The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-05-25

States. mayors of the cities. and thousands Of
guests of distinction in ever rank and pro
fession 1t was an august assemblage. Null
altudes 0fsthe people attended. 1t is esti-
mated that 200 600 at least were there. Such
a mass Of humanity was never before seen IN
any similar gathering in the worlds history.
The opening has been truly suspicious, and
marks gu event altogether unique and won
defful in our cOuntry's annals.
READY FOR THE OPENING.
Several points which have been matters OF
an xious question, have been practically set
tiled bv the happy inauguration Of the Exhibi-
ton. twas deemed by many impossible TO
have the buildings in readiness At tae ap-
pointed time. The strange apathy, not TO
saw ansipathy, of great nun bers OF the Amer
lean people towards the undertaking; the
long indifference, not to say opposition, OF
a large portion of the influential press of the
country; the honest doubts Of Iuany as to
the expediency Of centralizing the ceehrA-
ton in the way proposed; the tardy support
Of the National and State Legislatures; and
above all and largely arising from these, the
lack Of funds to carry out the project on the
worthy scale on which 1t had been conceived,
combined with the distressing depression in
the general businese of the country, all lead
ing TO disappoiltmentS AID delays, very nat
uraIly compelled to the doubt whether, after
all, he Exhibition could possibly be ready
TOR the world on the day. or the month. or
even in the year appointed and announced
AMERICAN PLUCK ILLUSTRATED.
Thanks to a golden number of resoIute
public-spiited citizens, the men upon whom
the government. laid the responsibility and
to whom ii intrustad the honor and the privi-
lege of the undertaking., all the doubts nave
now been resolved IN a glorious realization
of American patriotic pluck and persever-
isnin dan Ia
exhibition should open on the 10th OF May,
1876. On the 10th of May, 1876, 1T was
opened. The transformations effected on the
grounds and in the whole locality of the Ey
hibl ion in the short space Of year nave
been simply marvellous. TO many Fnila-
dephians, even, who have not had the OPP
portunity for months of visiting the scene OF
busy preparation, the sight has been utterly
as Oundng A strange looking city OF mag
nifcent buildings, wide avenues and drives,
hae grown up as If by magic under their very
feet. Richly freIghted carg0es OF exhibits
have come from all parts OF the world. and
been arranged in their places. 100 buildings
In all, many of them large and handsome, al
Of them UNIQUE and ornamental, have been
erected within the Exhibition grounds, and
hundreds Of bu.ldings outside for the uses and
pur pOses OF the occasion. Whilst the finish
ing touches are still TO be put on here nd
there, and some of the sections and spaces of
Exhibitors are Lot quite filed. yet the whole
is in such state OF completeness as not to i'm
pair or abridge in the least degree the general
effect or rob the Inauguration % its simple
and grand i'm pressiveness. In fact, the Ex-
hibition is in q greater state of forwardness
than were any OF the great Worlds Fairs that
have yet been held
PHTLlDELPHIA's LODGING CAPACITY,
On another question good deal Of anxious
speculation has been spent. It had been
asserted that the Centennial City had not,
and could not provide, accommodation for
the foods Cf visitors that would surely pour
in upon her during the year. This question
is now set at rest beyond reasonable doubt.
When Philadelphia was chosen as the site of
the proposed celebration her hotel capacity
did not, it is true, exceed 10000 guests But
public sentiment was aroused on the question
aud capitalist saw their opportunity and en-
gagged in projects that to-day stand out in
their complete proportions for the admira-
tion of ell who applaud well-directed busi-
ness energy and enterprise.
FIGURES SPEAKING FOR THEMSELVES.
The Board of Finance have estimated,upon
the basis Of the attendance at theVienna and
Paris Exrositi0ns, that there will be at least
| 10 600 600 admissions to the grounds during
the ExhibitiOn-an average of 65 900 per day
This average attendance can now be provided
for in the hotels alone! By extending old
ones. and the erection of monster new ones,
some of them accommodating their lOJO,
1000, and 1000 each, and with the innumer-
able smaller houses opened in the vicinity of
the grounds capable OF entertaining their lO0
TO 400 guests each, the number OF 81, OOO is
reached. In 1t are included the hostelries
erected on the dwelling house plan,-that is,
rows of houses so constructed as to be readily
transformed into dwelling houses after the
Exhibition is over.
"a CITY OF HoMEs.n
It must be remembered, too, that Philadelphia
is emphatically "a city of homes having her
IA 900 yelling houses within her city limits.
Among these are a great number OF quiet, re.
spectacle boarding houses. we'll organized to en-
terrain visitors, and give them Accommodations
of room and table superior to many good hotel,
and at rates ranging from 81 to 50 per day Many
private families, too, have for the nonce arranged
to keep house fOE Centennial visitors at very
moderate rates OF charges. The Centennial Board
ing House Agency, having the special sanction
of the Board of Finance, has already engaged &C.
commodations for 10000 visitors on very reason,
able terms, and there other responsible and
reliable agencies in the same work. The aggre-
gate capacity of these accommodations is esti-
mated at 10000 guests daily; and when we add the
number of private houses whose latch-strings
will hang out for relatives and friends to whom
the rare, old-fashioned Philadelphia hos
Ditalfty will be heartily dispensed, we may safely
put the figures of possible accommodation at
100 600 daily with still further capacity of ex-
pansion upon such emergency days as the Fourth
Of July and other special great days of the Ex-
hibition. &
TRANSPORTATION OF PASSENGERS.
In close connection with the lodging question.
IL that of the transportion facilities to and from
the grounds from the surrounding towns and
cities and from the central and remoter parts of
the city ITSELF The means of rapid transit for
enormous numbers are believed to be thoroughly |
ample and adequate. Opening Day was severe |
test OF these facilities, but they proved equal to
the strain. It must be borne in mind. that Phil
adelphia streets are complete network of horse
car railroads. At Vienna the access was placti- |
was but one horse railway available and no steam 1
passenger railway leading near the grounds. /
philadelphia has Eve main lines which pass di- /
rectly to and into the grounds, and by the system
of exchanges. these connect with almost every |
other line in the city, thus bringing car within |
a stones throw Of almost every dwelling, -aud at
grounds. One ofthese lines carried between TO- |