The weekly echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1868-1876, 1876-05-18


A Philadelphia correspondent writes :
AT philadelphia seems to Be preparing
for gigantic grab u begin Nay 10.
may ~ the grabbing has begun. You
can not now visit the centennial grounds
and return without feeling that some
body has got ahead oi you somehow.
Where are the grounds2 Five miles out
OF town, across the schuylkiil river, on 4
hundred-acgo tract stretching up from
Paramount park. A few years ago the
neighborhood adjacent to the grounds
was quiet country place. Nov Il re.
sembles dozen mushroom gOld-digging
cities, all huddled together, selling clam
soup and sardines 10 che hungry thou.
sands who visit the gigantic exposition
buildings beyond. Hundreds Of thou
sands Of dollars Of private capital have
been invested IN hotels, saloons, gambling
houses, boarding houses, and sporting
places on speculation; and the clamoroun
greedy multitude who inhabit them ex-
pect 10 make hagsful of solid cash. In
the city proper everything seems to be
tinged with centennial. Every depart
ment Of trade has prepared itself by
doubling is capacity, and If the expec-
tations Of these people are realized, you
will hear the crash all the way 70 New
York. II may be 4 crash Of far differ
emit character from what they expect.
But the average Philadelphia now is
much like a school.boy before Christmas.
He expects a big stoClingful shortly.
There are several Ioutes, long and dus.
~ In summer, to reach the buildings |
from Chestnut street. People, after
spending a day on che grounds, will be
too tired TO take their chances in getting
back to the city IL II can be avoided.
Cool and convenient country boarding
houses will be In demand. New York
people can visit the grounds direct by
way Of the Pennsylvania railroad. 1t
has a station on the grounds.
Few people can fully realize the great
extent Of the exhibition buildings. The
seven departments occupy tract Of fifty
acres, There are ave gigantic and beau
tiful edifces. The main structure is
one thousand eight hundred and eighty .
feet in length, running east and west, 1
and four hundred and siKty-four feet in
width. II covers over twenty acres. The !
Weight Of iron in the nesf, tTusses, ETC., {
I FIVE million pounds. From the north '
81 the main building Is the art gallery II
thence the walk leads 10 machinery and /
agricultural halls. Machinery hall is a
about Eve hundred feet west Of the main {
building. 1t Is one thousand four hun q
bred and two feet long, three hundred a
md sixty feet wide, with additions, and b
Il covers nearly thirteen acres, mot count a
ing upper foora. Sixteen lines Of shaft G
ng will be turned by a pair OF gigantic d
Jorliss engines Of i,400-horsa power. A
There are twenty boilers. Steam power Al
md water will be furnished free. The II
agricultural building covers ten acres; q
be art gallery Is three hundred and n
ixty.iive feet In length, two hundred and Al
en- feet In width, and fiity IN height. Il
The dome Is one hundred and City feet In
rom the ground, II u Of glass and iron, Of
nique In design, and terminates In a ri
oIossal bell. The horticultural build er
lg ID the most beautiful. II Is In the a
FOresque style ofarchiteeture Of the 18th az
anlury. Its three hundred and eighty. be
lree feet long, and one hundred and A
feet wide. mr.
The above are the Eve buildings m
fOper, erected by the centennial com bi
lission at cost Of several millions. III
All about these immense asruct. ail
res are the buildings Of the United mi
.ates government, the several states and tUl
reign countries, including Turkey aud wi
lpan. The latter building i large and al
iiqae, made of wood put up by Japa, Va
IA there "A not nail Id ie. ia
Americas greatest collection will IL Ia tn
i government building, which Il 10 N
present The United States "a peace and W "
war. The different departments III W
'aahington have charge ofthis Amount pr
s605 900. mi
The winding ways and lnot.Walka
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