The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-08-19

Yesterday evening marked the close Of
the first three months Of the six months
term from May 10th to November 10th,
during which the Centennial international
Exhibition is to be open. During the
three months the average daily attendance
Of paying visitors has been about twenty
four. thousand five hundred; and the aggre-
gate for the seventy-eight days Sundays
being excluded) is about one million nine
hundred and ten thousand. The exact
figures to the close of Monday evening,
May 9Th, were one million eight hundred
and seventy-nine thousand six hundred
aud twelve { ,879,Gl2 !; and the rough
estimate for yesterday, made at the hour
when this was written, was thirty thous-
and. The official report will vary some
what from that. About a month of the
period for which these figures are given
saw an incomplete Exhibition, because of
tardy exhibitors, and more than another
month was u season of intensely hot wealth
er, when it was exceedingly uncomfortable
to move about at all yet during the whole
Of that term of tropical weather the atten-
dencc of visitors continued at rate which
has kept the daily average up to nearly TWEEN
ty-fye thousand for the whole three
months, and swelled the aggregate to near
ly two millions. This is very satisiacto.
ry showing, indeed, and is significant
indication of what is to come in the re-
naming three months to November 10th,
and especially after the close of August.
The Exhibition having been already
attended by nearly two millions of paying
visitors from all parts Of the United States
ard from most Of the nations of the civil
lized world, there has been ample Opportu-
nifty for many millions of others to know
whether what has been done by the Cen
tennial authorities is worthy Of the United
States and creditabe to the American
People 1t is stating the fact in moder
ate terms to say that the unanimous YER
dict is that the Exhibition, whether con
sidered in comparison with its remarkable
predecessors in other countries or taken
absolutely by itself, is brilliant and won
ful success, surprising all expectations /;
that it is in the highest degree creditable
to the country, and entities the gentlemen
who have made it what it is to the lasting
regard and thanks of their countrymen.
Who these are need not be specifically
mentioned now. The time will come for
that.
There are several particulars in which
the American Exhibition is superior to
those held abroad, and these manifest
themselves in a more marked manner to
the many distinguished foreign visitors
than to our own people, even those who
attented at London, Paris and Vienna.
Machinery Hall is to them n subject Of
unqualified admiration for its superiority
in the line of machinery in motion; aud
this admiration is shared also by the ex-
hibits in Agricultural Hall, which are
quite different from any thing shown in
such mass ut any former Exposition.
The character, variety style Of construction,
and grouping and distribution of the
buildings are other subjects of warm ap-
proval; and then the grandly picturesque
beauty of the Exhibition Grounds and the
surrounding Park are subjects that are
always mentioned by foreign visitors in
terms of enthusiastic praise and gratiica-
tion. The perfect accessibility of the Ex-
hibition, both for the reception and ship
ment of goods and for easy approach and
departure by railway lines, to scores of
thousands Of visitors, strikes every person
from abroad as an essential advantage of
the American Exhibition. Then, again,
the supervision and management are so
quiet, regular and smooth in their opera
tions, that there is scarcely visible sign
Of the presence Of management at all-no
demonstrativcness, no obtrusiveness
Of that pervading interference of direction
that one would expect to see, but that is
scarcely seen in the Exhibition at all.
The absence Of this attracts the notice Of
the intelligent foreign visitor almost at
once. Finally We may say, under this
head, that large proportion of those who
come here from other places to attend the
Exhibition appear to be impressed with
the courtesy of nearly every one with
whom they are brought into contact-with
the polite attention of the railway people
and the police the admirable police
arrangements for the comfort and safety
Of visitors-and with the speedy and sure
punishment inflicted by the prosecuting
officers and the Courts upon those found
depredating or attempting to depredate
upon visitors.
These, apart from the great beauty and
vast variety and dimensions of the Cen
tenuial Exhibition, are the characteristics
which have attracted nearly two millions
of people to it during the summer months,
and give ample ground for the belief that
at least three millions more will attend
during the three months remaining of the
term.-Philadelphia Ledger. Aug. 10.