The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-19

Rea power over the Commissioners, and partly
even over the public. At all events they have
succeeded In collecticg great deal OF money
from the liter, and In holding in perfect con-
troll the former. Not only had they large and
handsome space allowed them for the erection
of their building, but they had whole wing OF
the estrada on the OPENING day granted to them.
and the number Of free adm ssion tickets which
they hold now seems to DO unffmi ed. am
told that for tho opening ceremonies alone they
had obtained something like five hundred invt-
tations, while all the members Of the Board on
Finance had only thirteen invitations allotted TO
them. rather nice anccdote Is narrated In
Philadelphia with reference to this state Of
affairs.
On the eve of The opening, O. washing
ton Chiids, A. NJ, wanted ticket for
some literary celebrity, who had applied
to him as to the all-powerfui intellcc-
tual maguate OF Philadelphia. Mr.. Cbilds
wrote q note to Gen. Hawley, requesting
him to send ticket, and received u refusal. lie
then teleeraphed, but the application was again
neeatved. Finally, he himself drove to the
grounds at midnight, and had personal inter-
view with the President Of the Centenni a Com
mission, and the answer again the same.
Tne President said he had power to give
tickets TO any one except persons belonging to
certain specified ostssorics. Mr.. Chiids grew
angry, and said In a tone of Indignation:
Are the tickets persoual2'
"The tickets bear no name" answered the
President, but the invitation Is personal, and
not transferable"
well, don't care about your invitation. The
eatekceper will only look ut the ticket and can
get as many tickets as want from my chamber
maid. She has whole pile Of them"
How far tho anecdote Is true am unable to
tell, but the fact OF It's making the round OF the
city shows plainly enough what the public at
large think Of the preponderance which the Cen
tennial women's Association has 80 unjustina-
bly, obtained.
by a strange coincidence, women and flowers,
the two great ornamental elements Of human
life. make the poorest show In Philadelphia.
To Horticultural Hall has boon allotted one of
tho handsomest sites ON the grounds, and the
Moorish building, erected for the exhibition Of
flowers, Is quito handsome, espec ially when seen
from distance. The l,wns surrounding It are
very pretty, and promise to become the favorite
resort OF visitors when they are completed.
But here again, as In the case of the Women's
Pavilion, the most pleasing features OF the ex-
hibition arc outside, not inside the building.
The entire collection OF the Hall consists almo
exclusively OF palms OF various descriptions,
aud none Of them arc hands ome enough to at
There are sage palms, date aud cocoa palms,
aud banana palm with heavy bunch OF fruit
on It. But none OF them very largo or very rare
In one ofthe greenhouse extensions to the build
ing IL another collection of palms sent In by som o.
body from South Amboy, and estimated to be
worth $1,000, but In 1t there Is hardly anything
calculated to please the eye of the visitor or TO
Initiate hum In the secrets of horticulture.
sugar canes. orange, lemon, clmphor, india rub
Der trees, and acacas will probably prove Of
greater interest to the general public, and the
large collection Of tree ferns In a side conssrva.
tory Is decidedly intereetin But that Is about
all that Is to be seen In the large building II we
except an organ which il said to read music BY
machinery. and a couple of handsome foun-
tnns, one inside and the other outside, In front
OF the eastern entrance. The latter Is the prod
ton u the j. l. Mott Iron Works, and Is almost
an exact copy OF tho one which is to be seen ia
the centre of the main building, and waica, on
account OF its large Dimensions, IL shown to
greater advantage on the lawns OF Horticultural
Hall than amid tue axglomeration of bronzes,
silks, and jewery exhibited ia the Main Build
ing.
1t Ia by no means a pleasant task to commence
an account OF an undertaking like this grea'
Exhibition by critclsing IL; hut 1t Is not III
fault that the two branches mentioned here
fcahy deserve TO be criticised. They are
doubtedly the poorest and the most preteni ious
OF all. The women made much better show
at the European exhibitions by not attrm pting
To make a separate display Of tue productions of
their industry, while the horticultural exhibits
here do not come up to the standard Of the pr-
vAtc -reen aud hot houses Of any wealthy English
hohlenian, aud are beaten all t. pieces 10y the
horticultural exhibitions which are yearly held
In London, in Brighton, and at the CRYSTAL
Pal tee AZ Sydenham.
The annual election OF officers took place at
the meeting Of Centennial Commissioners to-
DAY. Grn. Hawley was reelected President;
The Executive Committee remains substantially
the same. For solicitor, Shoemaker WAS de-
feated and w. II. Bddle elected IN his place
Mr.. B.ddle is a partisan Of the Sunday opening
and Of liquor selling on the grounds, To both Of
which Shoemaker was strongly opposed. The
solicitor having all tho legal matters IN hand,
some persons consider tho vexed questions to
have n chance OF favorable settlement now, but
the President aud Executive Committee re-
manning the same, such supposition Is not
quite Unsuitable.