Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-05-13
CENTENNIAL NOTES.
Editorial Correspondence of The 8ar.I

that came from all quarters to the opening
of the International Exhibition has gone,
the attendance is coming down 20 something
like what its average will probably be during
the season. Scattered through the miles of
buildins and over the immense area of
grounds uclosed, this daily attendance of
visitors l. Ikes rather thin show, but when
they are So newhat concentrated, as to-day
by suddel shower, and by the attraction
OF Gilmore band In the middle OF the main
building, 1t Is seen that there are enough to
make good sized mass meeting. Still the
impression is given that the large daily at
tendance through the six months of the
exhibition necessary to make the affair 9
financial success will not be forthcoming.
Ii is evident that people feel pretty poor
this year, and that they will not come TO
Philadelphia unless railroad fares are re-
duced to their means, and that their stay
here will be of the shortest If the SIS per day
board and numerous extras is to be main
tained. i hear
NO END OF COMPLAINTS
OF exorbitant charges, by visitors. One has
TO pay big prices for his meals, and then pay
the walters to get HIM something to eat. At
tendance of any sort involves heavy fees.
Hackmen and all the rest seem to have com
bined to fleece the visitors. A victim who
rode from the Trans Continental Hotel (op-
posite the exposition) to st. Georges Hail,
corner 18th street and Arch, was bied to the
extent Of IS, and the lnsatiate hickman
grumbled at that, and at first demanded s.
Tne complaint Is made, too, that it costs
almost gold weight to get anything to eat al
the restaurants within the grounds, with the
exception, perhaps, of Laubers, which is of
the German persuasion, and where the az.
tendance is good and the rates by no means
unreasonable. OF course much OF this plr,-
dering business is incidental to the crowded
state OF the city at the opening of the exposi
ton, and will have no chance of being main
tanned any length of time, but for all that
pad impression has been made that m ay de
ter good many from visiting Philadei phia
A MONTH HENCE.
The visitors mouth hence will in many
ways see the exposition under pleasauter
aspects than now. Though in an exceptional
state OF forwardness at its opening, there are
very many defects and raw features that
will be remedied in that time. The mud o.
the walks, which row reaches the exhibition
6alIs on the shoes of the visitors, and there
is converted into clouds OF dust to the irrits-
ton OF the lungs, and the despair of exhibit
ors, will be laid by asphalt and gravel; the
wide spaces of raw earth will be sodded; the
dozens of half finished edifices in the grounds
Will be finished and furnished; the numerous
tardy exhibitors will have their spaces flIe1;
the narrow guase railway taking the Wis
ltors the circuit of the grounds will be In %
GRAFTON, and the wretched abortion purport-
ing TO be the "Official Catalogue" of the ex-
Inhibition will be supplemented, il is to be
hoped, by something worthy of the name
Al the same time various needed conve-
nleaces about the main building will be sup
piled; the elevator enabling ladies' and in
nTm people TO ascend to the upper galleries
and roof and enjoy the superb general view
both outside and inside will be compIeted
and doubtless the leaky places In tbe roof
lnat betrayed themselves In the shower to.
day will be repaired. The green chaps who
@heeI visitors around in chairs, aud who
while gaping at the sights maze such havoc
In the way OF fracturing the shins of pedes-
trlahs they run against, will have learned
now 10 push their vehicles without mo wing
GOWN steady swathe OF curses
THE EXHIBIT A suCCess.
But with all drawbacks the exhibit is I'M
doubtedly wonderful success. Oae OF the
leading exhibitors from England, who has
been at all the great expositio1s OF the world,
tells me that as whole the exhibit here will
probably surpass any OF those of the Old
World, though not so rich in soms special
ties. He Is at the same time quite frank In
criticisiDg certain crudities aud specim ans
of cloud" taste in the more ambitious fea
lures of our display; "a for instance in the
show cases. which are so gaudy in color and
characterization as TO really obscure the arti
cles exhibited. The English exhibitors, and
the French as well, have as the result of ex.
perience in past expeditions, settled upon a
plain black color for the show cases as the
best setting for the display of the goods with
In. In England the matter was thought To
be OF importance enough to have the color
Of the standing OF lingo Jones. The effsc.
ttveness of the display of the English and
French wares is such as TO afford a profit
able hint to the American exhibitors. Some
visit to the foreign exhibitions, have aiopt-
ed the black bordered cases.
ENGLAND AT THE Centennial.
1t is worth while in this connection to noie
how efectually the idea has been disproved
that Great Britain would, from a feeling of
sensitiveness or jealousy, hesitate to come
forward to help us celebrate our centennial
ofindependence. As matter OF fact Great
Britain has been the very foremost of for
eign nations to aid in giving emphasis TO the
celebration, and in making the exhibition a
success. From Queen Victoria down there
has been the most cordial and thoughtful
effort in that direction. The Queen and
members OF her family send their own han.
diwork, and Invaluable works OF art in their
possession. Pains seem TO have been taken
To compliment US by selecting for the British
commission, men high in rank, ability and
attainments, headed by the universally re-
ton. The result Is that not only Is England
repres ented (aDd promptly at the opening,)
by full and rich display OF her best in art
and Industrial skill, but all her outlying ter
ritories, scattered over the globe, are here
filling their ample allotments OF space with
a representative exhibit of the most wonder
ful completeness and interest. The felicit
Gus remarks made by Sir Edward Thornton
at the grand banquet given by him at
st. Georges Hall in honor of the OPENING
expressed in happy terms the feeling OF pride
and interest with which the mother coun-
try sees her big son enter upon his centen-
NAL year.
WHAT is NEEDED.
Yes, the Exhibition is undoubtedly an
affair OF which Philadelphia and the nation
may well be proud. The thing now to be
done is 10 enable the people OF the country to
see 1T, and study it. This cannot be done by a
single visit, or half dozen; and therefore 1t
is the more requisite that the cost of trans
portation TO Philadelphia and Of living In
Philadelphia should be reduced at once 70 a
figure that will enable mechanics and all
Others who can gain real information from
examining the products and producing
agencies OF the rest OF the world, TO reap the
full ben ent Of this exceptional opportunity.
The butter dy visitors who gather about the
day, but practical men can employ q month
TO advantage In the examination. G. 8. N.
MOULTON va. BkECRER.-The case OF
Francis ID. Moulton against Henry Ward
Btecher, on appeal from the decision OF
Judge Dykman sustaining the demurrer in
the suit of the former for malicious prosecu-