Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-05-25

open the Exhibition. Nearly three
times the number of States originally
asserting to the sublime insubordina-
tion of Independence were represented
by their Commissioners. The speech
es were short and without indelicate
individuality, and America, at peace
with the world, produced the martial
tunes of every great nation, which we're
cheered without discrimination by her
multitudes Beauty, as we'll as rank,
graced the festive place. There sat
near her husband the Empress of Bra
zil and daughter of the King of the
Sicilies. The Presidents wife was 4
neighbur of the beautiful lady of the
Spanish Minister. A Quaker poet
wrote the hymn of pious graduation !:
Onr father God from out whose hand
The centuries fall like grains of sand.
We meet, to-day, united, free,
The grand basso voice of Mr.. Whit
ney, Of Boston, rose above the thous-
ands Of heads, producing an encore,
while the tones of prayer from meth
odist bishop ftly expressed the undis-
couraged aspirations of the America
of the second century. "May the
new century be better than the past
More radiant with the light of true
philosophy, warmer with the emana-
tions of worldwide sympathy. May
capital, genius, and labor be freed from
all antagonism by the establishment
and application of principles of justice
and equity" One thousand voices
accompanied the great organ. In the
interludes the military bands doomed
over the wide enclosure where the SOL
diery rested on their arms. Then
there was a silent signal and shaken
out from minaret and flagstaff along
the vast proiles of the Buildings a
hundred banners of all nations blew in
the wind. The Exhibition of 1876
was opened.
Descending from the great stand,
the President walked through the two
principal buildings on the arm of the
Director General, accompanied by his
family, and followed by the Chief JUS
tice. the President Of the Senate and
the Speaker of the House. Cannon
saluted the advancing party, and be-
fore each nations display of products
the commissioners thereof bowed to
the American officials. At the center
of Machinery Hall stood the giant en-
gine, Grim and silent, its double levers
yoked to the mighty wheel which was
to move all those miles Of shaft and
betting and start to life hundreds of
machines of all descriptions, and thous-
ands of spools, shuttles and spindles.
The President having taken hold of
the valve-leyer of one engine and the
Emperor of that of the other, both
gave the turn simultan eously. In an
instant the great wheel started to mo-
ton, and the obedient looms began
their round of six months like an ark
of machinery set afoat for voyage to
preseve the creations of man. Mean
while the gongs and steam whistles,
the firing of one hundred guns on
Georges Hill and the music of the
chimes of bells in the towers had been
SIGNALLING the approach of the grand
finale. Then the vast assemblage dis
persed as they desired, and the form
alities were over until the Fourth of
July brings more splendid pageants.
By night the illuminated streets drew
down their crowded aisles the resident
and visiting thousands, and it seemed
a Roman carnival in the Quaker City
So the triumph of the formal open
ing exceeded the most sanguine ex-
pections and insures magnificent sue
cess throughout. 1t is impossible to
obtain an accurate statement Of the
number of persons within the grounds
on Wednesday, because the turnstiles
are not in perfect working order and
did not register correctly, but esti-
mates range from $50, 900 to 100000.
Probably even the lowest estimate is
rather high as thousands did not get
in at all A change is evidintly need
ed in the regulation prescribed by the
Department of Admissions, which
obliges every visitor to pay ffty-cent
note. The absurity of refusing