The Van Buren press., 1876-06-27
CENTENNIAL LETTERS.
The First Of a Series bv Dr.. A. N. Bourl
land.

tlle FfSt VI oV''es w VI =" WI SNS'
land.
Having just returned from the great
Centennial Exhibition ut Philadelphia, l
have been requested to publish an ac-
count of what saw there. Were it pos
sible, would gladly inpart to others the
pleasure have received from the con
TEN mplation of this magnificent exhibition
Of human skill, art and science; but lam
! guage fails to expresses what the soul ap
tpreciates in witnessing the highest efforts
of the greatest and most noble powers
, of the human mind. How can we hope
/ to give any adequate idea of what is to
! be seen, when it requires thick, heavy
q volume to make catalogue of the oh.
1 liects on exhibition. The mere contem-
plation of the immense and beautiful bull
Idings, alone, is calculated to fill US with
profound admiration, The main building
lis 1880 feet by AGA. The acres under coy
er in this building are 2lt The distance
to be travelled to examine all parts Of it,
are IlI3 miles. This main building
has three annexes separate from it, two
for minerals and one for wagons and car
riagcs. Machinery Hall, 1902 feet long,
and 500 feet wide, covering IA acres. 1t
! has several annexes, which are entirely
separate from it, The agricultural build
I ing is S25 feet long, and $40 feet wide
lit covers lO4 acres of ground. Horticul
tural Hall is a very handsome building,
4S3 feet long and 1913 feet wide, and COW
eres Ii acres. This building is situated
in the centre Of 40 acres of land devoted
to the cultivation of plants and flowers
from Japan, China. England, France.
= Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Bra.
!, Ill, Cuba and Mexico. The art gallery,
y ilso known as memorial hail. is bcauti,
S 'ul fire proof building, of granite, glass
y md iron, dcsianed to remain as a perma.
n lent memorial Of the nations first cen
il ennial anniversary. 1t is 375 feet long
J, snd 2l0 feet wide. 1t has a marble OIL
e granite annex which covers about as
= much space.
= If one would take pleasure in seeing
e what precious, tender, lovely hands cal
l. do, visit the woman's pavilion. 1t is sale
!, that congress was not willing to make al
;. appropriation for this purpose, so th
!, women of the United States, determined
ito be represented, built this beautifu
e Hstruc ure, at a cost of $50. 900, paid b.
} voluntary contributions. 1t Is dcvotet
lentirely TO the exhibition of women
nj work, and is in charge of alternate com
) mittees of women, selected from the va
10 rious wards Of Philadelphia This build
! ing covers nearly an acre Of ground, A
a one meanders here among the LAWS
}. beauties on every hand, one cannot hel
l feeling that here woman has rcpresente
/ herself in all her glory. In one place
, saw q pile Of beautiful socks, knit by
n lady one hundred years old with hi,
= sess F'AslsAs -aant to near 2UU soul
!, WIN delight we re", OF what grea
:, events she had witnessed in oyr ,o,ion.
o history, and with tears rushing 70 q,
eyes, we looked upon the pile OF hos
u she had wrought with her own hands +
- say to our glorious nation in its gre:
r centennial exhibition that there is hon,
n and glory to the hands that love to |,
J. Dor In another place we saw an extel
~ sive piece of lace. d lcately and beaut
n fully made, appended to which was ii
5 history of the maker, who was very age
l. but still had the pride to be represente
u among the fair and lovely spirits of O,
own land. Here is to be witnessed I'll
lie hnest work that humanity, in its mo.
;, glorious part, can aspire to do. Loom,
s. here, are weaving the most beautiful fal
- rics that 1t is possible for human skill t
- make What true man is it that coul
t. visit the woman's pavilion, and not fe,
IN his soul desire to call blessing O
1T her sex God bless the aged hands tha
1t have faithfully labored bless the magnii
n icent forms that carry heads like the pres
II idents, bless the sylph,Iike darling tina
} slldes like an angel through every scene
and causes light to shine in manv dar
d ways of mans career. From this plac
e OF enchantment, the won ans pavilion
e let us notice the United States exhibitio,
a building. This is the most impor,an
1t one within the enclosure-next to th
e principal exhibition building 1t wa
It erected by the United States gov
e ernment at cost of 100000, AMI is de
J. signed for the exhibition of the yariou,
n departments of the general government
and the Smithsonian Institute. 1t GOV
ers about two acres, and contains one O
q the most interesting collections that thu
visitor will find on the grounds, iIlustra
ting the functions and administrative fac
If Il