Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1876-09-23
Correspondence Of Wing and Tribune-.-
The Centennial.
PH.LApr1pn1A. Sept 3. 1875

.
PHILADELPHIA, Sept ,, 1876.
judging by the display Of national
celors, this city is intensely patriotic.
Flags suspended in the middle Of the
streets, hanging from the windows of
the houses, decorating the dihing rooms
Of the hotels, and around the walls Of
the stairs, aud even the barber shops. In
fact the stars and stripes are everywhere.
Verify this city can afford to find vent
for its patriotism by liberal investment
in ilags, for has il not the hOaOr Of hav-
ing the biggest show on record, now 60
ing OF in its limits mot to mention the
thousands Of dollars it is taking in daily.
The chief thing, by the way, the hotel
keepers are making a good thing out of
the centennial, and the managers Of the
Market and Chestnut street ear lines are
happy. What did you see at the centen-
NAL and how many days, think you. will
it lake to DO il up, and about how much
Will it cost? These are questions of most
interest to your readers who have not
beed andsthink of coming on, and they
are by T means easy to answer. 1t
woss,aeass less time % enamerate VIII
is 20 = = = siTed than what is. As TO the
time necessary, one can p4se hurriedly
through the buildings in about week,
but to see it well will require 4 month.
As to The cost-bOart, can be had here at
from one to five dollars per Gay. At the
boarding houses they charge from one TO
three dollars per day, according to locali-
y and accommodation. The hotels
charge from three to five dollars. There
are many hotels near the centennial
grounds, but we think it preferable 10
stop down in the city, as the evenings at
ter the exhibition has closed, can be
passed much more pleasantly. We would
like to write something of the display,
but have seen so much that we are be-
wilIered and know not where to COM
mence, in fact our mind is In such n
whirl, we fear this let er will be rather
disjointed, yet: "ThO' It's faults were
thick as dust, IN vacant chambers 1 could
trust" your kindness.
The exhibition is grand object library
where the materislized thought of the
world is presented for our instruction,
and through their exhibits we are
brought into contact with peoples from
every land and cline. 1t is said that if
we stopped but five minutes to examine
each object, it would lake us more than
sixty-five years to get through the coll
lection. The centennial grounds are q
portion of Paramount Park, on the banks
Of Schuykill river. The scenery is love
ly, Laurel Hill Cemetery is the northern
boundary of the park. The centennial
buildings are located on Landsdown ter
race, at an elevation OF about one hun
dred feet above the Schuylkill. There
are two hundred and thirty-six acres en-
closed with about four miles of fencing
and thirteen gates. Each of these gates
has self-registering turnstile, which re-
cords every one who passes through.
There are other gates for the employees
who pass free. These EMPLOYEES are said
to number ten thousand. The main build
ing covers twenty-five acres, and is l $50
feet long by l ,465 feet wide, and is filled
with articles of use and ornament from
every country. Here the cunning han
diwork OF those singular people, the
Japanese Is displayed. Their cabinet
work is truly wonderful. We we.e much
taken with a magnificent bedstead and
told that the price was $500. Machinery
hall is l ,402 feet long and 800 feet wide,
with an annex POS by 2l0 feet. Here is
displayed every kind of a machine in
use. In The center is the great COriiss
engine of 400 horse power. Krupp &
Co., Germany have full display of their
celebrated guns, one of these is mon
ster-requiring a charge of $50 pounds
of powder, and carrying ball Weighing
400 pounds fifteen miles. Agricultural
hall covers parallelogram of $40 by $50
feet. Here is displayed all the products
of the soil and the machinery used in
their production. Horticultural has a
length of 1888 feet with width of 1913
feet and height of 90 feet. Here are
collected all the rare flowers and plants.
Memorial hall cart building) has length
of 365 feet and width of 20 feet, and
is filed with rare works of art. We
were much struck with picture in the
Austrian collection ] 4 by 20 feet, repre-
senting Venice doing homage TO Catha-
rine COrnaris, Queen of the Isle of Cy-
press, who after the death of her hus-
band gave her kingdom TO the republic
of Venice. This painting is valued at
S45, 600. Another fine painting repre-
sents Rizpah defending her six sons from
the birds of prey. Here are collected
many wonderful pieces of sculpture.
These constitute the five main buildings,
there are many others, however, the prfn-
cipai of which is the government build
ing and the building erected by the la
dies of America at cost of $50, 900. This
is called the wOman's depa tment, and
across its Threshold we did not venture.
A double track narrow gauge railroad
runs around the grounds, and is great
convenience in going from one building
to another. Take it all in all, the CEN
tennlal is = success, and the biggest show
for the money ever gotten up.