The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1876-07-13
Centennial Correspondence.
Special to the Citizen.

,
purchases before leaving home, DC.
Now, my dear Mr.. Editor, l have
no interest in the matter whatever,
but feel that you and my old friends
generally through our good old
Giles would care to know some
thing of the true state ot things as
they exist here.
Imprimis then, let me tell you
that you have a wrong impression
as regards trade and business gen
orally these centennial times as done
here. Everything is at the extreme
of Glow water mark" except per
haps boarding, and that is within
the bounds of reason-very good
accommodations being offered tor
two dollars per day. The regular
hotel rates are of course higher,
beng from three to five dollars per
day. The Centennial, as an eXhibi
ton, is q grand success, a show that
every American may boast of. 1t
is said by the knowing ones to
excel by far anything of the kind
ever known before; but as a source
of profit to Philadelphia it has so
far proved a signal failure. 1t
opened too late for the spring trade,
| and merchants South and West de
sirlng to see the show and not
wishing to make two trips, laid in
their stock of spring goods from
places near home. The conse-
quence being that an immense stock
is left upon the shelves Of our mer-
chants, and they are glad to take
any price offered for them. Never
before has the market been SO low
or so slow. Think of it; caGcOs
such as sold before the war fol
twelve aaI fifteen Its, are now of
fered at three aud five cents! and
all dry goods share similarly in the
depression. Meats and groceries
are likewise cheap. So you see tha
the hotel and boarding house keep
ers will get the lions share of th'
money brought here. Only imag
inc spring chickens, nice and fat,
drug In the market at Is cents pc
pound, when in ordinary times the.
sold readily at 80 and 40 cents
You may ask, with surprise, hoy
can such things be? 1 answer that
anticipating the centennial yeal
wherein to make golden Innings 70
their pockets, everybody for mile
and miles around took some methot
of supplying the markets. Man
. thought they would do what thei
neighbors would not do, and thu
, have a monopoly; but the neighbOT
happened to have the same though
consequence, spring chickens at
grand discount. And just so al
the markets over-crowded wit
!, every article Of home and foreig
production. 1t is well for the col
sumers but hard on the producer
J Already many who we're elated wit
dreams OF golden fleece hang the
heads in disappointment and dl
u gust. But the show is a big thing
yes, a very big thing. Some sma
> calculator has estimated that
: give each article on exhibition oil
minutes time it would require ju
- thirty seven years to ''do it up
= From twenty five to thirty thousar
= persons visit the halls each da
- yet they never appear crowde
These numbers are made up Of {
nations of the earth, in their hon
dress and with their home manner
>, so that one may learn something
the ways of the world by staying
- home just now.
To me the great Corliss Engi
is the most wonderful of all the e
:; hibits 1 have as yet seen. A nigh
: monster, possessing q three tho
sand horse power, it stands c
in bold relief and commands hu
dreds upon hundreds Of machiI
of all conceivable shapes and {
signs, each as with one accord
II ing to fulfil its purpose at the ge
lest nod Of its immense beam,
so quietly does it command tn
all that scarcely a sound is hea
Nv no confusion seen, no jarring
=" felt. l believe that a tumbler FL
to its brim with water and plaC
~ upon any stationary part of t
~ mighty engine would not be m;
= to spill one drop, so smoothly &
ne gently does it accomplish its ia
~ and show to its thousands of V
tors the ingenious devices of
many nations represented here, Fl
the drilling of the hardest adam
rio' twelve hundred feet beneath
:" =, earth to the weaving of the fiji
.4 | silk or lightest gOssamer is
~" work, and it seems to revel thel
~ as a child at play. 1 wish tina
could tell you more about
III beautiful and powerful adaptat
of steam to mechanics, but weT
to write until doomsday l could
l us give you an adequate idea of it
nus You will have to see it for yours
:" Mr.. Editor, and sincerely b
you may.
We are making immense pr
ana rations here for the Fourth, 6
which il it is your pleasure
shall hear from me again. In
'.'' meantime believe me one Of !
- best wishers. ). X.
July Ist- 120 South 34t