Connecticut western news., 1876-02-18
THE CENTENNIAL GROUNDS.
The Buildings and How they are Progress ing. 9-. a'-..


 ing. '-'sat
 The main exhibition building will b finished about the last of February Little remains to be done except the in terlor decoration and the hoor-laying and both are well advanced.
 The United States government build ing, cruciform structure, with larg, glass dome, is now completed, and tn, portions to be occupied by the diferen departments are indicated by the deco rations on the adjacent walls.
 Where blows abound as mural orna ments the agricultural department vii naturally be found, anchors point out tn, location of the navy, swords of the wal department, and so on. A signal anG weather station will be erected on tho grounds by the signal bureau. There will also be block-house in the rear oi machinery hall, to illustrate frontier warfare. In machinery hall, square feet of space have been allotted to foreign countries as follows: Great Britain, 37, 125; Germany, 1O,757; France, TO-. 139; Belgium, 9,375; Canada, 4,3O0 Brazil, 4,O0O; Sweden, 3,169; Spain, 2,448; Russia, 1,500, and Austria, l, 536. The Michigan building will be begun in the park in about two weeks. The whole structure, except the foundation, will be finished in Michigan. The New Jersey building is nearly finished, and makes handsome appearance. Penn sylvania will have the largest of all the State buildings, if the Legislature ap- propriates the $15, 900 which it is asked to give for the purpose. The plans have been made and taken to Harrisburg. Ohio's headquarters have got as far along as the foundation.
 Three of the great restaurants are nearly finished. These are the Ameri- can, near agricultural hall, the German, close by horticultural hall, and the Southern, in Belmont avenue, close by the government building. The French restaurant, within a stone's throw of the art gallery, is going up rapidly. .s.
 An afternoon edition of the Philadel- phia Tunes will be printed in machinery hall during the exhibition on one of Hoe'snew presses. The Times will also build an office on the grounds. .-.
 The West Virginia pavilion will be near the British buildings, and will be constructed wholly of timber brought from that State. -.--.--
 A concession for banking office on the grounds has been granted to the Centennial national bank, corporation just organized. Its president is B. A. Rollins, formerly United States commis- sioner of internal revenue. -..
 MT. R. J. Dobbins has been awarded the contract for erecting the annexe to the memorial hall. It will be of brick overcast and painted to initiate granite, and will cover an acre of ground. Nineteen car loads of Japanese build ing materials, principally bamboo, have arrived at the site of the Japanese Gen. tennial structures, west of the govern ment building, and force of native workmen, imported with the materials, is engaged in putting them together to make two buildings "a bazaar and dwell ing house. Tie Japanese commission has moved out to the United States 41o- tel, near the grounds. A building cost ing 0,000r will be erected on the grounds by the brewers and malsters of ;he United States for the exhibition of heir specialties. The narrow gauge :ailway on the grounds is finished and he cars will soon be put on. They will oe dawn by dummy engines. The road las double track and makes the circuit 'f the grounds, passing close to every of importance. Five cents will oe the fare. Spain has been assigned a blot of ground near the north end of ma 'hinery hall for building for the offices If her commission. The three English buildings are almost completed. Their luaint, old-time architecture is 8 pleas ng novelty among so many modern tructures.