The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-09-28
CENTENNIAL LETTER.
IFrom our regular Corrospondent.l
IhiludelDhio. SEP. 25th. 1875.

"Who ever saw the like?O is what every
body exclaims now. Ali previous accounts
of the rush hitherward have failed to convey
an adequate idea of its extent at this writ
ing. The incoming trains from every
direction are overloaded with human
freight, and come putting into the depots
behind time. The hotels are packed full
from ground to attic floors, and there is a
swarm of humanity blockading the streets
and surging into every place CT enter,aine-
ment or amusement. People who intend
coming in the next few weeks will do well
to engage quarters iu advance, if they haAe
not air eady done so The attendance on
the Exhibition grounds grows larger each
day, and from present indications promises
to exceed the most sanguine expectations.
Un Wednesday, for the first time since the
opening day, the number exceeded the
highest figure ever predicted, being over
100000 visitors at full rates. At the
present rates Of increase, with people still
pouring into town frem every quarter, il
looks as though the attendance might reach
200, 0J0 daily in another week. Even at
the average Of last wees, from now till the
close, would make an aggregate Of eight
and half millions of visitors. Thursday
was New York day." and brought many
thousand from the Empire state. Gov
ernor Tilden held reception in the New
YORK state building, which was thronged
throughout the day "Pennsylvania day"
follows next Thursday, when the greatest
throng of the season is expected. The Hon.
Benz H. Brewster will denver an address, aud
in the evening the grandest display of fire.
works ever Witnessed on this continent has
been arranged for TO be supplied by Lon
don firm.
The display of minerals in various de-
partments of the Exhibition makes, col.
lectively, one of the most prominent and in
teresting features. That portion of this e1.
hibit is chiefly the fruit of geological sur
veys of the territories under Prof. Hayden
and Major Powell.
Dir. Hay den's survey was begun in 1857
with small appropriation of SO, 900, made
by Congress for the examination of Ne
braskn. In 1869 it was extended to
Colorado and New Mexico, with au in
creased appropriation Of 10000. Since
then, it has been going on on large scale,
and with increased usefulness until now.
This years. field work will be the last, and
already some of the final memoirs on special
| subjects have been printed. the work has
| been conducted in the most thorough and
| systematic manner, and it is surprising to
compare the results obtained with the COM
pended. The special memoirs are, with
out exception, from the pens of the most &C.
complished specialists in the country and
the practical results Of the survey in guild
ing the prospector and miner in their labors
are beyond estimate. Among the most
attractive obj ects exhibited are the beauti-
fully executed photographs of scenery, by
MIR. Jackson, the photographer of the sur.
vey. these are both on wood aud glass
There is also series of water-color
sketches, which convey much information
to the geologst, besides being very cred'
table work of art. The maps, bearing
dates 1884 and 5, evince great care and
accuracy in their delueation of the typo
graphical aud geological details. The
models OF the country explored, showing,
in colors, the geological structure, convey
to the uninitiated better idea than could
be obtained from library full of books.
Attached to the collection are lot of
pottery of the Indians from the Mancos
canyon, and models of the ruins of the
ludan houses in the canyon of the RiJ du
Chiefly as they now exist, and restored to
show how they lock ed when occupied.
The Powell survey began by an amateur
trip of Major Powell, in 1867, in the noun
tain region Of Colorado. In 1868, stirnu.
cursiou, he organized an expedition for
further exploration, which continued in
1869. During these several excursions the
plan was conceived to explore the canyons
of the Colorado river. This has finally ex-
panded into detailed examination of Utah
and the reports will form handsome series
not inferior in execution, or in Importance
to the others being executed by the other
surveys. But one volume of these reports
has 50 tar been published though the Others
are under way, and u series of the maps,
not yet issued by the department, is cx-
hibted. Some of the diagrams, of which
there is whole atlas, display a high degree
OF ingenuity in the manner of execution, and
they llustra.e in q striking manner the
toldlngs and breaks of the strata over the
desert table lands of Utah. With them
there is model Of about thirty thousand
square miles Of the area Of Utah colored
geulogically and admirably done. 1t would
be praiseworthy work ou the part of the
Government to cause to be made for the Ma.
tonal Museum complete series of such
models illustrating the geology of the whole
country. The necessary information exists
in great par5 for this work in the reports OF
the geological surveys Of the several States
and Territories and but few spots would be
left blank. eveL at the present state Of our
knowledge, while the surveys going op
will soon suppy all deficiencies. Tns sur
vey also exhibits large series of photo.
graphs.
The space originally allotted in the Mair
Exhibition building TO the display of min.
erals and mineral products of the United
States, although apparently liberal enough
was soon found to be totally inadequate,
and two additional buildings were erected
IN the narrow area, between the main
structure and the street. In these are
placed the special exhibits of several of the
States, and numerous contributions of cor
pUrations and private parties. Some of the
States have been content to present to the
National Museum a series Of their products
buG in several cases, as for instance
Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio, and Colorado
have sent other contributions Ell her a.
official state exhibits or as coming from in
dividuals The Kentucky limestone, Ohio
sandstone, etc, are exhibited in various
shades and varieties. The new economic
material, called carbonated stone, mad
with u carbonating process, is well showI
aud gets a good deal of notice from parties
Interested in the subject of building ma
terials, etc.
l The Odd Fellows parade on Wednesda,
was the grandest display ever made by thi
/ order. There were $4,000 in line an,
the procession occupied three and hal
hours in passing gwen point
: The hand of the collosal bronze statut
4 "Liberty Tightening the World" re
. Gently sent over from France, is bein
placed in position to day on the Elk
v | lo p0