The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-05-10
THE OPENING-fHE GRAND En-
POSITION TO COMMENCE To-
DAY.

POSITION IO COAMENCE IO-
DAY.
To-day will witness the opening cere-
monies of the great Centennial ExhiDI-
ton at Philadelphia, which Is marked
event in our national history, There
will be the usual amount of noise, firing
of eannons, speech making, hymn sing
ing, ode recitations, display of bunting
the hum and buzz of the great throngs
pressing and surging, rendering every
body uncomfortable, and the day will
close with thousands of tired, hungry and
head achy people, seeking rest at their
q homes and boarding houses, to dream OF
the mastery Grafton of EvART's, which
nine-tenths of them were unable to hear;
or if WHlTnERs hymn or BAYABD
TAYLoRs ode; or of THEODORE THOMAS
and hls hundreds of musicians; or of a
LEE reading the Declaration of indie
pendence; or perchance as will be the
case with the majority to dream only OF
tramped corns and aching limbs.
But for the millions of Americans who
will not be there the day will awaken
emotions Of pride, tenderness. patriotism
and some modification Pride because
the anniversary Of tue one hug dredth year
of our nations birth has been sel cted by
this country for the Great 1nternatlonal
Exhibition, and vi all the towns and
cities of the continent, the one which
gave birth to our Independence has been
chosen. But mingled with this feeling Of
pride is one of modification that while
other nations have been prompt in their
preparations ours is not ready for the
grand opening, and is more behind hand
than all of them. Yet there is one cor E
ISOLATION, and that is that the Philadelphia
opening is about as near ready as the
Paris and Vienna openings were.
The visitor to-day at Philadelphia
will sec displays from all parts of the
world. The first to be met with on en-
teripg the grounds is the department OF
Chill, with an assortment of leather and
minerals. Next is Peru, with a modest
and sprightly display, and adjoining are
the Orange Free Statas, in coy corner
url I.-r,.y emma - pretentious, con-
sisting of hronzeS, earthenwure, ingenious
temples and pagodas, giving the depart
ment rich oriental aspect, besides
number of other exquisite specimens of
the art of this strange people. Italy
gives a conspicuous display of the taste
and beauty of the workmanship of tho
native Italian in table of flashing pearl,
and Prize Diew in carved wood, with u
number OF other equally onticing speci
mems. The display OF ceramics and
filagree work IN silver of the Scandi-
navian nations, Sweden. Denmark and
Norway are grouped together, forming
most interesting part of the show.
The department Of Japan close to the
West Virginia headquarters is one of the
most notable but unfortunately IS lit
tie hehind hand. Egypt has building
with cherry portal over which is an
inscription in hierogiyphics, that His
IIighncss, the khedive hid built this
arch to commemorate his friendship for
the great Republic in this the one hun
drcd.h year Of its existence. Inside ofthis
building is an enormous crocodile brought
from the waters of the Nile.
Great Britain and her nest of colo
MES are grouped together making all to-
gether one of the finest displays on the
ground. In this group are Australia,
New Iceland, India and Canada. But
one Of the noblest displays is made by
Spain from which in its condition o.
anarehy we had m reason t. expect
so much. The portals of
her building are beautifully
decorated. and her paintings are said to
be beautiful beyond description. There
are portraits of COLUMBUS and IsA-
BELLA, the Catholic, aud lha, which will
most surely arrest the attention of the
visitor is legend, beautifully painted, OF
Spain, represented as a maiden drawing
back curtain and revealing TO the world
the land of the setting sun Austria,
Germany, France, Belgium, Switzerland,
Brazil and Mexico are all appropriately
The Netherlands, with its
decorations of purple and gold which
surround its portals, is among the gems
Of the display, and is in striking con-
trast with its neighbor, Brazil, all blazing
with light and color and fantastic decor.
ations.
Russia and Turkey are the only nations
whose spaces are vacant, but the former
will be represented by the first Of June,
while the latter perhaps is too sick to
lake part. Fairmont Park as it 10 day |
exhibits the combined product and work.
OF the world will present scene
we'll calculated TO inspire the thousands
md tens of thousands who visit its en-
closures. And when we see our own ex
,ibits brought in as foremost of all the
,atlons there is an Involuntary feeling
4 pride yelling up in every American
'esrt that a nation so young as ours
an be so great. Under the supreme
aspiration OF the hour we for
ct that We are Northern
5 and Southerners, that We come
ON, the East ar from the West hut all