The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-06-14
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION.
The Wonders of Machinery Hall-.The Great
Variety OF It's Attractions.

The Wonders of Machinery Hall--The Grea
Variety OF It's Attractions.
Machinery hall is 1850 feet long and
800 feet wide; it covers about fourteen
acres, and cost $542, 800.
On entering the ediice at the western
end the sight is picturesque and impres
sive. Almost every sort of machine IL
existence, from locomotive to paper
folder, is in active operation. The per
sons employed to work them are now
fairly started in their tasks, and the
prospect of six months in the building
seems to make them feel at home. Ihe
central object of interest is the magnlh.
cent engine, which furnishes the motive
power for all the machinery that is mol
self propelling. It consists OF an I'M
mense f1y-wheel, thirty feet In diam,
eter, two feet in thickness, and fifty tons
in weight, caused to revolve at the rate
of thirty-six revolutions minute by the
piston rods of two cylinders; and so 81
lently does it perform its work thateven
when close beside it you can hear the
lowest tones of your companion's g voice.
Below it is the main shaft, which by
gear wheels six feet in diameter con
meets with eight lines of shafting, each
635 feet long, running lengthwise under
the roof, and communicating their mo-
ton by leather belts to the various ma
chinery on the floor. -r-..s.'.
This machinery is of the most inge-
NOUS and various description, and con-
sists of apparatus used in mining; In
working metal, wood and stone; In spin
ming, weaving, felting and paper max.
ing; in sewing and the manufacture OF
clothing and ornamental objects; in type
setting, printing, stamping, embossing,
book making and paper working; IN
producing and transmitting power; in
pumping, hoisting and lifting by hy-
draulo and pneumatic force; in manu-
featuring locomotives and railway roll.
ing stock; in preparing agricultural I'M
plements; and in aerial, pneumatic and
water transportation. While sauntering
along the aisles one can witness the pro-
cess Of rock drilling, of well and shaft
boring, of coal cutting, of electroplat-
ing, of planning, saving, veneering,
growing, mortising, tonguing, cutting,
moIding, stamping and carving; OF
drilling, slotting, turning, punching and
coming; of dressing, shaping and pol
ishing; of rolling iron, grading glass,
casting metals, and riveting, mailing,
boiling and tacking them by stea'u; OF
manufacturing silk, cotton, woolen and
linen goods, rope and twine, paper and
felting, india rubber goods, mixed fab:
RIGS and wire cloth; of preparing and
working leather, making clocks, watches,
and pipes for smoking; of printing, en-
bossing and lithographing, type casting
and stereotyping, bookbinding and pa
per folding; of generating power by
boilers, water wheels, hydraulic rams,
steam, air. gas and electro magnetic en-
gines, and Of transmitting it by shaft
ing, betting, cables, gearing and screw
propelers; OF lifting and moving liquids
and solids, and moving and compress
ing air or gas; OF extinguishing fire and
escaping from it; of manufacturing soda
water, bottling it, and corking the bot
ties; of diving for the recovery OF sunken
treasures; Of manufacturing locomo-
tives, carriages, brakes, buffers, coup
lings and snow plows, wheels, tires,
axles, and springs, switches, turn
tables and water cranes, street railways
and horse cars; of grinding grist, refin-
ing sugar, making candy, preparing to-
bacco, oil, spices and fancy goods, and
brewing beer and distilling liquors; OF
building suspension bridges, transport.
ing cables, sending balloon boats and
sailing vessels, and finally Of transport
ing telegraph cables and railway, trains,
and of steering and propelling ships and
steamboats,. Indeed, it is not too much
to say that an extraordinary lifetime
might be spent in examining the appar-
atus, the processes and the results pre-
sented in Machinery hall. The vast
structure, with the exception, perhaps,
of some of the persons who are visiting
it, does not contain single object not
interesting or instructive. ..