The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-05-10
Photographed to the Rock Island Argus.l
THE CENTENNIAL. |.
GRAND OPBNIuG CBRB-
MONTHS!
I'M TENSE CROWD
FINE DAY
Military Parade F!
BISHOP SIMPSONS PRAYER F.!
Gov. HawIey's Opening Speech
President Grants Reply !
w hittier's Hymn!
EVERYTHING LOVELY

PHILADELPHIA, May l0.-1he morning
opened rainy.
The city was crowded with visitors who
came curing the day. Yesterday, last
night and this morning, and the buildings
are ablase with bunting.
The fine exposition opening Is the only
topic of conversation; and since early in
the morning throDgs of people, on foot,
in street cars, carriages, wagons and steam
cars, have been pouring toward the cen
| tennial grounds in anticipation of the open
| ing of the gates.
This morning early the military parade,
comprising portions of the first division,
took place, passing through the principal
streets Of the city. The display was fine,
though not nearly so large as would have
been had the weather been favorable. If
the weather becomes clear, the opening Of
the exposition will be great success.
At a quarter past ten the sky has cleared
and the weather is beautiful and sunny,
but not too warm.
The grounds are in very good condition,
in spite of hard and long continued rains,
though there is much mud.
The gates were opened at little after s
clock, and crowds have been pouring in
ever since. 1t is roughly estimated that
$4,000 people are now on the grounds, and
still there is a constant rush Of people
through the gates.
The favorable change in the weather
will permit the original programme to be
carried out, though arrangements had
been partly made to conduct the inaugura-
ton ceremonies in the main building, in
; case OF continued rain.
A spacious platform has been erected at
81 o;l.a ~ Nonnr,oI oil of ho
Main Building Seats are arranged on the
platform for the official and other invited
guests.
! At the right Of the centre are seats for
: the president of the United States and
I members OF his cabinef; and further to
the right seats of United States senators,
e members of the house of representatives,
= = governors of the various states with their
r staffs, governor, state officers, supreme
court and legislature of Pennsylvania. and
- representatives of the army and navy, til
# SchmithsOnlan Institutes, United States
g Judges, officers OF executive bureaus, and
: mem bers OF the Woman Centennial Com
II mittee.
:, On the left centre are seats of the
a United States supreme court, aud further
d to the left seats for members of the diplo
" matte corps and members OF the cen
tennal commission, board of finance,
ROmans executive committee, foreign
commissioners, mayer, councils, and othel
officials Of Philadelphia, mayors of Other
I cities, state centennial boards, board o
a award, judges, yacht and rife clubs, anC
's along in front of the platform are seats fo
: members OF the press.
: An ochestra of SO pieces and chorus o
1000 voices, under the direction of Theo
dore Thomas and Dudley Buck are sta
toned directly IN front of the platform a
the side of Main Building. The space i
front OF the platform, except that neede
for the passage ways, is open to the pub
lic
Until after the inauguration the Mai
Building, Machinery Hall, and Memoirs
- Hall are reserved for invited guests an
closed to the public.
The space about the platform in III
Main Building was so crowded that it wa
impossible to see and hear, on the outsid
of the crowd.
At II O'Clock the Presidents party, az
companied by the officials previously de.
l ignated, proceeded to the platform, tn
President having been escorted to tn
grounds by Gov. Hartranft, with divisio
of militia.
NJ The platform at once was crowded, an
all surrounding space and all availab
or points of elevation IL the neighborhoo
were already occupied by crowds of Wis
tors.
The orchestra, while seats were beiu
secured, played national airs, and aftt
the party on the platform had arrange
themselves, played Wagner's Centenni
, March, which was received with applaus
y. Bishop Simpson then offered the follow
IT ing
nd PRAYER.
m Almighty and everlasting God. o,
heavenly Father, heaven is Thy throne ar
Dr. the earth is Thy footstcol; before TT
nse majesty and holiness the angels veil the
an faces and the spirits of the just mat
'ppc a'p perfect bCw in humble alteration. Tho
ore art the creator of all things, the possess
err ers of all that exists, whether they be throne
eps or dominions, or principalities, or power
di the minute and the vast, atoms AT
shxx worlds, alike attest the ubiquity of III
ION presence, and the omuipotence of Tt
H. sway Thou alone art the Sovereign rul
ich of nations, Thou raiseth up one aud caste
down another and Thou givest the kin
rye doms of the world to whom soever Thou wi
"a. The past, with all of its records is the u
3, folding of Thy counsels and the realizatl,
z. of Thy grand designs. We hail Thee
our rightful Ruler. the King Eternal, IL
,at- mortal and Invisible the only true Go
axe blessed forevermore We come, on ii
,ro- glad day. o, thou God of our fathers. in
these courts with thanksgiving and in
a1a and these gates with praise. We bless Tn
for Thy wonderful goodness in the past.i
the land which Thou gayest to our father
land veiled. from the ages, from t
ancient world, but revealed in the fulne
of time to Thy chosen people, whom Th
didst lead by thine own right hand throu
e. the pillows of the deep, a land of vast c
tent, of towering mountains and bro
plains, of unnumbere products and of U
ore told treasures.
q. We thank Thee for the fathers Of o