Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-07-20
pccisi To the JtsJgsAL.
lshiB0AeDpnsla Letter.

.a8 l,hiIoAeIplslsA Letter.
4EorE-JThe following letter was delayed on
the way. and arrived just 10 late 20 appear fast
week Ii has fot spoiled bowever.l
PHILADELPHIA june 30.
Leaving Knoxville, Thursday af-
ternoon, stopping In Chicago one
day, In Cleveland two days, In New
York one day. ! arrived hero last
Tuesday and have spent two days In
seeing "I'he Centennial" as every
body calls It.
My notes must be few, for the
things is too big 70 cmbrace much OF
IL In less than three months.
My first remark Is thatit Ii U,esi0M
Of a lifetime. Deci dedly, my advice
n for those who ran, without injus-
tice 10 their creditors, to make brief
visit to Philadelphia during the
time Of this exhibition. II IL the
largest and most complete Worlds
Fair ever held, and IL ~ scarcely
probably that our generation will
ever ace its equal In this country.
I / had often seen stated the size Of
the main building, but havo hardly
thought 1t so large. However "See-
ing Is believing" The truth IL that
this building, standing In the SOUTH
east corner Of the "Centenniai
Grounds, of 25G acres, covers the
space Of over eighty Knoxville city
lots, or say covers the ground Of ~
acre field. 1t Is over third Of a mile
long. From the Square down Main
St., In Knoxville, how far would
that be? width 46i feet; tower 10 feet
at each corner: and 184 feet square
In the center, vanes above. with a
tower I20 feet high ut each corner.
Snperstructure, G72 wrought iron
columns, Weighing over 2,00O,OO0
pounds, besides 10000 pounds Of
wrought iron In roof, and sides OF the
building; seven feet OF brick work
at tho bottom, then sash. 1t IL a
handsome building, as inded, are all
the structures on the ground, cost a.
bout ~ 100000.
Some OF the other buildings are
Machinery Hall, 1902 feet long by
$40 wide, covering II acres. Agri-
cultural HALL missed tho figures,
but IL covers several acres. Horti-
cultural Hall permanent structure)
$50 by 100 feet. Art Gallery, beau
tiful stone building tpermanent) $50
feet by 30. u. s.. Government
Building, 800 feet long. Then,
among other large structures, Pomol-
ogy Hall, Brewers Hall, Shoe and
Leather Hall, Photographic Hall,
and many others and tho Main
building has an "annex" flor carri-
ages, etc, and the Art Gallery has
an "annex" larger than itself. The
buildings cover sixty acres In total.
And now consider that the build
ings arc filed with every kind OF
Manufactured article, every product
Of the earth tho finest specimens,
the most beautiful, perfect, curious,
extraordlnary--all that can he i'm
agined, and more. And then ono
must zee, to appreciate.
All of North America Is on exhi.
bition here including Greenland and
excepting Guatemala and most of
the Southern States. OF "The
South" ] notice only the names OF
Maryland, Tennessee, Mississippi
Delaware, Arkansas, and West Vir-
ginia. And ii Tennessee and Miss
issippi have anything to show OK
cept "Headquarters" l failed to dis
cover 10.
Foreign nations represented are
to numerous To mention. But the
exhibition from Great Britain and
Colonies, France and Germany Is
very large, Brazil very fine, Japan
large and curious,
find have used too much space
and said but little, yet must add:
tho completeness and order about
the Centennial Grounds may be ac-
counted wonderful. Civilty In To be
metin every quarter; and Of Sex
tortion" / have seen no glimmer
since i came 10 the city, unless the
prices asked by tho Japanese ut their
bazaar for their curious wares, may
be so called. They arc sharp mt u
bargain, but no one Ii compelled to
buy.
] might say n word as to cost, but
have used too much space already;
will give you that when ! get home.
But say to you sec "rhc Centen-
NAL" tho cost IL but little.