Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-06-01

branches of the Government. The
Patent Offce-about one-sixth of the
present building-was selected as a
safe place. This was about 1910, and
. now the Bureau and Department are
rewarded by the proud opportunity to
display what they have so long and so
carefully kept and SO jealousy guarded.
Next comes the Treasury Depart
ment with a profuse display of money
not gold and silver altogether, but
printed money. The array of speci-
mems of Treasury notes of every des-
cription and denomination ever issued,
is a study for the admirer of beauty
and fine art In no land under the
sun is SO much skill shown in the
manufacture of paper money. The
The paper for the continental money
was made only few miles hence, at
the Ivy Mills" and the mill is run
ming yet and in the hands of descend
ant of its old proprietor, but when the
writer visited it some time ago, it was
making a nasty kind Of thick wrap
ping paper Of straw and old ropes
Franklin used to get his paper there
To-, - ~. Ia I'LL 10, boo,, b,,-,o j
down once or twice, it is--more GER
tainly than the boys old jack knife
which had had five new blades and
four new handles-the same mill, and
it ought to drop the straw and junk
and make some more handmade, wa
ter-mark, linenstock paper with some
of old Benjamin's shrewd advice
prited on it in old fashioned type.
And here is the Navy Department
which shines-as it has right to do
in bunting. One reads the history
Of the American flag suspended from
the columns in various forms of the
colonial and convention periods; the
pine tree, the English "Union," with
a red and white city, white anchor
on blue field, and eventually the flag
of to-day, showing largest Of all, as if
had grown in size as we'll as developed
in design. The navy shows variety
Of guns for special services, such
boat howitzors and gun#ale guns; it
also has piles of navy stores, with
smelling ropes, and things to eat and
to wear; the privisions to go to the
great cooks galleys and the furnishing
of the mems kits the instruments of
the Transit Of Venus expedition, as
the War Department has those of the
Signal Service. This Department has
also some boats of the Polaris expedi-
ton, one scow made in an emergency
from an abandoned vessel. Around
lie many piles Of shot and shell and of
material suggestive Of long service,
when ''they tn at go down to the sea
in ships" have to depend upon the
forethought of the providers, who
must be ready to supply everything
from mainyard to a sewing needle at
a moments notice. We pass with
great interest the more scientific por-
ton Of the collection, the compasses,
barometers, sounding instruments,
ships logs, and yelocinleters, One
begins with the arts of peace, and
wanders through the building to the
southeast end He steps out at the
door with the big guns on each side,
which are pointed in mimic hostility at
the other buildings, and stands upon
the terrace tie listen to the music of
the band which plays in the pavilion
near by.
One letter covers so small a portion
of the whole exhibition that [ am
obliged to stop after having but just
begun. Probibly Machinery Hall and
the State buildings will be the next
most interesting feature to your read
ers, and following those we will jour
ney through the main building. This
last is the place to STUDY human ma
ture. I cannot think of any place
where one would find such a variety
Of specimens of the gems homo, in,
as the naturalists say, ''all stages of
preservation. Coming down from the
government building yesterday, [ pass
ed through the carriage manufacturers
structure, and have never so fully real
lied the force of that familiar smile
'pretty as red wagon, as [ do after
a glance at the fine display of vehicles.
1t was stated last week that showers of
''the queer were working off counterfeit
fifty cent pieces through the outside
spectators in change, but [ cannot
learn that much was done at it, and of
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