possible to know, by glancing at the
dial, the exact number of people who
have passed the gates and are within the
Exhibition grounds and buildings.
The decision of the Commission to
close both buildings and grounds on
Sunday proyokes a good deal of discus
sion, and it is certainly question to
which there is two sides, though on the
whole probably a majority of The public
viii approve the action of the Board.
There is no remarkable influx of visitors
as yet. Most of the downtown hotels
are tolerably full, but there is plenty of
room in the many new caravansarIes III
the vicinity of Fairmount Park. Don
Pedro is here, and has taken a house In
West Philadelphia, for which he pays
$50, OGO in gold. This calls to mind an
other HOUSEKEEPING incident recently
related to me. A card ''Io let, fun1sh-
ed" on the door of fine residence In
very respectable quarter OF the city. at
tracted the attention of q New York
gentleman who was prospecting here.
The price, $1,000, WAS agreed to, and,
when asked for some guarantee of good
faith, the lessee drew his check on the
spot for the amount in gold. a few
days later thirty s'French ladies' just
from Paris were domiciled within, and
the neighborhood is discounted.