The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-06-29
OUR CENTENNIAL LETTER.

Agricultural Hall and Its Contents Con-
tfnued-Wine, Tobacco and Canned
Fruits--The Attendance upon the E1-
hibiti0n.
Special Correspondence Of the Anderson Lntelligenesr
PHILADELPHIA, June %, 1876.
"Say my FRIEND" said Ebenezer Doo-
little, from Bennington, Vermont, "what
do you think. of this show" I replied,
with enthusiasm, "big thing, big thing,
big thing, tain't no name for it, I thought,
sir, we were some at our county fair in
Bennington, but it lays over that jest
considerable, you bet. Why, in fact, sir,
our county feir don't compare with it,
and that is the blessed truth-biggest
fifty cents worth out O. jail, mortal man
never see sich," said Mr.. Doolittle re-
aectively, and inserting his hands under
the tails of his coat, his head bowed in
deep reflection on his noble breast, he
slowly walked away.
1t is at last breaking upon the people
that we have q big show in Philadelphia.
Yes, as Mr.. Doolittle remarked, biggest
fifty cents worth out of jail" Last
week, if you remember, we started on
trip through Agricultural Hall. This is
what you might call the Democratic De-
partment of the Centennial Exhibition
in distinction to the aristocracy of
the Main Hall. Its government is diff
ferent from that of any other department;
the article called red-tape is almost un-.
known here, and business is dispatched
with a promptitude and ease quite un-
known elsewhere in the centennial
grounds. The staff is small and COM
pact, and is composed of workingmen.
The chief officer of the Agricultural
Commission is B. Landreth, Esq, long
identified with one of the principal Seed
and Agricultural houses in Philadelphia,
and no better selection could have been
made; man of few words but of tireless
energy and wonderful patience, con-
stantly on the move, with keen eye to
the interest of his department, the honor
and character of which is identified with
his own. His aids, Mr.. Rooney, Mr..
Moorheed and Mr.. Hill, closely resemble
their chief, all are courteous, kind and
obliging, and that too, under circum-
stances where kindness and courtesy are
the brightest jewels in an officials crown.
Tell your farming friends that when
they come to Philadelphia, if they want
any information about the fair to call on
either of the gentlemen have named,
and you will be sure of q courteous re-
ception. But just at this point I find
myself among breakers, rocks and shoals,
which beset me on every side, but still I
am in no danger from water; no, it's
the very reverse of that. Ifa man want
ed to commit suicide as the Duke of
Clarence did, and drown himself in a
butt of wine, this would be the place to
do it. Wine, there is rivers of it. If the
bottles should break that are now in
sight you might swim in it from the
fountain to the door; and here is my
difficulty, what will my friends, John B.
Cough and Dio Lewis and Oliver Cotter
and Frances Murphy, say if I speak Of
the wine exhibit as it deserves. may
blow about the fountain, and receive a
general temperance commendation, but
how can think of water when am sur
rounded by oceans of wine? Shall mot
rather as faithful chronicler state the
facts, and let the consequences take care
of themselves7 This be my course, sink
or swim.
| The exhibit of native wines is aston.
ishing. A few years ago, bottle of
| good American wine was thing almost
unknown, but since the discovery Of
California, the wine business seems to
have received an impetus, which has
been felt in every State in the Union.
Particularly noticeable is the position
which California takes as wine-pro-
ducing State-opposite the Brazilian de-
partment is the exhibit of Kohler and
Frohling, among the Oldest vineyardists
in California, and to whom the Golden
State is deeply indebted to-day for the
persistent efforts with which for twenty
years, through good and evil report, they
have battled for her vineyard interests.
The exhibition building is an elegant
affair of light framework, covered with
blue and crimson and stored with the
choicest samples of California wines. 1t
is ably presided over by Mr.. Hess, who
dispenses in true California style most
liberal and generous hospitality. Next
to this is splendid case stored with the
choicest wines of the Buena Vista Vine
cultural Society. This company own
immense Vineyards in Sonoma County,
California, which has long been cele-
brated for its grapes. One of the great
specialties of this vineyard, is wine for
medical purposes, they maintaining that
all the wines from their cellars are abso-
lutely pure; no mixture, no doctoring,
nothing but pure grape juice is their
motto, and from the exhibit of their sales,