Wilmington daily commercial., 1876-08-12

Centennial-The Military Display-Notes
About Town, &c.
Special Correspondence of the Commercial
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 1.-THE encamp-
ment of Pennsylvania Militia near the Cen
tennial Grounds has been in all essentials q
fine success, although it has not drawn the
crowds of visitors to the camp and the Ex-
position which were expected. 1t is strange |
that nothing draws the expected crowds. |
One by one the roses fade, according to |
VIM. Proctor Knott, and one by one the |
great attractions are offered which were
thought competent to bring the attendance
up to the promised 100000 a day, and yet
the full average of $4,000 is hardly ever
much exceeded. The grand hope is now in
the Regatta, and it surely ought to be an
attraction, for nothing as complete of the
kind has ever been seen in the country. But
is it not curious that we talk of outside at
fractions to induce people to visit the Expo
sition? 1t might be thought that the Fair
itself would be enough. And so, in a
sense, it is, but people are so queer that
they " hedge on even such an inducement
as this,-arranging their trips so as to get
some comparatively little thing thrown into
the sum of their sight tseeing. This being
the case, and it being evident that it is very
desirable that the second half Of the Cen
tennial season should much surpass the
first in its results, it is not comfortable to
observe that rivalries are being instituted
in our best territory, outside the city. The
Western part of the State is being
strongly appealed to by an Expo
sition at Pittsburg, which, while
it will not compare in any way with the
Centennial, will yet be extensive and attrac
tive, and will undoubtedly keep many West
ern Pennsylvanians from Philadelphia.
This is not the handsome thing for next
year would have answered Pittsburg as we'll,
and better than this season. But it is only
one of the multitude of discouraging cir
cumstances all going to show that there is
not the general interest in this great nation
al scheme which was fairly anticipated.
OUR CITIZEN eoLDIERY."
AS far as the State troops are concerned,
the men themselves have done all that was
possible to make the "Camp Anthony
Wayne" memorable. The troops have
turned out in good force, and the discipline
has been admirable. The dress parades on
these fine August evenings have beer
brilliant and pleasant occasions, and, in
brief, the entire enterprise could not have
| been more liberally and successfully man
aged. The elimination Of the military
season was in yesterdays procession, which
was the finest demonstration, of the kind,
| made here in years-certainly the best since
| the war. Parades ss a rule are idiotic, but
soldiers can make them appear reasonable
| if anything can, because marching is In
| direct line with their vocation. Moreover,
| the arrangements in this case, were all SEN
sible. The line did not start until the cool
of the afternoon the route was short,
| (from Broad street to Third, and back, on
| lyatc y md fta
were brought in from camp and carried
thence by train. Ten thousand troops were
in line, and Governor Hartranft as the
head Of all this fine showing, was warmly,
even affectionately, welcomed along he
route. Hartranfts military record is above
suspicion and the people seem to know all
about it. He is one of the favored men
who grow constantly in popular favor
PAINFUL EXPERIENCE.
There is yet another military item in the
weeks budget, and not very pleasant one.
The Cincinnati Light Guard, company of
40 young men, started from the city name d
several weeks ago to march to the Centen-
nial. They came all the way on foot, and
while the proceeding was rather silly one
they were welcomed as guileless youths who
had done what in them lay to advertise the
glores of the great show. Now the guard
has been yictlmized by its commander, a
at their camp in the grounds, without cub
sistance or means Of getting home. The
Light Guards condition wss pitiabl1, for
they had absolutely nothing to eat and no
money. At last the Centennial guard and
fire department shared their ratlons with
the unfortunate guardsmen, and the eitua-
alton thus becoming known they were, Of
+ course, properly cared for. Yesterday the
Pennsylvania railroad furnished them
+ transportation to Cincinnati. The COM
r mauder tells his story, to the effect that he
! had already spent more money on the ex-
cursion than he could afford, but everything
; ia against him. He clearly got company OF
honest young fellows into an ugly scrape.
and then let them get out OF it as best they
g could
/ HOT WEATHER GOSSIP.
s Apart from the matters noted, and the
r regulation doings at Landedowne, the city
has been very dull during this week. The
Dental Convention continues its interest
ing sessions, but have already given suf
n fic.ent space to that topic. We are in the
= middle Of the dog days" time when al
things take rest. Every one who can ge
u away has left town, but the number o.
g strangers here is so large that the street,
J. seem as crowded as they are in winter. A
n every turn one has indications of the pres
n ent character of the population the mon
d strous duster of the period floats from
I |
l. tied in the streets by visitors too busily en-
q gagged in staring at the novel sights OF
/ every hand to notice how their pedestrian
IL ism progresses. For instance, again, ridini
down town to-day on Chestnut street ca
l observed that the conductor made hal
"a at the mint, calling out the locality, where
!. upon number of whiskered gentlemen il
J. alpaca overcoats made precipitate depar
Z ture from the vehicle, as though the
N feared the mint might not wait for them
@ Further along, the conductor shouted " In
& dependence Hall" and again stopped, with
1t out any summons, and the nervous retrea
d was repeated. l asked my punch brothe
"a il those stoppages were the regular thing
70 and he said they were, on all trips With
hours. The mint is 80 overrun with Wis
A tors that business has been seriously inter
81 fered with. At Independence Ha
Is the case is simpler, for the Wis
-e tors do not have to be taken in charg
Of by ushers, but entertain themselves. A
le the standard places of resort have bee