Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-05-17

| !: J: ! ! !. n ~
/ THE CENTENNIAL
! The Opening To-day.
Addresses by Gov. Hawley ani
/ the President.
i An Immense Number of PeO'
pie in Attendance.
! A Glorious Day.
PHrLApELritIA, May 10. - Tn,
morning opened rainy. The city il
crowded with visitors who cam,
during Yesterday, last night and thi
Imorning. Buildings are ablnze wifi
| bunting. The exposition opening il
the only topic of conversation, and
since early this morning throngs Of
people on foot, in street cars, car.
| riagcs, wagons and steam cars have
been pouring toward the Centennial
grounds in anticipation of the open
ing of the gates. This morning ear.
ly, military parade, comprising
portions of the first division tool
place. passing through the principal
streets of the city. The display was
fine, though not nearly so large as
would have been had the weather
been favorable. If the weather be-
comes clear the opening of the expo
sition will be great success.
At 10 :l5 the sky has cleared and
the weather is beautiful and sunny,
but not too warm. The grounds are
| in very good condition in spite Of the
hard and long continued rains, though
there is much mud. The gates were
opened at little alters O'Clock and
crowds have been pouring in ever
since. It is roughly estimated that
$4,000 people are now on the grounds,
and still there is constant rush of
people through the gates. The fa-
vorable change in the weather will
permit the original programme to be
carried out, though arrangements
had been partly made to conduct the
inauguration ceremonies in the main
building i'm case of continued rain
A spacious platform has been erect
ed at the side of Memorial Hall.
North of the center of the Main
building seats are arranged on
platform for officials and other invit-
ed guests. Ea rF
At the right of the center are seats
for the President ofthe United States
and members of the Cabinet and fur
ther to the right the seats of United
States Senators, members of the House
Of Representatives, the Governors of
various States, with their staffs, the
Governor, State officers, Supreme
Court and Legislature of Pennsylva-
MIA. representative of the Army and
NAVY, Smithsonian Institute. United
States Judges, officers of executive
bureaus members ofthe Woman's
Centennial Commission. On the left
center are the seats of the United
States Supreme Court and further to
matte Corps, members of the Centen-
nial Commission, board of Finance.
Women's Executive Committee, For
eign Commissions, Mayor. Council
men and other officials of Philadel-
phia, Mayors of other cities. State
Centennial Board of Award, Judges,
Yacht and Rifle clubs and along the
descent OF the platform are seats for
members of the press.
An orchestra of one hundred and
fifty pieces, and chorus of 1000 yoic-
es, under the direction of Theodore
Thomas and Dudley Buckare station
ed directly in front of the platform,
at the side of the main building
The space in front of the platform,
except that needed for passage ways,
is open to the public until after the
Inauguration.
The main building, machinery hall
and memorial hall are reserved for
invited guests and closed to the pub
| lie.
The space about the platform in
the main building is SO crowded that
it is impossible to see and hear on
the outside of the crowd. AT III
o'clock the Presidents party, accom-
panied by officials previously desig-
mated, proceeded to the platform, the
President having been escorted TO
the grounds by Gov. Hartranft, with
division of military.
The platform was at once crowded
| and all available points of elevation
in the neighborhood were already
occupied by crowds of visitors. The
orchestra, while seats were being se-
cured, played national airs and after
the party on the platform had ar
ranged themselves, played Wagner's
centennial March, which WIS re-
ceivcd with applause.
When all was in readiness Bishop
Simpson offered the following prayer
! ALMIGHTY AND EVERLASTING Gop
our Heavenly Father, Heaven is thy
throne and earth is thy footstool be.
fore thy majesty and holiness tho
angels veil their faces and the spirits
of the just made perfect bow in hum.
BILE alteration. Thou art the Creator
of all things the observer of all thai
exists; whether they be thrones oI
Edominions, or principalities or pow.
crs: the minute and the vast atom.
4 and worlds alike attest the ubiquity
of thy presence and the omnipotenct
of thy sway; thou alone are the soy.
ereign ruler of nations; thou raisetl
up one and castcth down another, ,ani
thou givest the Kingdoms of tn,
world to whomsoever thou wilt. Tit
tpast with all its records is theunfold
ing of thy counsels and the realization
OF thy grand designs; we hail thee a
our rightful ruler, the king eternal
immortal and invisible, the only
true God blessed forevermore. w,
come on this grand day thou God o
our fathers, into thy courts will
thanksgiving and unto these gate
with praise; we bless thee for TIL!
wonderful goodness in the past, TO
the land which thou gavest our faith
ers, land yelled for ages from th,
ancient world, but revealed i'm tn
fullness oftime to thy chosen people
whom thou didst lead by thine own
right hand through the billows o
the deep;a land Of vast extent, o
towering nountails and broad plains
OF unnumbereu products and of un
told treasures. =
i We thank thee for..the fathers of on
country, men of mind and of might
who endured priyation and sacrifice,
who bravcd multiplied dangers rath
er than detile their consciences or b
, untrue TO their God; men who lai'
on the broad foundation eff truth an,
Justice. the grand structure of civi
freedom. We praise thee for the clo
sing century for the founders of tn
Republic !, for the immortal Wash
ington and his grand associates; to
the wisdom with which they planne,
and the tirmness aud heroism whic
under thy blessing led them to tri
nmphant success. Thou vast thei
! shield in hours Of danger; their pill
lar Of cloud BY day aud their pilla
fire by night. May we, their sonl
walk in their footsteps and immitat
their virtues. sasr =.
, Wethank thee for social aud nation
! al prosperity and progress for laud
J able discoveries and multiplied in
Z vcntions and labor-saying machiner,
I. l. epliavi.tu thp fniIinU maScaS, rn