Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-02-12
MACHINERY AT THE CENTENNIAL
ITS EQUIPMENT AND APPEARANCE.
THE FINE DISPLAY WHICH HOME INyEy-
TORS WILL MAKE
Especial Cbrrespoadence " Y TTmesl

lniertOt correspondence ". \. IIlReS.1
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 5, IS16.-When art is
mentioned in q mixed company of Ameri-
cans, IL will be received by some with a sigh,
by others with shrug; by this one with in
difference, and by that with contempt ac-
cording as the Individual natures are aesthe-
tic or Philistine. But let some one drop the
magic word machinery, and in a trice there
is neither impatience nor listlessness bat
every one, no matter what his 9ccupat ion
may be, is interested, and can follow inteili-
gently the exposition of the narrator. The
mysteries OF cOgs and cams. piston rods, dri
wing wheels. shafts, and pulleys, are TO them
the plainest English, and those who would
fall asleep over the contemplation OF an
"lmmaculate Conception by Spagnoletto
are nlled with strong enthusiasm over the
wild legend that a man out west has invent
ed mOrfising machine, or that the folks in
Wilmington. Del, have a new kind of il g
saw that works wonders. There Is no affec-
tation about Ii, there is no pretence of inter
est when none exists, but, just as the bride of
the Tyroler is truly interested in her Hans
rifle, so the young American matrOn knows
whereof she speaks when she discusses the
unfathomable secrets of the machine shop.
And IL is natural that this should be SO. for
America, surrounded by the mute opposition
OF the material forces OF a vast continent, has
bent all its energies to their subjugation.
And In machinery are embodied ali that man
Knows OF natures pOweys and qualities, and
all the victories he has won over her dumb
resistance.
Therefore is it that this young nation. In
celebrating the Centennial anniversary Of its
birth, is able TO present such machinery
hall as now stands In Fairmount Park. The
civilized nations of The world were informed
that this nall had in round numbers 10000
square feet, and they were requested to say
what space they would require for the dis
play OF their machines. and of the machinery
processes used in any of their industries.
Great Britain demanded 1925 feet; Ger
many, 1854 feet; France, 10, 1879 feet; Bel
GUM, 9,3t5 feet; Canada, 4, 800 feet; Brazil,
1900 feet; Sweden, 3,1G8 feet; Spain, 2iiS feet;
Austria, $50 feet; Russia, 800 feet; Den
f.nt A "a ft,n
remainder of 81, 265 feet is occupied by the
youngest of them all, a mute, unconscious
TRIBUTE TO the nations superiority, which,
indeed, Is not at ali manifested in the other
departments. But The fact is incontestable
that IN machinery the nephews of Uncle Sam
are ahead OF the whole world. And from
what / have learned from Col. John s.
Albert Chief OF the Bureau of Machinery,
the Americans will be as much amazed at
tie comprehensive character of their superb
GRITTY, when they come tn see all the points
OF competition and contest collected under
one roof as even the strangers from the other
side OF the broad Allan ic. The extenuating
circumstances, as the French would call
them, OF the difficulty OF moving heavy
objects from great distances, and of the
great facilities which the Americans have,
as The Exhibition is on their own ground,
really exert but little influence, for the state
of Nevada, which is putting up an enormous
quartz crushing mill, has somewhat more OF
difficulty in this regard than France, or Eng
land, or Germany. And, therefore, without
that the poor show made by foreigners is due
10 the fact that they could not enter into
competition ia this department with the
youDg giant of the Western Star, and they
knew they could not.
The head of the department, Col. Albert
has displayed very marked talents OF admin
lstration in his method OF dealing will the
applicants for space. The blanks for permits
contained on the first page a small diagram
of the hall, divided into sections, numbered
alpha betically, each section being su bdi viieJ
by the supporting columns. The applicant
receiving the permit was numbered, not
named, and described as No. sos, section A
1, column No. 5, class $40, and received the
further information that the diameter OF the
line shaft ito which he had to fit a pulley
was by p that the number of revolutions
per minute was $40, and that the distance of
floor TO center of shaft was II feet 10 inches.
Underneath this information diagram OF
his section was drawn, with the line shaft Ia
position, and his place in the diagram OF the
entire building was indicated by penciling
And, moreover, he was, when he received
the permit, respectfully but earnestly en-
treated TO read the rules and regulations Oh
eae sn6 pages s1y,e ns i n-
explanation and letters of inquiry wero alb
solUtely chOked off: Accordingly, at the
of the foreigners, have received their allotted
spaces, have visited the building, and are
now actively engaged in preparing for their
dred and fifty and three hundred belated APP
plicants are on the stool of anxiety, waiting
for the chance OF some of the lucky ones
dropping out, through bankruptcy or pecu-
mary ftghtness. Up to the present hour
there have been about thirteen victims of
commercial misfortune, and the prObabili-
ties are that this number Will not be greatly
increased.
The foreign exhibitors have been given the
position OF honor at the eastern end, where
the grand entrance is. England that fur
nishes from one-third to one half of the
whole foreign display, occupies very natu-
rally the most important places in the CEN
ter, and on the north avenue is opposed to
Belgium, Brazil, and Russia.