The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1876-06-08
From the Atchison Champion.
Kansas at the Centennial---The State Building
Progress Of Work---Various Notes.

CAulUitiOh tsS lOhOW
PHILADELPHIA, May %, 1876.
/ am more and more convinced, after
wandering through the agricultural
building, where the different States
have exhibits of their products, that
Kansas did wise thing, and made
paving investment, when she decided
to erect separate State building and
make therein a collective display of
her products. Kansas has the largest
State building on the ground. 1t is,
too. almost the only State building de-
voted to exhibition purposes. the 9TH
ers being generally erected only to
serve as State headquarters. 1t was
plucky thing to de, and characteristic
of Kansas. 1t truly represents the en-
terprise, energy and courage of one of
the most active. brave and aggressive
States OF the Union-a State which has
exercised, in the affairs of this Nation
during the past twenty years, more
controlling influence, and played more
prominent part, than almost any other
i'll all the galaxy of the Union. 1t
makes Kansas man feel prouder and
more hopeful of his State when he
stands within the portals of her fine
building, here at this assembly of the
Nations, and feels, as he will, that young
as Kansas is and full of troubles as her
brief life has been, she takes here the
prominent position she has always ia
ken, land has home and collection of
products that will bear comparison
with any exhibited by any other State
or country.
Two of the well-known artists of the
Harper Bros, Theo. +. Davis and Mr..
Bonwell, have been busily engaged for
the past two days in sketching the in
terror of the Kansas and Colorado
building, and the displays arranged
therein. Hdgper's JPeekiy will devote
page or more to illustrations of the
building, and have no doubt that the
sketches will be very fine. | suppose
the illustrations will be published in
the course of two or three weeks. The
artists of Frank LeSiie's paper, the
Graphic, and other illustrated Journals
have also been making sketches of the
Kansas exhibit.
The fountain which is to adorn the
center of the building arrived on
Thursday evening. 1t was furnished
by q New York firm, and is large
bronze piece, exceedingly handsome
The money with which this fountain
was purchased is contribution from
the ladies of Topeka. After the exh-
bition this fine bronze is to be sent to
Topeka and placed in the State capitol
grounds.
Mrs Maxwell, a Colorado lady, has
in the wing of the building assigned
that Territory very large and fine
collection of Colorado animals, includ-
ing buffalo, elk, bear, Rocky Mountain
lion, wolf, etc. They are on elevated
platforms, so arranged as to represent
mountain scenery. All of these ami
Maxwell, the exhibitor. Our Colorado
friends also have what the Kansas ex-
hibit very greatly lacks-a large and
attractive collection of Photographic
views. The Kansas Board sent out an
urgent appeal, but it met with no re-
spouse. Cannot the mayor and coun-
Gil of Atchison send Photographic
views of our Central school house,
bridge, depots, and other objects? Such |
a display would be worth to the city
far more than it could cost.
Prof. Worrell has painted ,on canvass
the great seal of the State, and placed |
it over the large circular window at
the north end of the building. Thus !
lighted from the outside it looks like a
handsome stainep-glass window. The |
large map of the State, 14x24 feet, is
inst below, and underneath the map
are arrayed thousands of glass jars |
fine samples Of all the grains
of Kansas. Around the seal and sides |
of the map are grouped corn, wheat,
oats, and other products in tie ear.
The appearance of the north wing of
the building is very attractive, and Is
warmly praised by all who see it.
The Atchison, Topeka 81 Santa Fe
railroad display, in the east wing, is
equally handsome, and iii some respects |
excels the State display. 1t is arranged |
with excellet taste and skill.
The timber exhibit Of the State is in
place along the northeast center Of the
building, and the fine collection of
building stone is just opposite.
Prof. Worrell is now engaged on the
huge bell which is to be suspended
from the dome of the building. This
bell will be twenty-four feet in circum-
ference at its mouth, and is fac simile
of the old Independence bell. 1t Will
be formed entirely of Kansas agricul-
tural products, corn, wheat and oats,
and the clapper will be an enormous
squash. 1t will hang directly over the
in the center of the building.
The cases to contain the birds and
of the State are all in place,
aud the work of arranging these ex-
hibits is progressing. The members
Of the State Board hope to be able to
formally open the building on the 1st
prox. They have had work to per-
form, the magnitude of which no one
unprecedented and they have discharg-
cd their duty with conspicuous indus
try, zeal and fidelity. The display will
be creditable to them in every respect,
and exceeding valuable to the State. l
have seen all the exhibits made by 9TH
States, and have no hesitation in say
ing that the Kansas display Will far ex-
,eed any or all of them, in extent, in
variety, in the quality of the articles
exhibited, and in the beauty and at
-ractiveness of its arrangement. The
officers of the National Commission
regard it as one of the most valuable
md interesting features of the exhibit
ion.
The attendance at the exhibition is
steadily increasing. 1t now reaches
rom 81, 600 to 40, 900 per day. Wednes-
lay was the thirteenth day since the
opening, and up to that time the Off
,iai registry at the gates showed that
he aggregate number of visitors to the
grounds was 1913, 1888. and of paying WIS.,
tors 23S, 734. AT Vienna during the
irst thirteen days, the paying visitors
in the aggregate, only ~
20, or considerable less than ene-third
he number that have attended the
Centennial Exposition. The compari-
on places the prospects of the Cen
ennial in very favorable light. I
| still notice, in a few papers, state
nents that visitors to Philadelphia are
objected to systematic extortions.
This is falsehood. Board, lodging,
meals, car fare, and everything Wis.,
tor needs, can be had now at prices
ust as reasonable as six months ago.
}oard ranges from S100 to $3.50 per
lay, the latter figures being the regu-
ar rates of the heightened hotels, and
he same rates they have always =
harged. Excellent board can be OBJ :
aimed at from $1.50 to $500 per day.
Veil furnished rooms without meals
an be had at from fifty cents to $l.00
er day, and the restaurant bills of
are are as moderate now as six I
lonths ago. 1t is about time that
hese stories about extortions should
e strangled. They arc utterly I'M
ounded.
Very few of the exhibits will be
arranged and in perfect
rider before the first of June. But by