Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-07-11
NUMBER 26.

foliage wiki fountains and statuary dried
, flowers and grasses, straw ornaments,
and natural lipwcrs preserved without the
+. aid oil wax, sent by California. There
were lovely wrealhs, holding their natural
colors, and looking as fresh as ii Just
made. Outside of this building. under u
} huge tent cover, were beautiful Rhode
denGrOns OF every variety of color making
amagnticent display. Other flowers and
plants were growing outside in large
gardens laid ont with great taste and
beauty.
agricultural HuH wiki its green root
next attracted on, attention. Here were
spices, fruits, couleciions and seeds Of all
kinds arranged IA paSi.ioEs. arches, con.
ical pyrami :, gut o,her carl aus structures
"A palace 81 vooi. "a cr.c,er eltice,
immense SODA iouLtuils wIth beautiful
statuary. OHG coin starch manufacturer
had his boxes arranged very artis,icaly.
In front oi his pavilion was huge
pedestal surmounted by a marble group
of statues as large as life, revolving in
one direction, while in an oqter circle,
flower pots aud cans of starch reyoived
in the opposite direction.
New Jersey exhibited huge straw
berries, any one OF which would make
two bites. The large glass jars Of pickles,
fruit, oysters, &c. were enough 10 make
/ bouSekeepers open their eyes with won
der and delight When we passed tho
spice exhibit. the air seemed filled with
"odors from ArabY the bes;."
All along one end OF this building
were great numbers OF aquaria filled with
all kinds of sma, fish, ee!s. kiug-crabs.
sea turtles. &c. There was an immense
tank OF water filled with full rugged sail
ng vessels and boats, representing the
Gloucester fisheries, with a wharf in one
corner such as was constructed 100 years
ago, and in another corner one ol the
present day. On shelves near by were
arranged different models OF articles
used from the year 1900 to this tlme-also
trophies taken BY the fishermen, among
which were cOras and rocks that came up
on their lines from 900 f.. below the sur
face of the water, curious shells, sea
weed and spongeS. In this hall we saw
the veritable eagle "Od Abe" who went
through the late war with distinguished
honors.
The Glass building we did not enter;
but it presents very attractive outside,
with its numerous bright glass balls, OF
every color, all around the edge OF the
large roof.
The Government Building engrossed
one day OF our time, and we lett it then
reluctantly. As YOU enter the building
you come upon the Navy department, in
which are portraits of distinguished men
and lie size wax figures dressed in the
costume OF hundred years ago minute
men in white pants, and green Goals with
brass buttons, warriors in blue and gilt,
seamen in their loose uniforms with their
cutIasses in hand, models OF vessels lul!-
rugged, miniature three deckers, and
boats OF every description, all kinds OF
ammunition. bomb shells some OF which
are opened to expose the inside, cannon
balls, OF which some were cracked open
and broken from having been fired at
iron targets, huge monitors, and all kinds
OF curiosities collected by the navy-slso
models OF dry docks, representations OF
the nuts in which Greenlanders live in
winter, Esquimaux figures, boats, &c.
In the Post Office department there
were models OF fast mai. cars, running on
rails and showing how they take the L.
s. mail from the various stations, without
stopping or slackening their speed. We
saw three machines in operation for max
ing envelopes, another for stamping,
folding and putting on the mucilage, all
of which was done as fast as one could
take them up in little bundles and put the
bands upon them.
We saw the original ledger OF Benz.
Franklin, the first Postmaster General OF
the United States. for the year ending
Oct. 9th. l775, models OF wheels and
presses, and books OF raised letters for
the blind.
In the L. 5. department OF Agriculture
were all kinds OF wood. pressed lowers
and leaves. immense pine cones. wax
models OF fruit. and all the insects iniuri-
Gus or beneficial to agriculture.
We were made acquainted with numer-
Gus barometers, thermometers, hygronl-
eters and all the other 'ometers. and were
told how "0ld Probabilities" prognosti-
Gated the weather.
10 the Smithsonian department oil this
building we saw native copper and iron
ores from Michigan, gold and silver ores
from Colorado, silver ores from Utah.
immense cubes OF Vermont marbles, pol
ished and unpublished, Indian manufac'
lures in pottery, beads, furs and feathers;
objects of clay in terra Gotta, from Mexico,
wooden images, curiously carved, im-
mense idols, one CT which reached to the
top of the building and was composed OF
numerous headed monsters, and other
curiosities both modern and antique. We
saw copper ore crystalized in the shape
OF fern leaves, brilliant specimens OF