The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1876-05-25
CENTENNIAL LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent


PHILADELPHIA, May, %, 1876.
IF the success of the Centennial Show
could be fairly measured by the attend
ance during the first week after the open
ing it would be good time now to take
back some of the glowing and extrava-
giant things that have been said. 1t has
really been an exceedingly dull week,
with considerably less than 90, 900 aver
age daily attendance. But this state Of
facts is simply in the natural order OF
things and not in the least discouraging.
The cold, wet and disagreeable weather
has of itself been enough to keep every
body at home and then the impression
has got abroad-and it is correct too
that the Exhibition lacks a good deal of
being ready. The unfinished condition
of the walks and numerous buildings,
together with the mud and rubbish and
the work of unpacking one has still to
encounter about the grounds, are no
features calculated to attract. When 1t
is known that tons of exhibits are ar
irving daily, people naturally enough
feel that there is no hurry. But this is
no indication that they wont come by
and by. The success of the exhibition
is assured both by its immensely and the
interest and enthusiasm manifested every
where, especially on the opening day.
1t is stated that considerable disap-
pointment is felt by the Centennial di-
rection and in business circles generally
at the limited number, and what they are
pleased to term severe economy of visi-
tors. So far as the exhibition is con-
cerned there is no occasion for misgiv-
ing. When the pressure of spring bust
ness shall be over, and the Exhibition
complete for inspection, the people will
come from every section, not to parade
the streets and gaze in the shop windows
but to cluster about the great fairy-land
in the Park and study its beauties day
after day, until they are content, and
then most of them will go away to return
for farewell visit in the autumn to this
generation can never see again. 1t may
be that the estimates early made of the
millions of visitors will prove little
Jules Verney, but the people are GER
tainly coming.
But for the thousands of speculative
schemes organized solely to pluck the
unsuspecting people who are to come
here nobody will have sympathy. They
went upon the theory that a fool and
his money are soon parted, and that the
city would be overrun with people anx-
ious to spend their accumulated wealth ;
or that they would be naked and hungry
and they Will take them in !; that there
was to be famine of provision and a
harvest of greenbacks. But they count
ed their chickens before the eggs were
laid, and with no rooster in sight. The
cafes and refreshment places inside the
grounds, which charge treble or guard
ripple prices for ordinary meals and
drinks, will fail disastrously, as they
most Justly deserve to fail. have seen
bills rendered for ordinary dinners am
ounting to four dollars, which at any of
the best restaurants in Philadelphia
would not have cost more than dollar,
and if any one is so stone-blind as not to
see by this time that fifteen cents for O
glass of soda-water and fifty cents for a
sandwich will make visitors absolutely
withhold their patronage, they will learn
it finally to their sorrow. The board
lighthouses and extemporized hotels
promise to be not in the least Of these
sufferers, and I am glad of it. There
are many hundreds of them all demand
ing 50 to So per day for the most Or
binary accommodations, such as can be
obtained in any other city, Chicago,
New York or even Washington, for from
81 to SO per week, and they insist al
ways upon putting two in a room at that.
L saw statement in one correspondents
letter that good board could be had here
for SIS per week, and know several per-
sons who have been industriously hunt
ing the author of that fiction for the
past week. But these things will all be
forgotten one hundred years hence.
To me the United States building is
one of the most interesting within the
inclosure. The war and navy depart
ment display, with all the munitions
and engines o: war arrayed in view, is
10 IoH1 p,,E4 A.,
most perfect and curious of all is the
little engine and envelope machine turn
ing out Centennial Envelope" all
complete and stamped at each evolution
The agricultural display is made mainly
in large glass show cases, and comprises
in all five divisions, namely, chemical,
chronological, botanical, microscopical
and the general museum. Hanging on
the wall near which the Showcase stand
are four large maps of the United States,
all being divided into spaces of different
sizes and colors, upon which are num-
bers corresponding with reference
schedule IN one corner. These maps
show respectively the comparative value
of farm land in this country, the res
pective rates of wages paid for farm la
Dor, the proportion of woodland to farm
area, and the distribution of the produc-
ton of textile fibres. By means of charts
the average production per acre of the
country's staples is shown for each State.
Specimens of soils are arranged in the
order of their geological formation, com
prising marls, calcareous earths, green
sand and phosphate marls. Then come
phosphate rocks, animal and vegetable
fertilizers and combination of the three
III a manufactured state. The next fea-
ture, the utilization of vegetable pro-
ducts is illustrated hu r,oeanS Of r,,oa;