The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-12-28
Present Appearance of the Ceuten-
nial Grounds.


NAL Grounds.
Day BY day, as the winter advances and
the work OF removal progresses, the Cen
tennial grounds become more and more
cherries, and now the prospect is one of
desoIatlon. Many OF the aSphaltum payes
have been taken up, and the smooth ave-
nueS are transformed into deep rntted
wagon roads, the narroW-gauge track is
being partially removed, and the place of
pleasure cars filled with freight trains,
while the once brilliantly thronged struc-
lures stand as silent and deserted as the
ruins Of Pompcii The lake is frozen oyer,
and the fountain has become crystal cir
Gle OF cleaning ice The wide partelres
OF flowers along the approaches to Horli-
cultural Hall have long since disappeared,
and even the dun cololed foliage plants
have been removed. The Main Building,
though still crowded with goods, presents
Only promlscuonS array OF tightly packed
cases ready for shipment, hardly an cXhib-
il now remaining in place. Among the
few articles which may still be examined
are the bronze and iron fountains and sew
eral pieces of statuaIy IN the Italian de-
partmcnt The great organ which stood
in the eastern end OF the structure has been
taken down and shipped back to Boston.
but the New DIRK organ in the north side
still remains. HE music stand in the cen
ire OF the building IS again occupied by
the custOm-hOuse officials, and several OF
pavlllOns have been turned into Temporal
ry offices for employees of the terminal
agency, customs brokers, etc. Though u
large amount OF exhibits have been taken
ont Of Machinery Hall, the place still re-
scmbles some mammoth freight depot, in
which thousands of articles Of all shapes
and sizes are awaiting shipment All the
locomotives, and nearly all the stationary
engines, except the Corliss and the large
Dlast tugiuU near IL, nave disappeared,
and the wondrous shalt borer, exhibited
by Belgian manufacturer, has been TAX
en- down, and most OF the other goods in
this section have been removed. The pa
lillions in both Machinery Hall and the
Main building are left standing, and most
OF them will probably be utilized in the
arrangement Of the permanent exhibition.
Agricultural Hall, which was the last to
get in readiness for the opening Of the ex-
hibition is the first to be dsmantled, near
ly all the exhibits having been packed up
and most Of them removed. This is now
one of the most cherries structures on the
grounds the long, rambling transepts are
deserted save by an occasional workman
OF the echoing tread OF Il lonely guard,
and sparrows fit from post to post, pick
ing up the remnants OF grain exhibits,
and chirping as tearlessly as though in the
open air. From the Government Building
nothing but few private exhibits have
yet been taken, but the labor of packing
up the goods has rapidly progressed. and
will be entirely completed in u few weeks.
No visitors are now admitted into tins
building unless they have some special
business emitting them to permit. The
only structure which seems unaffected by
the mighty change is Horticultural Hall.
This Oriental PALACES still filled with rare
plants from all sections OF the globe. and.
being artticially heated, is i iavorite re-
sort Tor the few visitors who enter the
Centennial gates With very few excep-
tons, all the paintings and statuary which
have beautilied Memorial Hall are in cases.
and large proportion of the American
exhibits have been sent away. Kother-
mePs magnificent painting, The Battle of
Gettysburg," still remains in the United
States section, and here and there NAV be
found small painting or piece of statua-
~ as yet untouched, and several of the
larger groups have not yet been disturbed.
But IN the dissolving Of the old Exhibi-
tIon may be seen many preparations for
the new. Not only are most of the Amer
lean pavilions to be left standing, but the
snowy Brazilian court, the Mexican pavil-
ion, the Spanish temple, the framework
in the Swedish and Norwegian depart
ments, and some Of the finest showcases
in the German department Of the Main
Building all are to remain, and these alone
will save much expense which would
otherwise be necessary in the new enter
prise. A large number of the Chinese
pavilions have been engaged by the Smith
sonian Institute for exhibition purposes
There are now nearly 220O applications
for space, asking for more than the build
ing can accommodate. Amongst these are
the Turkish, who intend to have much
liner display of goods than in the old The
hardware exhibitors will nearly all re-
main in the American department. and
several in the foreign. The Book Trade
Association have applied for l0, 900 square
feet, Cornari 250O for the display of statu-
airy and painting, and the Trenton potter
les for G0oO Philadelphia Press.