davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-05-31
The Agricultural Building

stands north of the Horticultural building,
being separated from it by romantic ra-
vine, and has commanding view OF the
Schuylkill river and the northwestern sub
urbs OF Philadelphia beyond. This build
ing illustrates novel combination OF mate
rials, mainly wood andS glass, and will consist
OF long nave crossed by three transepts,
each being composed Of truss-arches OF
gothic form. The nave is S2O feet long by
l25 feet in width, with height OF seventy
five feet from the floor to the point of the
arch. The central transept is 100 feet wide
and seventy-fve feet high, and the tw" end
transcpts eighty feet wide and seventy
feet high. Its interior appearance
resembles that of great cathedral and In
looking from transcpt TO transept, the vista
is extremely imposing. The building is
supplied with steam power for the use OF
agricultural machinery. The four courts
inclosed by the nave and transepts, and also
the four spaces at the corners OF the build
ing, having the nave and end transerts for
two of their sides, are roofed, and form val
liable spaces for exhibits. The ground plan
of the building is parallelogram $40 feet
by $40 feet covering about ten and one-fourth
acres. Sixteen foreign nations reserve space
in this building, aud in the 147,572 squarr,
feet which remain, more than one thousand
American exhibitors are accommodated.
This necessitates special buildings for the
collective exhibits of their natural resources
provided by the different States.
In addition to the grounds within the in
closure, an eligibly-located stockyardl,
twenty-five acres in extent, has been provid.
ed for the display of live stock, which will
be exhibited in q series of shows during the
months of September, October and Novem-
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-05-31
Economic Visiting.

A Boston woman writing to friend says,
"there is large class OF highly educated
persons in New England and New York
who would most thoroughly enjoy and ap-
preciatc the Centennial Exhibition if some
arrangement" like that which she suggests
could be made. The plan is, without
doubt, perfectly practicable, and light be
AIKEN up and crystalized by parties OF ladies
or gentlemen) in other sections of the coun-
try to their advantage. While the charges
for board and lodging in Philadelphia
and vicinity during the progress of the
Centennial Exhibition will not be so exor-
bitant as some papers insist, there is still an
opportunity for persons of moderate means
who may desire to visit the Centennial, see
everything worth the seeing and enjoy them
selves accordingly, and that without the
outlay of an extravagant amount of money.
Not only in New England and New York,
but throughout the entire country, there
are thousands of highly educated and in
telligent persons who will desire to give
themselves the pleasure Of visit to the Ex-
hibition. This pleasure they can give
themselves if they are inclined to bestow
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-05-31
was brought into general use and became
exceedingly popular. q =. . ]>. .. T.
A Hundred Years Ago.

A story is told of family living IN col
onial times, whose extravagant habits ex-
cited the alarm of the village. +" For the
eldest son got a pair OF boots, the second an
oyercoat, the third a watch, md the iourtn I,
a pair Of shoe bnckles; and the neighbors all
shook their heads, and whispered to eacn
other: That family is on the high road 70
legislation in New England tried to ne
strain extravaganza in dress, and laws were
nassed against wearing laces, embroidery,
needle-work caps and "immoderate great
sleeves" "A century later we find people
making much the same complaints, ana
quoting "good old colony times" L
The shoes were of the same material as
the dress, often skillfully embroidered.
Country girls sometimes carried the broad
cloth shoes with peak d toes in their hands
till thew cot to church; but the pink satin
and yellow broeade shoes of city lnaidens
were supported on clogs and pattens. Mrs.
John Adams asked her husband to send nef
from PhiladelpNa in ITO, two YARDS o.
black calamanco for shoes" saying she coulo
not wear leather if she went baretoos. =.
By way of silently reproving the VANITY
of their wives and daughters, the sterner
sex appeared in immense powdered wigs;
stifay starched rufaes, glittering knee ana
shoe buckles, embroidered silk vests, white
silk stockings and coats of every hue but
black. trimmed with great gilt or silver
buttons. With these elaborate wardrobes
of the men to keep in order, what wonder
the women had no time to cultivate their
asuuirrels' brainsw to quote one OF the
gallant croakers of the time.
After all, we fancy the most ardent lovers
of the past would hardly be in favor OF re-
viving the time honored customs OF the
early DAYS of the republic. With the ma
hogany sideboard rescued from oblivion,
the spinning wheel set up in the parlor,, and
the Quaint china tea set upon the closet
shelves. we can all cry: y"
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-05-31

