Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1876-12-05
Number 6.
Centennial Correspondence.
CENTENNIAL GROUNDS,
w. PHILADELPHIA.
October. 1879.

OCCOO6I, 1910.
closed my last letter abruptly al
the call of the printer, having IN
finished my list of Novelties in the
| department of the
UNITED STATES,
A Violin Piano attracted very gen
eral attention. The strings were verti.
caIly arranged. and the bow was work
ed by treaddlc power. The keys were
arranged as those in an ordinary piano
and their movement by the fingers OF
the operator applied the stops to the
strings as the fingers are applied by
the ordinary violinist. 1t was curiosi-
ty merely, the music being nothing
extraordinary.
We were now in the musical Sub
Department, and who should, In that
vast multitude, administer O cordial
slap on my shoulder but my friend
Fred Stieff of Baltimore. Stief is not
only one of the most successful Piano
manufactures in the world, but he has
the business faculty Of seeing and
knowing nearly everything transpir-
ing in his vicinity. It was treat to
meet him. He WAS introduced to the
ladies, for be it remembered there
were three ladies in our party. The
individual who visited the Centennial
without such an addition to his party
had better remained at homs. b.. 1t is
absolutely necessary to a perfect Cen
tennial tour to have ladies along. He
at once asked US to go with him, and
he exhibited many wonders that we
should otherwise have overlooked. =
The finestpiauos in the Main building,
of whatever make, were shown US.
At his touch the proudest pavilion
opened its gates to US and we walked
IN and seated ourselves on cushions
proud enough for sceptered royalty.
We were shown the two thousand dol
lar Piano purchased by the Emperor
Dom Pedro, of Brazil. Twas a grand
Piano, and the name of Dom Pedro
was woven in golden colored letters In
the splendid cover. Miss Mamie
Chanceaulme, at the request OF the
Manufacturer and of our party, gave us
some fine music on the royal instru-
ment.
a few moments thereafter the great
Roosevelt Organ filled the spacious
building with its wonderful music,
and then the peerless Levy, with his
Cornet, stilled the vast multitude with
his matchless notes, The stupendous
building became a sea of civilized and
softened people whose souls seemed
melted beneath storm of music, such
as the world has seldom heard and
will seldom hear again.
Mr., Stieff had in his pavilion the
oldest Piano IN America, 1t was
manufactured in l745, was only four
and a halt octave, and beside the peer
less instruments Of this day, seemed
rude and primitive enough to satisfy
the curiosity of the most inveterate
seeker OF relics.
Turning a way from all this we were
attracted by a huge Carving Knife
and Fork, nine feet, seven inches long,
polished to perfection and having
splendid handles of solid ivory. Such
was the size of these handles 1t would
seem that the proudest elephant that
ever walked the jungles Of India
could alone have furnished the ma
terial. The value is 81, 500.
An immense boulder of brown
hematite iron ore. from the Shelby
Iron Company, Of Alabama, defied,
by its very size, any disposition TO pass
it by for other articles more brilliant.
The Eagle Pencil Company had an
immense pyramid of plumbago,
mount by stuffed eagle, but 1 passd
it and the cords of cedar pencils by,
for | know Of no company which has
afflicted the world with meaner pencils
Large exhibits of silk fibre from
California and a huge case of lovely
Ostrich feather called for q passing
notice, but they must DO seen to be
appreciated.
The Corliss Safes are novelty, be-
ing Of huge size and egg-shaped. The
mechanism is too much for the visitor
to pry into, but they attract attention
even in the main building.
The celebrated Calling Gun brought
up memories Of the death OF civil
liberty in Louisiana at the hands of
men trained to war and unwisely
placed in charge Of such unspeskSble
heritages as Magma Carta or HabeAs
Corpus.
| turned to gaze alta wonderful dis
play of Terra Gotta work, showing
rustic vases and vessels that looked as
they had been sawn from the limbs
and trunks Of trees, and having the
ring of pure iron. The reader, 1 pre-
sumo from the name, understands