Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-01-14

TIE IMPOSITION BUILDINGS.
PHILADELPHIA Jan. 8. l81l

luz EAEV9AAAON
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 3, 1876.
To the Editor Of the Free Press and Times:
Having recently paid visit to the Seen
tennial Buildings," I will try to give you
description of one of them. All the build
ings are just about what the wood-euts and
Autographs, scattered broadcast through The
land, represent them to be, as regards gen.
eral appearance, yet these pictures fail to
convey a correct idea of their immensely.
Meeting Lieutenant Metcalfe, of the reg
ular army, who has been detailed here to
supervise the construction and to act as e1-
ecutiye officer on the part of the Govern
ment in the building built by the General
Government for showing the workings OF
the various departments, | was invited by
him to inspect what had already been ac-
complished. The outside Of the building, in
its general features, is somewhat similar in
appearance to the main building and ma
chinery hall. Perhaps the most noticeable
feature Of the place on entering is the vain
scoting. which extends around the entire
walls to the height of 81, or eight feet. The
ground is Of a light color, bordering on
lavender, and over this is stencil painting.
representing squares, or more properly loz-
enges, inside OF which are shown, through
the entire space to be occupied by each de-
partment, an appropriate de'lce represent
ing that department. As enters the
building he sees on his il -.ediate right
the space to be occupied b, he War De-
partment, represented in the Zenge by the
lictor's rods and axe. Directly opposite is
the space to be occupied by the Navy De-
partment, as shown 10 the lozenge 10y an
anchor, the naval emblem.
Passing down the space allotted to the
Navy, and turning into the left wing, we
have upon our left hand the space set apart
fer the POstofice Department, and shown IN
the lozenge by a flying wheel, through
which rises telegraph pole, from the top OF
which branches out wires, right and left,
coming down the sides and terminating at
the bottom in a sealed envelope The oppo-
site side OF this wing il devoted to the De
partment Of Agriculture, the lozenge OF
which contains plow with crossed stalks
of corn and wheat, all supposed to be illu-
minated by new moon. which Is seen in
the upper part of the design. Continuing on
down the main hall, we see on the left hand
the portion allotted TO the Interior Depart
ment, having in its panels a central group,
composed of Ratchet, bow and arrows, rep
resenting the Indian Bureau on the right,
a cog-wheel, representing the Patent Office,
and on the left, globe, emblematical of
the Bureau Of Education. To the Smithso-
man Institute Is assigned that part Of the
main floor opposite to the Interior Depart
ment, and the lOzenge here shows tiger
head, Illustrative Of natural history.
Passing up the hall again and turning the
corner to the left. we come into the right
wing, where on our left Is 10 be the Depart
ment of Food fishes, under the charge Of
Prof. Baird, and shown on the wainscJting
By lozenge containing q trident and
cOnundrum, which the uniniiiatei are try
ing daily 10 solve some say it is a whale,
others a catfish. while some emphatically
aver that it is speekled trout without the
speckles. Your correspondent didn't at
tempt to guess.
The opposite space in this wing i to lie
occupied by the Treasury Department, and
the lozenge here contains what Lieu t
Metcalfe assured me | would find to be
fac aDlIls Of the seal OF the Treasury Depart
ment, if would refer to a dollar bill had
to tell him then ard there that hadn I got
one. In an engine-rOom, on the right OF the
entrance. two Baxter engines are TO be
placed, and with these the Lieutenant pro-
poses 10 run several machines manufacturing
the Springfield rifle and cartridges, Illus
trating each and every process they %
through in their manufacture until in com
ple,e state and ready for use. Outside the
building are some heavy pieces Of ordnance
which Lieut. NJ. Will soon have properly
mounted and in working order. Among them
Is a twenty-inch Rodman gun, which carries
a spherical shot weighing $50 his, which
it takes 200 lbs Of mammoth powder TO dis
charge.
The carriage which supports this mon
ster gun Is made entirely Of iron, and. TO
check the great recoil that would naturally
follow the firing Of such charge, is fitted
with a hydraulic buffer, which consists OF a
cylinder attached 10 caassls. and piston
fastened 10 the top Or movable carriage
The cylinder Is TO be partly filed with
water, and as the piston Is elo-e-ftting and
is rammed well home" Whenrin battery"
the force Of the sudden and violent recon
is thus almost wholly checked in the cylin-
der
Thi- gentlemanly and oblieing officer
showed me much more Of great interest in
connection with the Ornsmentation Of the
Government building. and the laboratory
and hospital connected with it a a part Of
the Government exhibit. which | shall have
to make the subject matter Of some future
letter will close by saying, that none of
your readers can ever have the faintest idea
Of the size and condition Of our hundred
yesr-old American child unless they come
to the City Of Brotherly Love during our
Centennial wear Yours, &c. tRED.