little care and thought upon the proper ar
rangements for a visit. We subjoin ex-
tracts from private letter written by the
wife of one of the Harvard College profcs-
sors, in order that friends further away may
take from it such hints as will be of service
to them in arranging visit during the
summer.
The letter begins by speaking of the
"money outlay" contingent upon visit to
Philadelphia, and then goes on to say: " II
they could go somewhat in the way people
90 in summer to the seashore, on sort: of
camping-out principle, they could form
parties and share expenses, and 30 be able
to go, when regular boarding house or
lodgings would seem too expensive to be
thought of. The plan proposed was to take
a house in some town or country village on
some railroad, near enough for the fares to
be cheap. A small, plain house, say parlor,
dining-room, and Kitchen on the ground
floor, and perhaps one more room as bed
room-four bedrooms above. Furnished
very simply with tables, chairs, and cook
Ing stovs, and o few cooking untensilsi tea.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-05-31
- ,
The Newspaper Pavilion.

The building erected for the exhibition
of American newspapers stands midway
between the Government and Machinery
halls. 1t is built of wood and is sixty-seVen
feet long, forty-six feetwide, and has total
height Of thirty-three feet. The plan Of ex.
hibition is an alphabetical arrangement of
partial files of each newspaper or periodi-
cal in such manner as makes them in
stantly accessible: the space devoted to each
bearing label with the name of the publi-
cation printed thereon, and further desig-
mated by a number, by means Of which a
stranger upon reference to his catalogue is
able at once to approach the section sof the
building where theparticular journal which
he desires to examine or refer to may be
found. On. the second floor are rooms for
newspaper men, supplied with every con.
venience for correspondence. Files Of all
newspapers printed in the United States
will be found in the building.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-05-31
The Art Gallery.

The most imposing and ornate of all the
structures is Memorial Hall, built, at a cost
of 81 100000, by the State of Pennsylvania
and city of Philadelphia. The design is
modern Renaissance. 1t covers an acre and
a half, and is 365 long, 2l0 feet wide, and
ffty-nine feet high, over a spacious base
ment twelve feet high. A dome, rising $50
feet above the ground, surmounts the center,
CAPPED by colossal ball, from which rises
the figure of Columbia. The main front of
this building looks southwark, displaying a
main entrance in the center consisting OF
three enormous arched doorways, a pavilion
on each end, and two arcades connecting
the pavilions with the center. The entrance
is seventy feet wide, to which there is rise
of thirteen steps. Each of the huge door
ways is forty feet high and fifteen feet wide,
opening into hall. Between the arches of
the doorways are clusters of columns,
terminating in emblematic designs illus
trative of science and art.
This fine building gives 900 square feet
of wall space for paintings, and 10000
feet of floor space for statues, etc. The sky
lights throughout are double, the upper be-
ing of clear glass and the under of ground
glass.
Great as is the space afforded in the
Memorial Hall, the applications from
American and foreign artists have proved so
greatly in excess of its capacity as to re-
Guire the erection of much more spacious
building. This, though only Of brick, har-
monies architecturally with the Memorial
Hall, and is to be permanent. 1t stands
just in the rear of the original Art Gallery
and communicates with it. 1t affords co.
900 square feet of wall space available for
paintings, and contains twenty-four gal
ieries, each forty feet square, besides two
galleries, each 100 feet long by forty feet wide,
and two transverse central corridors, twenty
feet wide.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-05-31
Liberty Bell.

