The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-02-12
THE EXHIBITION.
THE CONDITION OF THE GROUNDS AND THE
FIVE PRINCIPAL NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
NKARLY READY.

THE CONDITION OF THE GROUNDS AND TIE
FIVE PRINCIPAL NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
NKARLY READY.
PHIIADELPHIA, Feb. IL, 1870
Those who faith in special providences may Ger.
ainIy be pardoned tor believing that there arc evi.
dences of meteorological nterposition behalf
the Centennial Exhibition II would seem as though
Eaturs-with an eye friendly 10 our forthcoming ma.
tiona birthday party-had so far departed from her
usual winter severity to favor with weather of al
most unprecedented mildness, preventing the earth
from freezing being covered with ice snow for
tho sole purpose OF enabling the great OF prepa
ration upon The
CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION GROUNDS
10 60 forward without interruption Owing TO the IN
usually mild weather single days work has BEEN
lost and there much activity at the grounds and
as large army or busy workers as upon the balmsst
day OF summer. Within astonishngly short time
small city almost has grown up amid the trees and
shrubbery of Paramount Park. Over nifty buildings
are now IN various stages Of construction, the most
important nearly finished and many others whicharG
OF minor consequence yet incomplete The greatest
variety IN form and style is disqualification tho
many turreted iron and glass main building, with its
immense expanse of twenty acres and the massive and
magnificent granite Gallery to the smallest chalet
light wood and gay colors But even these are not
all Beside the nfty eIghty structures now under
way plans beng made and ground staked OIL Tor
half many more; and It may be predicted with GER
tainty that when the Exhibition opens there will be at
least 100 buildings representing every nationality and
OF inAnite variety Of design, within the three
mile enclosure Of the great fair. The
lakes and fountains being prepared. the walks and
roads macadamized, the little "rapd transit" steam
railway which will convey visitors from point to point
is being laid shrubbery and trees beng set and
lawns terraced and sodded Hundreds Of workmen Of
all sorts-carpenters painters, decorators, builders,
masons, hborers, plumbers and gardeners moving
about plying the tools OF their trades and all
sides the greatest activity observable On the main
building alone Mr.. Dobbns, the contractor, has had
g. 900 men at work but is rapidly reducing the
force, his labor being SO completion. The most
confirmed croaker who has been predicting with
show OF reason not long ago) that the buildings could
not be ready in time but admit his now
thanks to the pleasant weather have had, as he
looks down upon the busy scene from the observatory
which enterprisng Yankee has erected upon Bel
sTUPENDous PREPARATIONS.
AT the southern front of the boundary line, Elm
nue. where the principal entrances and approaches
from the city, the main exhibition building and
Machinery Hall stretch along IN what appears to be
continuous line the length of which is three quarters
of mile. In reality there is space of 400 feet be-
tween them, but 1t is filed by three contiguous
small structures the offices of the Centennial Commits
sion, the Offices OF the Board OF Finance and the ticket
Offices and gateways, the effect at little distance is
that OF one immense building exactly as long as fifteen
New York city blocks, or three-quarters OF MILE
BUn.nNo
The main building is completed except the four
towers in the centre, the 1agstatis of which will be
borne msjestcally $50 feet above the ground These
towers are nearly completed, and the central space
principal aisles of the building is equal 10 what would
have TO be stretched across were Broad and Market
Streets the widest tboroughfarcs in Philadelphia,
to be rooted over at their junction, whero
both streets about lis feet wide each.
When this portion--a mere bagatelle by compar-
nearly finished over the great structure will have
received its last touches As far as all really necessary
ready for the reception Of goods now and OF the
foreign exhibits now lying there waiting to be I'M
packed.
Machinery Hall is entirely completed. IL does not
twenty of ground, like the main building,
but u manages spread itself over seventeen The
boiler house for tho Corliss engine, which will supply
the power for its machinery stands just north OF tho
hail. and nearly ready roof over 1t has two large
chimneys ninety feet high and II 1t not situated
so its huge neighbor would be thought quite
large structure. II will twenty large upright
Corss boilers feed the engine In the centre
! OF Machinery Hall This engine Is now being put I'M
steam engine m the world, having the enormous
capacity of 2, 500 horse power. This monster will be
one OF the features of the Exhibition of which America
may well be proud. Europe show nothing like it.
! 1t is worthy OF detailed description and will DO
treated OF in a subsequent letter. The assignments Of
space have been made in Machinery Hail. and the floor
is checkered with coored lines enclosing the name of
the exhibitor to whom it has been assigned. por-
|
Custom House authorities and the goods belonging to
the Khedive OF Egypt Sweden Norway and some
other nations guarded by government officials.
|
North Of the main building Is the Memorial Hall
Gallery Its massive granite walls, chaste design
and magnificent proportions form pleasing contrast
to the other structures 1t covers an acre and half
| of ground and is the most commanding height Of
the Lansdowne plateau but its proximity to the main
building dimlnlshes It's apparent size 1t has been
found to be too small for the great demand
upon its wall space and another building Is
Just about beginning 100 feet Distant to
be used annex. 1t will be $50 feet by $50 feet,
and will be OF brick with cement TO initiate
the granite OF Memorial Hall The hall is in the same
promising condition the other two principal build
ings 1t is finished except the decorations
and the surroundings such the and satuary
and garden ornaments which are 70 add beauty 70 IT,
In proportion 10 its size is the most costly OF tho
buildings requiring outlay of 81, 500 000 but its
eras enduring granite glass and iron, wood or
inammabes being used that IL Is believed really
deserve that much abused claim Of 'nroprooE"
HORTICULTURAL
East OF the central portion of the enclosure Is the
horticultural Hail. where certain Washington Congress
men recently accepted Of Philadelphia hospitality and
back Washington to oppose Philadelpha's
project 1t Is completed, and already contains the
Its design the Mauresque style OF architecture OF tho
twelfth century-all graceful and circles and
object in the enclosure II only aud quar-
ter AMI Is far small to satisfy the demands
that have been made upon its space proposition to
enlarge It is under consideration At the extreme
north of the exhibition enclosure is the
AGRICULTURAL BUILDING.
! II is the most backward Of all because II
menced last but will DO ready in tmo. 1t is about
one third finished.
| The United States government building was recently
described in these columns at length. II is very
nearly ready.
The special structures are SO varied and numerous
that they must form matter for subsequent letter.
RHODE ISLAND AND THE EXHIBITION.
PROVIDENCE Feb IL, 1875
A ~ tha