, 1876-08-11
LETTER FROM PHILADELPHIA.
For the PreEr SOUND WEEKLY ARGrs.l
The Centennial Exposition.

PHILADELPHIA, July "a, 1876.
1t is impossible to convey an idea
of the excessive heat that has pre-
vailed in this section of the country
for the last six weeks, and in conse-
ouence have neglected to visit the
great Exposition until within the
last few days, when feeling some
what acclimated, or having imbibed
the Centennial mania that surrounds
us on all sides, concluded to take it
in. The city of Philadelphia is in
holiday dress. Flags of all nations
and bunting in every conceivable
form and fold meets the eye n\every
direction, and on all sides YOU OBJ
serve indications that something un-
usual is going on. All the lines of
street cars have their terminus at the
Centennial grounds, each claiming
to be the shortest and quickest route;
the steam railways from every sec
tion of the country end there, so
there is not the slightest difficulty in
reaching that grand focus of interest
to Americans in particular and the
world in general. The preparations
for an immense crowd are visible
on all sides. AS you approach the
enclosure on the west side Of the
Schuylkill river, hotels, pavilions,
and saloons Of all kinds have sprang
up as If by magic, yet around them
business appears to be very dull in
deed, the expected multitude from
afar not having arrived, or else have
postponed their coming until the ad-
vent of cooler weather.
The great size and handsome APP
Pearance of the principal buildings
devoted to the exhibition purposes,
at once makes a favorable impress
sion upon the visitor. Immense,
wonderful, grand and beautiful are
the involuntary expressions of de-
light at first beholding those archi-
tectural wonders that are now re-
nowned the world over. Fifty cents
is charged for admission into the
grounds, and you have to present the
exact sum to the gate-keeper, either
a note or coin, two quarters will not
do nor viii dollar bill admit two;
you must exchange them for half
dollars at an Office near by. As you
pass in you push a turn-tile which
admits you through the gate and at
the same time records the entrance.
We entered at the main building,
and the inside presents more be-
wildering scene than did the outside
view; and now comes the difficulty
Of writing about
THE SHOW.
You see so much and many various
and beautiful things that to attempt
a detailed description would take
months Of time and miles Of paper.
Everything that art, skill and labor
can produce seems to be before you,
arranged in the most attractive STYLE.
There are passages, lengthwise and
across the great building through
which you can wander and wonder
for hours at the scenes presented. |
think we first got into book-show,
then were attracted by music from a
grand and lofty organ somewhere
overhead; then wandered amongst
silks, satins, cloths, ,laces, ,meerschanm
pipes, China, glass, gold and silver
ornaments, vases, perfumery, musi-
cal instruments, diamonds; and the
further you go the more YOU see
and the less you seem to remember
about il From the United States
TO England, across to France, BelQi-
um, Russia, Africa, Egypt, Brazil,
Japan, China md the Isles of the
sea, each and all countries having
sent a tribute to the celebration of
the birth Of the youngest OF the ma
tons Time slips away rapidly and
before getting half way through this
main building you suddenly remem-
Der that there are other buildings.
and lots of them, still to be seen.and
sohasten along casting hasty glance
on each side, kind Of an ever chang
ing kaleidoscope view of all materii-
Al predictions of the known world.
Leaving the main building the
next along the line Of march was
Machinery Hall, where the products
Of brain and ingenuity are displayed
IN all departments of industry; ev-
erything in motion 50 that you could
witness the processes Of manufacture
from the raw material to the finished
ProductiOn- Cotton and wool is
being manufactured into cloth by
alkthe processes of carding, spin