This famous old relic hangs suspended
from it's massive beams of wood: in the
vestibule of the cold State House." near
the entrance to Independence Hall.
The bell was originally cast in England,
in 1851, at cost of one hundred pounds
sterling; was ordered to be of two thousand
pounds weight, and to contain the following
inscription:
"By order of the Assembly Of the Prov
ince of Pennsylvania, for the State House
in the city Of Philadelphia, 1852" Also:
"Proclaim liberty throughout all the land,
and unto all the inhabitants thereof"
Before the bell was properly hung, 1t was
cracked by stroke of the clapper to try
the sound, and was recast in this country,
the workmen being compelled to remix the
metal, as the original mixture was found to
be too brittle. It was finished and hung in
June, 1883. In 1777, at the time the
American forces were compelled to evacu-
ate Philadelphia, this bell, together with
Christ church chimes, was removed to
Allentown, to prevent them being melted
into cannon by the English; at the close OF
the war it was returned 10 Philadelphia and
continued in constant use until 1873, when
it was replaced by the present bell.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-05-31
Closed on Sunday.

At meeting of the Centennial commits
sioners vote was taken on the question::
"Shall the Exhibition be open on Sunday?'
resulting as follows, the vote being taken
by States: Yeas-Alabama, Arkansas, Cali
fornia, Colorado, Idaho, Minnesota, Mon
tana, South Carolina and Washington Ter
ritory. Nays--Arizona, Connecticut, Da-
kota, District of Columbia, Florida, Geor-
gia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, MASSACHUSETTS,
Mississippi ii, Nebraska, Nevada, New York,
Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas,
Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia
and Wisconsin. A motion, then made by
Mr.. Latrobe Gnd.), 10 open the grounds
free to all on Sundays, but to close all the
buildings, including the restaurants, was
carried. So that while the buildings will
be closed on Sunday, the grounds will be
open to the public.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-05-31

The building consists of the main hall,
800 feet wide by 1,4O2 feet long, and an
annex on the south side Of 20S feet by 2l0
feet. The entire area covered by the main
hall and annex is 55S,440 square feet, or
1882 acres. Including the upper floors the
building provides fourteen acres OF floor
space. =.
The principal portion Of the structure is
one story in height, showing the main
cornice upon the outside at forty feet from
the ground, the interior height to the top OF
the ventilators in the avenues being seventy
feet, and in the aisles forty feet. To break
the long lines upon the exterior, projections
have been introduced upon the four sides,
and the main entrances finished with
facades, extending to seventy-eight feet i'll
height. The east entrance forms the prin.
cipal approach from the street cars, from
the Main Exhibition building, and from the
railroad depot Along the south side are
placed the boiler houses and such other
buildings for special kinds of machinery as
may be required. The west entrance
affords the most direct communication with
Georges hill, the point affording the best
view of the entire Exhibition grounds.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-05-31

west 1876 feet long, and north and south 464
feet wide. The larger portion is one story
high, the interior height being seventy
feet, and the cornice on the outside forty.
eight feet from the ground. At the center OF
the longer sides are projections 4l6 feet in
length, and on the ends of the building pro-
iections ZIG feet in length. In these, which
are in the center of the four sides, are To-
Gated the main entrances, which are pro-
vided with arcades upon the ground floor,
and central facades ninety feet high. The
east entrance forms the principal ap-
proach for carriages, visitors alighting at
the doors of the building under cover OF the
arcade. The south entrance is the
principal approach from railway. cars. The
west entrance opens upon the main passage
way to two principal buildings, the Ma
chinery and Agricultural halls, and the
north entrance to Memorial hall Cart gal
lery). Towers seventy-fve feet in height
rise at each corner of the building. In
order to obtain a central feature, the roof
for 1S4 feet square at the center has been
raised above the surrounding portion, and
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-05-31
Horticultural Hall.

