The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-11-18

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GENEROUS, EARNEST WORKERS.
The following States and Territories
made the appropriations named toward the
representation of their natural and pro-
ductive interests
Massachusetts, ..... S50OOOl Michigan...... 1900
New iork...u.... 250O0l Arizona. .....r...... 5000
Nevada. 1900 Indiana ,... 5000
West virginia.. 1000 Kansas .......... 5000
Connecticut '..'" i50OOl Montana ......... 1900
Ohio. 13OOOl Wisconsin ..... 5000
New Jersey.;.:.... 1O000l Oregon. 1000
New Hampshire. 10000 Minnesota ,....... 500
Delaware.....~ '..... 1900 Total. s2al 900
The women's Centennial executive COM
mittee, under the presidency of Mrs. E.
ID. Gillespie, rendered valuable service as
an auxiliary of the Commission and Board
of Finance. 1t became organized through
twenty-seven States, collected subscriptions
to the stock of the Board of Finance, and
provided $4,000 for the erection of a
special building to contain an International
exhibition Of women's work.
Two hundred and fifty judges, one half
foreigners and the other half citizens Of
the United States, were appointed to in
spect all exhibits and report upon those
meriting an award. The judges were di-
vided into twenty-eight groups, each as
signed to a particular class Of exhibits
1t was resolved that the reports and awards
should be based upon inherent and COM
parative merit, the elements of which were
to include considerations relative to orig
inality, invention, discovery, utility, quail
ity, skill, workmanship, fitness for the pur-
pose intended, adoption to public wants,
economy and cost, The American judges
were appointed by the United States Com
mission and the foreign judges by the
Foreign Commissions.
THE YEAR BEFORE OPENING.
Among other principal labors of the
Commission during the year just preced-
ing the opening of the Exhibition, were
the awarding Of space to exhibitors; the
erection Of special buildings and annexes;
regulating the methods and price of ad-
mission and manner of exhibiting; proyid-
ing for Centennial meetings of associations
and the accommodation Of the press; grant
ing concessions of privileges on the grounds
"a source of 1852 2,551.50 revenue up to
April l, 1860 arranging for memorial
ceremonies; approving plans Of State build
ings, customs regulations and terminal ia
cilities; preparing the opening programme;
appointing the heads Of police and other
departments, and special committee of ar
lists and experts, and organizing the Bu-
reau Of Awards. The admission fee was
fixed at the uniform rate of fifty cents for
each person, the rule being subject to
change by the concurrent action of the
Commission and Board of Finance. Du.
ring adjournments Of the Commission its
duties were performed by an executive
committee. The Hon. George H. Corliss,
of Rhode Island, upon special request,
agreed to furnish motive power for Ma
chinery Hall, and the gigantic, graceful
engine erected by him therein has been
striking illustration Of the economy and
power Of steam. 1t is of 1900 horse pow
er, and has been the sole motor of nearly
all the machinery on these fourteen acres
of flooring. On the 10th of last April the
Hon. Joseph r. Hawley, president of the
Commission, submitted to the President
Of the United States schedule of the
ceremonies to be observed at the opening
of the Exhibition on the 10th of May fol.
lowing, and inviting him to attend the
same. In that communication President
Hawley expressed his happiness in being
able to report that the buildings and
grounds, SO far as the Commission and
Board of Finance were directly response
Bile, would be quite completely ready on
the opening day, and that the exhibits
from foreign countries were extensive and
brilliant beyond the expectations of the
Commission. i
THE FOUR GREAT DAYS.
The labors of the Commission, its COM
mittees and its invaluable auxiliary, the
Board of Finance, reached their culmina-
tion in the opening of the Exhibition on
the appointed day and at the appointed
hour by the President of the United
States, in the presence of distinguished Off
cials of foreign countries, of the represen-
tatives Of the United States, State and
municipal governments, the public press
aud concOurse of probably two hundred
thousand people, and with fitting addresses,
inspiring music and the invocation Of Divine
blessing 1t was one of the four most
prominent days of the Exhibition, the
other three being the Fourth of July,
Pennsylvania day, September 2S, and the
closing day, to-day. The number of pay
ing admissions on May 10 was 76,i72,
but it is impossible to give the precise
number of free, owing to the imperfect
working of the turnstiles. 1t has been
variously estimated at from 100000 to
100000. The latter figure is probably |
the safer to adopt. The Fourth of July |
was attended by no special demonstration |
on the grounds, except a parade of nine |
thousand men of the Catholic Total Alb
stinence Societies at the unwilling of the |
marble statue of Commodore Barry, which |
occupies one Of the FIVE pedestals of the
G. I. A. Fountain. The ceremonies of |
the day were held in Independence Square,
their principle features being the reading
of the Declaration of Independence BY |
Richard Henry Lee, of Virginia, the
reading of the Centennial Ode by Bayard |
Taylor, and the delivery of the Centennial |
Grafton by William NJ. Evarts. Among |
the distinguished persons on the grand |
stand were the Emperor of Brazil, the |
Governors of the States, the home and |
foreign Centennial managers and nearly |
all the higher national and State officials. |
President Grant was absent, his place being |
occupied by Hon. Thomas w. Ferry, |
President Of the Senate. The number Of |
visitors to the Exhibition on that day was |
56,494, of which $500, paid. Penusyl. |
vania Day drew 274 ,919 visitors, of which |
257 ,169 paid, that being the largest by
about 100000 that the great show has
had in single day. Governor Hartranft
received thousands of guests in the Penn
sylvania building; the Hon. Benjamin
Harris Brewster delivered the Centennial
oration on the Keystone State, and the
celebration ended with grand pyrotech
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