Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-05-05
From Philadelphia.
THE COMING OPENING OF TIE CENTENNIAL
PROGRESS OF THE LxHIBITIoN-TuE SUNDAY
QUESTION, ETC.

PROGRESS OF THE ExHIBlTiON-IHh seNDAi
QUESTION, ETC.
PHILADELPHIA, May /.
To the Editor o. The Free Press and Times
The Director General Of the Cen
tsnnial makes formal announcement
to-day, in bis General Order No. l. thar
the Exhibition will be opened to the
public on Wedn esday, the 10th of May, the
day long since set for the opening lie
further orders, to that end, that the avenues
and passageways to the buildings must be
cleared on the 9th. and all exhibits I'M
covered and exposed by 9 O'Clock OF the Ioth-
To do this Will require hurrying work In
deed hardly see how it can be done. Yet
the progress made towards the opening IN
the last week or two. has been wonderful
The foreign commissioners, especially, are
pushing forward their preparations with the
greatest energy. The ample spaces allotted
| to them swarm with exhibitors W0rkmen,
and objects of beauty and interest are hourly
emerging from their wrappings OF straw
| The American section presents an astonlsh-
| ing variety Of costly showcases. many oil
which are verv beautiful. Horticultural
Hall Is now in magnificent order. From the
galleries the view Is superb the eye Is be
wildered from the profnsion OF tropical
nlauts. orange and lemon trees loaded with
| their fruits. stately palms, flower beds, and
| long forcing houses crowded with blooms
which daily become more beautiful.
The Agricultural Building IS filling rap
idlv. and it can already be predicted that the
show of machinery in this department will
he much more extensive than was that OF the
Vienna Exhibition, and that it will not tal
behind in farm products and food prepars-
tions The international feature will be
more noticeable here than anywhere else ex-
cent in the main building. 81 foreign
countries having taken space. These are
Great Britain, France, Germany, Austria,
Norway. Sweden. Russia, Belgium. the
Netherlands. Spain. Italy. China, Japan,
Venezuela. Chill. Brazil, Mexico, Canada,
Denmark. Argentine Republic, and Por-
tpcal There will. too, be more special
STATE exhibits than in snv other department
. of the iair. collective displays OF farm pro-
ducts having been contributed by the STATE
Agricultural Boards Of Missouri, Michigan
Illinois, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Massa-
cbusetts. Oregon, New-H Hampshire, Wash
inrton Territory, New-Jersey. West Viz
rinia. Delaware. Ohio, Kentucky. Florida.
and Iowa.
Machinery Hall resounds with din and
clatter. The great COrliss Engine, which
drives eight miles Of shafting, was started
the other day. and went of al the moment
set. a. if it had been always running. The
Great hydraulic annex begins 10 fill up viii
hundreds Of pumps. American exhibitors
are bestirring themselves, and, considering
the great space they are to FL, their prepa
-ati0ns are more advanced than those OF any
Of the foreign countries except England ana
Belgium. In iron-working machinery anc
sewInc-machines the display will be In
mense.
The exhibits Of the L. ;. Government art
coming in. From the War Department
there are all sorts Of weapons. from old wal
pieces 10 modern miirai.leuses, and sets Of
Understanding machinery from the navy
department marine engines. boat used by
DR.. Kane and one that belonged 70 ST.
John Franklin. the Post Office Department
Is Represented bv a model post and money
order office with corps Of letter carriers flr
service on the grounds the Smiths1nlan Is
filing nearly half the government building
with IL ethn0logical and mineraiogi zeal c0l-ec-
tons and the Patent Office has its cases
ready flI models.
In Memorial Hal the hanging committee
are now arranging the paintings of Amerl-
can artists some Of the State buildings are
COMPLETED and Others approaching compile
lion. while one. at least that Of Vermont, Is
not a. vet visible 70 the naked eve Il j
understood. however. 70 be "a the way here
in sections. and viii be rapidly put ~ when
it arrives. The French Pavilion i only
Just began and can hardly be ready ilr occu-
Iaucg before the lst Of Jane.
No1 10 Hs oFEN ON SUNDAY.
Under the lead Of Gen Hawley, the Com
missioners have finally decided MT t. allow
the exhibition OF grounds to be open % sun
day. After fall discussion and two reports
By the committee appointed 20 consider II,
only nine of the thirty-six members of the