The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-05-15
Correspondence of the Press.l
The Centennial Exhibition.
How ;sae New Thing Works Maine ni the
Centennial Textiles.

PHILADELPHIA, May IL, 1876.
The readers of the PRESS have ere this Pc
rused the various accounts Of the opening cere-
monies of the Centennial Exposition, but the
most imaginative of them, from any picture of
words can get no adequate conception of the
magnitude of the ceremonies. First, the
crowd CT itself was an immensity. On the
grounds as far as the eye could see, there was
one compact mass of people. All the streets
leading to the grounds were simply courses
along which poured floods of people. The
thousands of street cars, omnibuses, hacks and
other carriages could not accommodate but a
small portion of them. The trains from all di-
rections have been loaded down with people
since Monday morning All this accumulated
crowd, when the gates were opened Wednss-
day poured itself in at every avenue. 1t got
ahead Of police and military Iudeed, police
and military could not hold back crowd press
ing up in a solid mass as far back as one could
see. To the most of the mass of spectators it
must have been merely spectacle. They
could doubtless ses Mr.. Thomas leading his
$50 musicians and could see the $50 singers
who formed the strong background to the
orchestra, but not quarter could hear note
Of that majestic music which was we'll worth
the journey from Maine to hear. The conclus-
ion of the exercises when President Grant de-
cared in bis matter-of-fact way that the Ex-
position is opened was proper climax. Gen.
Hawley waved his handkerchief as signal for
the flag of the United States to be raised over
the center of the main building, followed by
the standards of other nations, the chorus and
DO IN he oil 1r;, oh
the chimes of tells on Machinery Hall pealed
forth our national airs and cannon on the sur
rounding heights made the ground tremble
with their announcement of the great event.
and above all, drowning all were ,the deafening
huzzas of the immense concourse of people.
Having spent two more days about the
grounds am now more than ever convinced
that the Centennial Exposition is very big
thing. Somebody in Maine wrote one of the
Commissioners asking how many days it would
take to see the whole thing. i dou't kuow
what the official replied, but should I'VE ed.
vised him 10 stay at home if he could not be
satisfied without being sure that he has seen
everything worthy of notice. One can zee
great many of the chief objects of interest in q
day, many more in week, atd Gao fiud some-
thing Of interest TO study at the end of a
month.
What has Maine done for the Exhibition?
A good deal, but not so much as she should
aud could without much effort if producers had
seen the importance of sendiog their goods b.,
fore the exhibition as they mustwhen they visit
1.-Two gentlemen were passing through the cas-
es of goods in the Maine space this morning,
when one remarked that he used to think that
all Maine could produce was shingles He ad
mitted that his mind had undergone a change.
l am sorry to admit that great many people
have an impression that Maine is so far away
toward the northeast that nothing except the
roaghest articles are there produced. If there
had been united action among our producers, a
good deal would have been accomplished in
educating the rest of the country respecting the
variety, Importance and value of Maine pro-
ducts.
Several enterprising correspondents have
already sent forward lists of Maine entries but
these are so imperfect that it would not be
creditabe TO print them in their present FORM
In the southeast corner of Main Hall may be
found the greatest part of the textiles contrib
uted by Maine. Here also is the Maine head
quarters where book is kept for the reception
of the names of Maine visitors and where some
Maine people may always be found The d.
vision of the building is "R 49," Over the
section is tie coat of arms of Maine suFmoun-
ed with national standards. From the coat of
arms over the center to the posts at either end
are stripes of red, white and blue fringei with
gilt and tastetuily festooned. This space is
24x60 feet and IS filled with six tiels of show
cases of goods, all from Maine factories.
THE TEXTILES.
The first case to be seen as one cutters from
the southeast entrance marked "D' is filled
with specimens contributed by Messrs Goodall
of the Sanford Mills, which ere marked "plush
carriage robes" There are a dozen or more
samples. The most noticeable are those rep.
resenting the coat of arms of the United States
and Que made up of half of the coat of arms of
the United States and the rest that of England
Another represents st. Bernard dog on
cream coored ground, the animal having all
the colors OF that well known species. These
goods attract much attention. One man was
anxious to know today if the goods were sold
in Philadelphia
The first case in the next tier contains sam
pies of goods manufactured by the Newicha-
wanick Co. of South Berwick, of which Con.
gresham Burleigh is the successful AGENT.
The case contains twenty five or more patterns
or varieties of light woolen lap, robes colored
blankets and carriage and horse covering
goods. The designs are very tasty and the
workmanship first class. The case also con.
tains samples OF kersey goods No better or
more attractive goods in that line are to be
found in the building.
The second case in the tier contains samples
OF the handiwork of the Worumbo Manufact-
uring Go. of Lisbon Falls There are about a
dozen samplee of fine black and blue beavers,
cassimeres and doeskins. The goods are very
nice and with different tags could be sold for
the best imported. A spectator to-day said
that they had the old style reliable look. Mr.
Moses is the agent of the company. The SELL |
ing agents are Lewis Bros. & Co., Philadel-
phia, New York and Bostoe.
The first case in the third tier is filled with
Al e d. IL