Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-06-15
From our Regular Correspondent
PHILADELPHIA. June 6. 1876

PHILADELPHIA, June ., 1876.
One very pleasant feature ON the Ex-
hibition grounds is the buildings cree
ted by the different States for the ac-
cOmmOdation and convenience of their
home visitors. These buildings do not
as a rule contain anything in the way
of exhibits, but are merely state head
quarters" where citizens of States may
find a comfortable place to rest, write
and visit-in which they can feel per-
fectly at home, because it is, collective
ly, their own. The buildings are near
ly all situated on State avenue, i'll the
northern section of the grounds, which
is the highest part of the enclosure and
OverloOks the main exhibition struc-
lures. a register is kept in each head
quarter, wherein visitors from that
State are asked to write their names,
and files of the local newspapers are
placed at their disposal in the parlOrs
and reading-rooms. This latter fea-
ture is not very complete rs yet, and
would respectfully call the attention of
local newspapers of your State to that
fact. The publishers will serve a good
purpose and accommodate many of
their home people by furnishing their
papers for the State headquarters.
The Pennsylvania building is the
largest and is located within stones
throw of Machinery Hall, facing the
lake. 1t is los 90 feet and of Gothic
architecture. On either side of the
main entrance are two towers thanking
larger one, while neat porch ex-
tends around portion of each of the
four sides of the building. The main
entrance leads into large hall about
sixty feet long by forty wide, and high
in proportion, the roof being formed of
numerous graceful arches. The walls
have been properly painted and orna-
mented, and it is proposed on them
shall be hung the portraits of all the
Governors of the State, from the time
of Penn to the present. The total cost
500.
New York has really the most elegant
State building on the grounds, though
it is not so large as that of Pennsylva-
mia, nor half so costly. There is really
striking contrast in the two buildings
when the cost of each is taken into con-
sideratiOn. The total cost of the New
York structure is put down at $4,000,
and yet the furniture, finish and style
of the whole thing would lead one to
estimate its cost above Pennsylvania
ST. 900 building. 1t is two stories high
with elegant ladies' parlors on the sec
ond floor, furnished superbly, and hav-
ing two pianos for the use of guests.
On the walls are large crayon portraits
of William Cullen Bryant and Gerritt
Smith. In the Governors room is
similar and very fine portrait of Cover
nor Tilden. The building has a COM
Portable homelike air, and is witlal
both snowy and convenient.
One of the most imposing of the
State group is that of Ohio, built of
dressed stone from the quarries of the
State, and therefore of more substan-
tial character than is usual among these
essentially temporary buildings. To
the rear of it is erected large hall
which will serve as place for meetings
of County and State organizations that
may desire to use it during the progress
of the Exhibition. The stone for this
structure was contributed from twenty
eight different quarries, and have been
put into the walls both dressed and I'M
dressed. and so arranged rs TO display
the diiIerent colOrs and varieties. The
interior of the building is cool and airy
being comfortably finished and withal
a very attractive place for Ohio people
to rendezvous while on the grounds.
Something over 81 900 was expended in
it's construction.
Indiana has a g0Od-siZed building a
distinguishing feature of which is the
representation of the different counties
by artistically prepared panels, cover
ing the walls of the reception hall,
showing the date of settlement of each,
with their organization, population,
products, industries and special charac-
teristics, the population OF the larger
school-houses. From the cities, such
as Indianapolis and the rest, special
tablets furnish items of commercial
news. Near the front entrance are
some noticeable specimens of timber
and block coal.
Illinois has one of the neatest and
! most attractive white frame cottages
within the Enclosure. The memorable
18th General Assembly appropriated
but $4,000 for Centennial purposes,
but it has been used TO good advantage
and the $1,000 Illinoisans who are ex-
pected to visit the exposition this sum
mer will have no reason to feel asham-
ed of their headquarters. But $4,000
was expended in its construction,
though it could not have been com
pleted and finished in near the style it
is for that money had it not been for
liberal contributions of lumber and ma
terial from Chicago firms. Over 81, OC0
worth of furniture alone has been pro-
vided i'm this way, and the ladies' par
lor, though small, surpasses in elegance
any other ON the grounds.
Iowa has a neat modest building at a
cost of about 5000, of which citizens
of that State are justly proud. 1t does
not vary materially in principal fea-
lures from the others already described
1t may be remarked generally, concern
ing all these structures, that they have
with one or two exceptions no distinc-
tive architecture other than is express
ed i'm the term cottage" and they are
all constructed with the same object in
view, viz: the convenience of visitors
from their respective States.
Wisconsin has another cosy little cot
tage which cost about $4,000. 1t is fit
ted up with much taste and some of
the furniture and accessories are of
Wisconsin manufacture. Mr.. Elisha
Starr, of Milwaukee is on the spO5 to
make himself agreeable to the "Bad-
gers" who happen in. The State APP
propriated 5000 i'm all, the remaining
| 600 l. hao,, mead in,