The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-11-18
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION
A Resume Of Leading Events,

luc Ennuuclpnla IWteS, NOV. III, says.
The Centennial Exhibition ends to-day.
Within the last few weeks people have
begun to realize the immensely of the
void which tomorrow will exist in the list
of Philadelphia's attractions. Only one
thing overbalances the regret which in
creases as the last moment approaches,
and that is the proud satisfaction had from
the fact that the International Exhibition
of 1876 has been the greatest, most
thorough, best managed and most success
full in every respect that the world has
ever seen. This is not merely the just
boast Of Americans, but also the candid
concession of distinguished foreigners.
Six months ago to-day the Exhibition was
opened in glory; this afternoon it will be
closed with ceremonies of dignifed sim
plicity. 1t has furnished matter for many
volumes of interesting reading. Its his
tory could not be given in a single issue Of
newspaper. When properly written it
will take its place, side by side, with Ban
croft and Prescott, in the American Ii
brary. The people, when reading the
Times at breakfast this morning, may find
the following epitomc useful and interest
ing:
CONSTITUTING THE MANAGEMENT.
An act of Congress, Apr owed March 3
1871, provided for the celebration of the
one hundredth anniversary of American
Independence, by holding an International
Exhibition of Arts, Manufactures and
Products of the Soil and Mine in the city
of Philadelphia during the year 1876.
Under the provisions of this act was created
the United States Centennial Commission,
consisting of two delegates from each
State and Territory, the commissioners
being appointed by the President of the
United States, on the nomination of the
Governors Of the respective States and
Territories. The act provided also that
the functions Of this body should continue
until the close of the Exhibition that its
members should prepare and superintend
the execution of plan for holding the
latter, and, after conference with the
authorities Of this city, fix upon suitable
site within the corporate limits where the
Exhibition should be held that no com
pensation for services should be paid the
commissioners or other officers provided
by this act from the Treasury of the
United States, and that the government
should not be liable for any expense at
tending the Exhibition. The experience
of the first year showed the necessity for
an additional organization to secure the
necessary means to carry out the work,
and Congress passed an act, approved
june l, 1872, creating the Centennial
Board of Finance, consisting of two mem
bers for each Congressional district and
four for each State and Territory at large
This body was empowered to secure sub
scriptions Of capital stock to an amount
not exceeding sl0,00O,000, to be divided
into shares of ten dollars each. The pro-
ceeds Of this stock, together with the re-
ceipts from all other sources, were to be
used for the erection of suitable buildings,
supplying them with necessary fixtures
and appurtenances, and for all other ex-
penditures required in carrying out the
objects of the act of March 3, 1871, The
Board of Finance was empowered also to
issue bonds, not in excess of its capital
stock, and secure their payment, principal
and interest, by mortgage upon its prop
erty and prospective income. The duty
was imposed upon it of converting, as soon
as practicable after the close of the Exhi-
bition, its property into cash, and, after
the payment of all its liabilities, of divid-
ing its remaining assets among its stock
holders pro rata in full satisfaction and
discharge of its capital stock The Cen
tennial Commission was directed by the
same act to supervise the closing up of
the affairs of the Board of Finance, to
audit its accounts and to submit, in a re-
port to the President of the United States,
the full results of the Exhibition.
FOREIGN COOPERATION.
On the Sd of July, 1873, President
Grant issued proclamation declaring that
the Exhibition should be opened on the
18th of April, 1876, aud closed on the
18th Of October, in the same year, and
commencing the celebration to the people.
of the United States and of all nations.
Two days afterward the Secretary of State
sent note to each foreign minister in the
United States, giving information of the
progress Of the work up to this time, and
expressing the hope that his government
might deem it proper to cooperate in the
proposed celebration; and that the oppor-
tunity afforded by the Exhibition for the
interchange of national sentiment and
friendly intercourse among the various
nations might result in new and still grea-
ter advantages to science and industry.
January %, 1874, the President appoint
ed Board, composed of representative
from each Of the Executive Departments
of the government, except the Department
of State and that Of the Attorney General,
and including the Department Of Agricul-
ture and the Smithsonian Institution,
which was charged with the duty of per-
fecting a collective exhibition illustrating
the functions and administrative faculties
of the government in time of peace and its
resources in time of war. An act of Con-
gress approved June IS, 1874, provided
that all articles imported for the Exhibi-
ton should be admitted without duty,
provided that all of them sold in this
country or withdrawn FROM the Exhibition
for consumption here should be subject to
the duties in force at the date of importa-
ton.
THE BUILDINGS AND BUREAUS.
In July, 1874, the grading of the two
hundred and forty acres comprised in the
grounds intended for the Exhibition was
begun. 1t had been decided to erect five
principal exhibition structures-the Main
Building, covering PLAY acres; the Art
Gallery, 1.5 acres; Machinery Hall, IA
acres Agricultural Hall, 1915 acres, and
Horticultural Hall, 1.5 acres--also to
classify all exhibits into seven departments,
namely, mining, manufactures, education
and science, lrt, machinery, agriculture
and horticulture, the first three Of which
were assigned to the Main Building and
the others to the structures known by their
respective names. As the details Of pre-
partitions multiplied, it became necessary