River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-11-02
CENTENNIAL LETTER.
WashingtOn's Coach and HOfses-0ldcn Time
raveling-M0nster Neloc-
ipedes-Palaee

Z
! ers that the time would come when it
would not contain everything that was
1 likely to be put into it. They had not
progressed very far when it became
| evident that another large building
would be necessary to exhibit the sur
plus matter for which no place had
been assigned, and hence the erection
of building adjoining the Art Gallery,
and on the north of the Main Hall,
called the carriage annex. The cues
/ ton is frequently asked Which place
! do you think the most interesting /
confess do not know. When l am in
Machinery Hall it seems to me the
graudest sight | ever saw; in the main
/ building l am dazZled by the infinite
variety and beauty of everything
around me in the agricultural de-
partment my wonder is excited by the
vast magnitude and extent of the eX-
! hibitiOn, which really is a world of
itself while in the art gallery | for
get them all, and in the wonderful
revelations of the canvass and marble
/ | become a dreamer, utterly uncOn-
sciCus that anything exists outside the
| enchanted ground, where l would be
/ content to dream away my life for
/ ever.
/ So far did the exhibition exceed the
original ideas Of those who planned it,
1 that, vast as all the main halls of the
/ exhibition were, each one was COM
PEELED to have an ''anneX" to hold its
surplus goods. The annex to the main
building is appropriated to carriages,
stoves, heaters, and hOuse-furnishing
goods. As you enter the southwest
door from the westward, you see four
magnificent white horses harnessed to
carriage that speaks of the olden
time. The horses are carved out of
wood. but are admirable iii design and
execution, The carriage saw its best
DAYS over one hundred years ago. 1t
is clumsy in shape its paint is faded
and cracked the little blinds are torn,
and the dri og s seat, which was once,
no double, covered with an aristocratic
hammercloth, is stripped of all its
garniture, and is rather an unsightly
ruin. But no one makes jest Of it
no hippant remarks are heard from
the attending crowds--for that
coach once belonged to George Wash
ington. In it he rode through this
very city, attended by vast crowds
who hailed him as the Father of his
Country; out of those dilapidated
windows he looked and bowed to the
shouting, surging multitude; and | as
sure you nothing commands greater
attention in this department than this
honored relic of our beloved Washing
ton.
Close by the Washington carriage
are a number of monster Yelocipedes
the large wheel Of one is over seven
feet i'm diameter, and is capable in
skillful hands. orr should say, with
skillful feet, of a velocity of twenty
miles an hour. There are dainty
little wagons, beautiful little box
things which look as though they
were made for small Shetland pony,
or a bic Newfoundland d0g-the entire
weight being eighty pounds. Then
there are sulkies, such as are used in
the fast races, weighing not more than
forty-iive pounds. Here are the sulkies
in which Flora Temple and Princess
made their remarkable time. and skele-
ton wagons over which Budd Doble,
and Dab Mace, and Hiram Woodruff
have held the ribbons in the greatest
races of modern times. Hooper, OF
London, hes entered an elegant drag,
such as is used IN England and the
Unites States by the members Of the
four.in-hand Club. The drag is pecul-
iarlv an English institution. There is
nothing in the carrige line in general
use in America to which we can prop
erly compare it. 1t might be called a
sort of nobbv Concord coach, but then
the idea would be a very imperfect
one. 1t is like a fashionable church
it never was intended for poor peO-
ple-nobility and gentry are written
on every spoke and inscribed on every
panel.
IN the northwest corner are several
magnificent Pullman cars that invite
special attention. One is a drawing
room car furnished with every apph-
ance and luxury that refinement and
expensive taste could suggest. An
other is q dining-roOm and sleeping
car. one of the most complete and cosy
affairs that could possibly be desired.
The tables are all set for dinner; with
snowy table-clOths, dainty little nap
klns, and the most inviting little plates,
cups and saucers, curets, etc. 1t seems
good deal like playing keep house,
I anu Ntau lttl llhC olbblAA5 tlChA1 ttAANA VI
dering quail on toast.
Tt is now high tide with the Centen-
NAL commission. As the time draws
near for the great exhibition to close,
the anxiety to see it seems to increase.
1t is wonderful where they all find
food and shelter, but they are all hous-
ed somewhere and have heard OF no
instances of starvation. The other
day a green-lOoking customer from
Kentucky came up to one of those
wicked Philadelphia reporters, and
said: ssMisteT, ken you tell me the
way to the French calf 2" The report
er scratched his head and reflected a
moment he had been about the exhibit
1 ton ever since the opening and he did
know. He replied that he did not
know where the French calf was, but
right up the hall there were two large
American hogs.
4 Kentl.ck. bursting with indignation
at the reporter 5 ignorance, answered !:
! ssThunder | don't want a suckin
calf: | want a calf where you can get
suffin to eat !" The wicked reporter
saw mice, and a great opportunity
for an item not to be neglected so pO-
litely showing him down the pathway,
he conducted him to the Cafe Trois
4 freres Provinceux, the mostnotorious-
4 " expensive eating house on the
grounds. Said Kentnck: GLOW much
DO they charge for dinner at this calf!
Said the reporter: Fifty cents, with
one bottle of wine. and seyenty-five
cents if you drink two" Said Ken
tuck: ''l'll go the hull hog, and durr
the expense A waiter in white era
vat appeared with the bill of fare
printed in French. Kentuck looked at
it and said, ''Giye us all you got.
The waiter disappeared, and after a
time returned with big tray loaded