Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-06-22

IS arrayed the china-ware In vogue
during the Revolution, with its pecu-
liar-fgured plates and many-celored
cups and saucers. There is veritable
whistle made from a pigs tail, over
which is placardsd the following lines {:
There's a proverb as ancient as Scotland's
thistle
That out of pigs tail you can't make whistle;
We believe we've accomplished the wonderful
thing,
And all who may wish can make this tail sing ,
And these are not all the unique ex-
hibits in this Department, of which l
shall speak again hereafter for the ben
eft of your lady readers.
Yesterday | had look at the IA
nous Wisconsin War Eagle, "Old
Abe" now on exhibition in Agricul-
tural Hall. This old veteran of whom
nearly everybody has heard was cap
tured by Chippewa Indian in North
ern Wisconsin, in 1861, and was car
ried by the Sth Wisconsin regiment
three years, passing through 25 battles.
He afterwards became Estate Bird,
and has frequently been on exhibition
for charitable objects, earning over
$25 900. While in the building
learned that the jury on agricultural
machinery have decided to abandon
the old practice of field trials, believ-
ing that no fair estimate Of the value
of machines can be formed from such
trials. The quality OF durability, for
instance, which is one of the most i'm
portant in the competition of reapers,
plows, etc., cannot be ascertained at
all by single exhibition of their
working. The jury will, therefore,
merely examine the machines as they
stand in Agri cultural Hall, and will
recommend snch makes as seem to
to combine the most improvements
A conflict of authority has arisen
ssetween the Centennial Commissioners
and the Centennial Board of Finance,
the latter contending that as they are
entrusted with the money and their
officers are under heavy bonds for the
proper expenditure of it, they should
have absolute control of the funds.
They therefore decline to pay some
useless salaries and other extravagances
The preponderance of legal opinion
and public sympathy appears to be
with the Board of Finance, who have
so judiciously guarded the purse-strings
against the moonshine of pompous
figure heads. Arrangements for the
4th of July demonstrations are in
progress, though there are indications
that the parade won't be so large an
affair as was contemplated. A dispo-
sition was manifested on the part of
the commission to have the ceremonies
take place within the Centennial
Grounds, but good sense has prevailed
to make it free show on that day,
and Independence Square has been Sc
lected as the spot. Governor Hart
ranft will also appear at the head of
the New York column. New York
could turn out splendid display but
no appropriation was made by the leg
islature for expenses of regiments and
only some of the wealthier ones will
be able to come without that aid.
The new bell for Independence Hall
arrived from Troy day or two ago.
1t is delicate little thing, weighing
only 1900 pounds and measuring
seven feet in height and % IL in
circumference Some Of the material
of which it is cast was melted from
old cannons captured from the British
at Saratoga in the revolutionary war.
The bell bears the modest inscription !:
presented to the city of Philadelphia,
July 4, 1875, for the belfry of Inde-
dendence Hall, by a citizen. Around
the lip is the motto, "Proclaim liberty
throughout all the land unto all the
inhabitants thereof" and at the top,
"Glory to God in the highest, and on
earth peace, good will toward men,"
1t will be hung in the belfry at once
but will not be rung until noon on
July 4th, when it will peal forth thir-
teen strokes. one for each of the orig
inal states.
Thousands of people have engaged
quarters here for periods ranging from
the 25th inst to the 10th of July, and
on the Fourth the crowd will be i'm
mense