Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-09-15
OUR CENTENNIAL LETTER.

So far very little attention has been paid
in this correspondence to the female branch
OF Uncle Sans show. 1t is, perhaps, just
as well to reserve some of the best things
for the closing letters. The Womens Pa
wilton is large structure erected at a cost
of over $4,000 subscribed by the ladies
of the United States and their friends, for
the purpose of making special exhibit Of
the advancement of the women of the
world in Che industrial and fine arts. The
idea wasa an original one, and the plan was
one of great difficulty. The scte- 9 would
probably have failed but for the fact that
the cause was espoused by Ms. F. D. Gil
lespie, lady who claims to be descend
ant of Benjamin Franklin, of an2le means
in her own right, and possessing the entree
to the highest social circles in this country
and Europe. Besides these advantages, she
is woman with powerful, almost mascu-
line will, and withal sort of philosophical
philanthropist. Austere in carriage and de-
meanor, critical and severe in judgment,
she is not at all lovable or amiable, and her
triumphs are those Of force rather than
of people, mostly females, crowd about
these machines all day long, and endeavor
to understand their wonderful mechanism.
which almost automatically does that per-
fectly and swiftly which human hands fail
ed to do in all the past centuries. Many
are the articles purchased then and thers.
and if there were ten times as many of the
looms running their product would not snp-
ply the demand. Turning about we NAV
witness all sorts of sewing machines; with
these, Of course, the spectators are most IA
miliar, but the deepest interest is evinced
by all. Then we view the girls making up
the confections, while others are making
the boxes, and yet others filling them and
disposing of them all at an advance of 20
per cent. on the ruling rates; but this is
voted pardonable, because you are helping
the women along. The ladies' in charge
are full Of that cunning which makes them
the helpmates of man par excellence, and
they have not failed to see the advantage
of using the clever that moves the world.
Here we see a dozen girls standing up to
the printers rack, picking the types froU
the boxes just as me1 do, and clicb inc
them in the composing-sticks with a nroud
superiority over the other white 1asb who
have to sew for living, Thet- pes are all
set, galleys proved and read, corrected and
made up into the forms Of the Nep centu-
49, all by feminine hands. and then the pa
per is printed on cylinder press, tended
and fed by girls. TIE articles for this pa-.
per are all written by women, and some of
them evlnce literary talent of the highest
persuasion. Just such woman was need
ed to make the Women's Pavilion credita-
Ole TO Women, and her work is really won
DER Upon entering the building we see
notniIg but the work of women and women
at work. There seems to be but one man
employed, and he runs the stationary en-
CINE that moves the entire machinery of the
structure. Within all is hustle and activi-
ty, and every nook and corner is occupied
by some article Of interest-the work of
dainty hands, from the Empress or Queen,
In her voluntary embroidery room to the
poor seamstress who stitches her life away
In the garret or cellar. The first objects that
attracts attention are the beautiful Jae-
guard looms, operated by ladies in making
carpets, cloths dress goods, ribbons, cor
sets, flags, book-marks, velvets sad other
useful and ornamental goods. Hundreds
order Altogethes this newspaper is a
credit to the women who get it up. Hum
dreds Of copies are sold every day right
from the press where it is printed, and the
income from this source alone must be con-
siderable.
In art, the specimens are few, cut very
fine, embracing some oil and water color
paintings, drawings, photographs, sculp-
ture and casts in plaster and clay. Some
Of the latter are very fine, and show that
our American female artists take the lead
even in Italy, the home of art. Next in
Importance is the special display of the
royal school of art needlework, the fruit of
the toll Of Queen Victoria, the royal prin-
cess and the higher nobility of England.
This splendid collection was forwarded by
the Queen expressly for the Women's Pa
wilton, and merits the closest scrutiny
Here we find many la dies lingering, some |
doubling their own eyes until they see the
indisputable evidences written by the royal !
laules themselves. Then pour forth the |
expressions of admiration for the magma
ninity OF the regal needlewomen who could !
'nus stoop to help their poorer sisters along
with this display of their handiwork. If ;s
needless to say that all of the articles are
Of the finest fabric and made with the prea,
est carc-many Of them being beautiful :, =
yond description, while others are DC
plain enough to be useful. There iii''ue
articles sent on by thu .,e sumo
If Brazil, but she did not hear press
lies special scheme in tin o u
nch collection as she wor ~ " iOl m"tu
She purchased a great - 't;s,1Dp., $500
'aid for them in adw .aa ioa,,; :. .,oiO. st anu
iere until the close tho avb;biti,n 80 90