The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-10-13
Centennial Notes by a Perry County
Visitor.

After four days examination of the
Centennial Exposition, / came to the
that it is somewhat of a show
of the works of man, from the most re-
mote period of his existence up to the
present time for here are thousands of
stone implement. of the prehistoric pc
riod, of the most curious form, such as
stone axes, hatchets, adzes, shovels, hoes,
chisels, hammers, knives, and arrow
heads, with many other implements of
stone, and curious shaped earthen YES
sells; and copper knives, axes, chisels,
&C., of this remote and unknown period |
And then come the relics of the earliest
historic period, o: three or four thous-
and years ago, scattered along the way,
up to the present time-showing the
slow advance of the useful works of
man.
Right here, on this Centennial Expo.
sition ground, are concentrated the most
skillful and ingeniously wrought arti-
cles Of nearly every nation on the globe,
representing the best and most important
manufactures of over hundred millions
of people.
There is shown everything for the use
of the human race, from their cradle to
their grave. / know of no place where
a person can gain so much knowledge as
cheaply as they can by spending week
or two at this interesting and Instructive
Exhibition, at cost of thirty or forty
dollars from Central Ohio.
In iron and steel, there are all kinds
of implements, from cambric needle
up to an eighty -four ton cannon.
In machinery there is range from a
complete and accurate watch, the diam
eter of dime, up to that enormous
Corliss steam engine of four thousand
and one hundred horsepower. The Main
Building is filled with the most costly
and beautiful works of America, and
the different Nations of the Old World,
and part of the show cases in this build
ing fairly blaze with with finely wrought
articles of silver, gold, diamonds, and
precious stones, together with the rich
silks of China and other countries.
The Chinese cabinet work is the mos
richly ornamented, and of the mos
beautiful design, of any on the grounds
They have have a bedstead that is orna
mented with carvings of vines, leaves
flowers, birds, men and animals that i
valued at several thousand dollars
They have also very fine and we'll carv
ed ivory work-boxes, and ivory models
of pagodas, junks, cups, &C., that ar
valued at from fifty dollars up to six o
seven hundred dollars They have YER
fine bronze figures of birds, animal,
turtles and men.
The japanese are about match fo
the Chinese in ornamental and fine worl
:, The Japs are rather small, but appea
:, very intelligent and good natured fe
!, lows.
- Among the big things is the gres
, Prussian breech-loader steel gun {
Krupp, twenty six feet and three inch,
long, and about four and half feet
diameter at the breech, with bore
fourteen inches, conical ball weighrr
1160 pounds, having range of fiftee
!, miles, with charge of 2S0 lbs. of po,
- der, and will penetrate twenty-fol
inch iron plate at distance of 1904 fee
=. But it takes "Old Uncle Sam"
knock the socks of the rest of the wor
~ in firearms, for near the Governme
!; building is monster breech- loader ca
ron that takes ball twenty inches
diameter that would crash right throul
- the strongest iron, clad that floats.
= Inside this building are an immen
number of small arms, showing the d
ferent patterns, from the venerable Q
flint-lock up to the most improv
breech loading rife of to day. Here
the fearful Calling gun, of eight or t
W barrels, mounted on wheels, that shoe
al about 300 bullets minute, and ha
hs range of about two miles.
There are also many cannon, some
Co them very old pieces and of much b
oe toric interest. Among them are t
Il! small brass pieces, part of the twel
n' that were cast in Spain about the "
'n' 1870, and named after the twelve Ap
40 ties. These two pieces were used
.u Cortez in his conquest of Mexico. n,
-" these stand the six long brass six-poul
ne der cannon presented to the Americ'
iio by Lafayette during the Revolution;
al War, and very fine guns they are, too
vi The camp outfit of Washington is
hu be seen here. There stands his tai
'eu with the dingy pewter plates on it, 8
rh' near by are his buff-colored pants g
zen long vest, his heavy and rather pl
VI fint-lock holster pistols, cane, CO
MS sword, and old rusty iron treasure b
We Over in the carriage building may
eh' seen Washington's family carriage.
ing is heavy and very srtong, and four 6
'se artificial horses, with gold plate harr
'us- on, as large and gay as life, are hitc
GUS to the carriage.
10 What American citizen, standing
VIA and viewing these old and venerable
ices ' les of our first great Chief, but will
SILK strange and undefnable emotionl !
he will voluntarily say to himself: l
ie' Heaven guide and direct Washingt
ave successors in all time to come.
ioie MILTON DILT
'er- NEAR THoRNvILLE, o., Oct. 6, 1876,
The eyes of many animals-thost
into cats for instance exhibit a pecr