The design is in the Moresque style of
architecture of the twelfth century, the
principal materials externally being iron
and glass. The length Of the building is
1888 feet; width, 1913 feet; and height to the
top of the lantern, seventy-two feet.
The main floor is occupied by the central
conservatory, 23O by eighty feet, and fifty
five feet high, surmountcd by lantern Ito
feet long, twenty feet wide, and fourteen
feet high. Running entirely around this
conservatory, at height Of twenty feet
from the floor, is gallery five feet wide.
On the north and south sides of this princi-
pal room are four forcing houses for the
propagation of young plants, each of them
loo by thirty feet, covered with curved roofs
of iron and glass. Dividing the two forcing
houses in each of these sides is vestibule
thirty feet square, At the center OF the
east and west ends are similar vestibules, on
either side of which are the restaurants, re-
ception rooms, offices, etc. From the vesti-
bules ornamental stairways lead to the in
ternal galleries of the conservatory, as we'll
as to the four external galleries, each one
hundred feet long and ten feet wide, which
surmount the roots OF the forcing houses.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-05-31
Celebration of the One Hundredth An
niversary of the Independence
of the United States.
Description Of the Centennial
Buildings, with Illustrations.
Arrangements for the Centennial

The act of Congress which provided for
celebrating the one hundredth anniversary
Of American independence, by holding an
International Exhibition Of arts, manufac-
tures, and products of the soil and mine" )"
authorized the creation Of the United States
Centennial Commission, and intrusted to IT
the management of the Exhibition. This
body is composed of two commissioners
from each State and Territory, nominated
by the respective governors, and commits.
stoned by the President of the United
States. The enterprise, therefore, is dis
tinctly national one, and not, as hassome-
times been stated, the work OF private cor
poration.
The Exhibition was opened on May 10th,
1876, and will remain open until Novem-
bcr 10th. There will be fixed price OF 50
cents for admission to all the buildings and
grounds.
The Centennial grounds are situated on
The western bank of the Schuylkill river,
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-05-31
SPANS BUILDING.

or valuables should be deposited in a safe
that is kept for that purpose in the hotel
office, and which can be used without
charge. If left in the looms, they are at the
risk of the owner. A printed tariff of
charges and hotel rules is posted on the door
of each room.
Physicians can be procured on applica-
ton to the hotel clerk. Telegraph offices,
book and newspaper stands lat which
tickets for places OF amusement can be pro-
cured), barber shops, wash rooms, reading
rooms, and coat rooms (where the visitor
can deposit hand baggage and receive
check thcrefor) are connected with tirst-class
hotels.
The hotels are conducted on one of two
plans:
The American plan charges the visitor a
fixed rate per day, which pays for meals,
lodging and attendance. Four meals are
served per day Il. e., breakfast, dinner, tea,
and supper, in dining-rooms that are used
in common by all guests. A head waiter
receives the guest and assigns him a seat at
table. The guest can select anything he
may desire from printed bill of fare. Sep
arate meal accommodations are provided
for nurses and children at reduced rates. If
occupying seats at the regular table, full
rates are charged.
The Eu.opean plan charges the visitor g
fixed rate per day, which pays for his room
and lodging only; meals are served in a
restaurant connected with the hotel. A
printed bill of fare is used, having prices
affixed to each item; the visitor orders
what he may require, and is charged for
what he orders.
The Centennial lodging house agency
(imited) of Philadelphia have their tickets
on sale, at moderate rates, at all leading
railway offices, securing the purchaser COM
Portable lodging accommodation, and will
have agents meet travellers approaching
Philadelphia, who will give all necessary
information as to the location of lodgings
and how to reach them, and will attend to
The delivery of baggage.
yrst- n I'LL. ,f ASxsa
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-05-31
Centennial Expenses.

A good many people are wondering
whether they can afford to visit Philadelphia
during the Centennial days; and there is a
general impression that charges, especially
boarding and lodging, will be exorbitant::
There are frequent allusions,to the game OF
grab which was played at Vienna, and
which was 80 lamentably lost by the trades-
men and publicans Of that city. We are
happy, therefore, to meet with certain
cheering assurances in the Philadelphia
Inquirer. We arc told that Philadelphia,
If it has no conscience and no hospitality,
has some business ideas," and will not drive
away strangers by extortion. .. The proprle,,
tors of the principal hotels have bound
themselves not to charge more than SIS a
day; and outside of these, good board is
promised for from So week upward.
Furnished rooms for dodgers only may be
had at 81 week and comfortable meals IN
restaurants at about fifty cents each.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-05-31
Pennsylvania State Building.

