The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-06-09
THE NEW WORLDS FAIR.
PHILADELPHIA, June 8.


Philadelphia is city of minor peculiarities.
There are more little notions, and habits, and
restrictions here than one will find in any other
American town. How the people grew into
them, would be an interesting study for the
antiquarian. The cheapest article by far in
these parts is George Washington, whose hand
writing is found on almost every wall-or, to
speak more plainly, whose autograph lies
around in every public building, pitifully look
ing up at the passer-by, as If begging only for
one glance of his eye. Speaking OF customs,
however, one Of the most noticeable to the
stranger is the one they have of taking the
bells off from the street-cars ON Sunday, as If
to compromise with the Lord on the easiest
possible basis. Something of the English
style seems also to have crept into business, as
there are numerous signs around town. such
as one sees on the streets of London. with the
word Limit ed " affixed to the firms name.
The Jones & Smith Company, Limited"
sounds oddly to American ears. But probably
the queerest thing Of all is the regulation Of
one of the downtown parks, which prohibits
smoking within its sacred precincts. The
park 1 allude to is located near the State house.
in the heart of the city and yet, notwith-
standing it is under the very shadow of the
edifice where liberty was once proclaimed to
all men, the rights of the poor smoker are
daily trampled upon by this ignominious regu-
lation.
In passing through the bewildering maze of
halls and aisles and corridors and annexes, one
often comes unexpectedly upon something.
Thus in the Connecticut department of manu-
featured articles, one finds displayed in glass
case the original model of the cotton gin, in
vented by eli Whitney, in the year 1883. IL is
a small AFFAIR." box inclosing not more than
cubic foot Of space contains the whole Of it ;
and yet small as it - it il that which, by max
ing cotton-growing profitable, enthroned cotton
rs king reversed the early traditional policy
of the national Government in collision of in
terests and conflict OF policy between the North
aud the South, resulting in the terrible civil
war with its yet untold consequences. Shall
we call it a coincidence that the inventor of the
cotton gin was the founder of the Whitney
Arms Company, of Connecticut. by whom are
exhibited along with this interesting relic pat
terms of improved arms, of which the company
has ever since been a large manufacturer?
Over in the Agricultural hail is another relic
of peculiar interest. 1t is monster wooden
pillow, with beam Of ponderous proportions,
thirteen feet long-an instrument ante-dating
the invention Of cast iron plows, the MOLE
board being heavy plank covered with thick
plates Of iron. This was used by Daniel Web
ster, statesman somewhat known to the last
generation-used ON his old farm at Marsh.
field, and with it is shown letter of the old
Granger politician, in which he speaks of the
rare enjoyment he finds in driving this same
old pillow behind four yoke Of oxen, turning
under the stumps, ana, as one would Judge,
making boss workman's job Of it. He CON
siders it better enjoyment than tilt with
statesmen at Washington.
In Horticultural hall, Mr.. Jacob Hoffner, of
Cincinnati, has an exhibition an aged, but
healthy-looking, specimen eff the cyods repo-
ltttd, which was owned before and ut the time
of the American revolution by that Robert
Morris whose name is familiar in the list of
patriots Of that period.
BEET SUGAR.
Chunks Of information can be picked up here
at every step. Here is one to be found in the
Agricultural department. which, by the way.
includes 30 wide range of objects that one
sometimes wonders by what rule they were
classified. Mr.. A. l.. Murdoch, of Boston.
shows some beautiful cakes of pure white
sugar, manufactured Of beets and the follow
ing are his observations, posted conspicuously,
and which would seem to have in them some
thing of point for both the legislator and the
Granger, as well a. some ether people:
He says beet sugar costs less to manufacture
than the foreign and American duties on the
imported. Our consumption of sugar has
doubled in eight years, and now equals !, $780,
600 600 pounds, or $50, 000 tons value $780,.
sumption of the world and increasing fifteen
per cent. annually. The beet sugar of Europe
has doubled in nine years, and now amounts to
400, 600, 600 pounds. No test OF taste, smell
or assay can distinguish it from cane sugar.
Each acre yields one ton of sugar, and leaves
refuse fully equal to two tons of English hay
in value. at a cost Of $50 per acre. Those
counties that raise the most beet sugar raise
also the most beef and bread, as il increases
the value Of the land.
THE UNITED STATES.
The whole Of the southern quarter of the
building and the principal portion of the
northeastern corner, is allotted to the United
States. 1t is not surrounded by any inclosure.
rs is the case in most Of the foreign sections.
but the rows of cases in themselves form OAR
titions between thedifferent spaces. Payilions
of wood ornamented with carving, or in colors
have been erected by exhibitors, and in these
they display their wares to great advantage
and in picturesque manner. Others have
merely erected showcases, some OF which are
very elaborate in workmanship and decoration.
Indeed, the showcases in the American de-
partment very much exceed in beauty and ex |
pensiveness those I'm the foreign section. and |
many of them are, aside from the exhibits In |
them, extremely interesting i'm themselves as |
specimens OF American workmanship.
FOREIGN COUNTRIES.
The exhibits Of foreign nations occupy three
fifths of the exhibition. The American exhibits
cannot begin to compare with them i'm decora
tive effect. or all the foreign countries Japan
Is perhaps the most Immediately attractive To
The average visitor, and its exhibits of pottery
md paintings are simply superb. China. also.
sends an admirable collection Of pottery and
,arved work, while the exhibit of Great Britain
md her colonies is really wonderful in its In, |