The Pennsylvania. State building is
located on Belmont avenue, near the United
States government building: The State
appropriated, altogether, s55,oOO for its
erection. 1t is the headquarters OF the
Pennsylvania State commission: 1t IS a
wooden Gothic building, 9Sx55 feet 1t is
surrounded by tasteful piazza, six feet
wide, and is ornamcnteI with central
tower. fanked on each side by two smaller
octagonal towers. The height to the caves
is twenty-five feet, to the peak Of the roof
thirty-nine feet, and to the top OF the cen
trail tower sixty-five feet. The main hall is
3Ox5O feet, on the right t which are two
rooms 2Ox2O feet each, intended for ladies'
and gentlemen's parlors, beautifully fitted
up, and having dressing-rooms and other
conveniences attached. On the left are the
committee-rooms, 2Ox27 feet. The governor
and State Legislature will have their head
quarters in this building.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-05-31

and within Fairmount Park, the largest
public park in proximity to great city in
the world, and one of the most beautiful in
the country. The park contains $3.50
acres, 45O Of which have been inclosed for
the Exhibition. Besides this tract, there
are large yards near by for the exhibition
of stock, and farm of forty-two acres is
already suitably planted for the tests Of
plows, mowers, reapers, and other agrlcul-
tural machinery.
The Exhibition buildings are approach
ell by eight lines of street cars, which con.
meet with all the other lines in the city, and
by the Pennsylvania and Reading rail
roads, over the tracks of which trains
also run from the North Pennsylvania and
Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore
railroads. Thus the Exhibition is in i'm.
mediate connection with the entire railroad
system of the country, and any one within
ninety miles of Philadelphia can visit it at
no greater cost than that of carriage hire at
the Paris or Vienna Exhibition.
An important special exhibition is
made by the United States government, and
is prepared under the supervision OF
board of officers representing the several
executive departments OF the government
A fine building of Al acres is provided for
the purpose, space in which is occupied by
the war, treasury, navy, interior, post-office,
and agricultural departments and the
Smithsonian Institution.
The Women's Centennial executive COM
mittee have raised $4,000 for the erection
OF a pavilion in which to exhibit every
kind of women's work. To this collection,
women of all nations have contributed9
Fhe list of special buildings is constantly
increasing, and present indications are
that their totainumber will be from 200 to
250.{ Most of the important foreign nations
England, Germany, Austria. France,
Sweden, Egypt, Japan, and others-are put
ting up one or more structures each, for ex-
hibiting purposes, or for the use of the COM
missioners, exhibitors and visitors. Offices
and headquarters Of this kind, usually of
considerable architectural beauty, are pro-
vided by the States OF Pennsylvania, Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey,
New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts,,
New Hampshire, Missouri, Kansas, Vir-
ginia, West Virginia, Nevada, Wisconsin,
Iowa, and Delaware; and it is likely that
Others will follow the example.
A number of trade and industrial asso-
Citations, which require large amounts OF
space, are provided for in special build
ings. Among these are the photographers,
the carriage builders, the glass makers, the
cracker bakers, the boot and shoe manufac-
turers. besides quite numb.r of indi-
vidual exhibitors. The great demand for
space renders this course necessary to a con-
siderable extent, especially for exhibitors
who have been tardy in making their ap-
plications. In the main exhibition build
ing, for example, $4,000 square feet OF
space had been applied for by the beginning
OF October by American exhibitors only !;
whereas, the aggregate space which it has
been possible to reserve for the United
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-05-31
The Billiard Tournament.

Mr.. H. w. Collender offers $4,000 for
prize money; an additional 81 900 is sub
scribed by Mr.. Frank Queen, Of the Clipper;
a number of our room-keepers have also
made liberal subscriptions. The tourna-
ment will be held directly under the ausp.-
ces of the Centennial commission, to whom
the profits will 90. They will be supported
by a committee Of influential gentlemen
selected from the leading cities OF the coun-
try, and the chief management Will be by
local committee comprising the most emil,
nent men in the profession, under the genera
of Mr.. Collender. The tourna,
ment will begin on the fifteenth OF May, ana
will continue a fortnight, closing on tne
twenty-seventh. 1t will be held in Horh-