The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-05-11
BY TELE GRAPH
WHEELING REGISTER.
Associated Press Report. BY Western
Union Line, Office Northwest cor.
Of Main and l2th Sts.
THE CENTE NNIAL!
THE GRAND OPENING.
A Vast Crowd Of People.
A Gloomy Morning to Com
mence With.
At Ten O'clock the Skies are
Clear.
Exercises Commence With
Music.
$50 Instruments and Chorus
Of 1000 Voices.
Bishop Simpsons Prayer.
Exercises Commence With
Music.
$50 Instruments and Chorus
of 1000 Voices.
Bishop Simpsons Prayer.
Speeches Of Gen. Hawley and
the President.

steady rainy day, but the indications
are now that the clouds will break.
The rain has ceased, and the original
programme of the opening ceremonies
will be carried out. The city is crowded
with visitors The streets are all ablaze
with flags. The Exposition opening is
the only topic of conversation, and since
early in the morning throngs of people
on foot. in street cars, carriages, wagons
and steam cars, have been proceeding to-
ward the Ceptennial grounds in antici-
patton of the opening of the gates. This
morning early, military parade, COM
prising portions of the Fifth division,
took place, passing through the principal
streets of the city. The display was fine,
though not nearly so large AS would have
been had the weather been favorable. IL
the weather becomes clear, the opening
of the Exposition will be great success.
fine Sky Clears up.
At 1915 A. NJ The sky has cleared
and the weather is beautiful and sunny,
but not too warm. The grounds are IN
good condition in spite of the hard and
long continued rams, though there is
much mud. The gates opened at a little
after 8 o'clock and the crowds have been
pouring in ever since. 1t is roughly es-
timated that $4,000 people are now on
the ground aud still there Is constant
rush of people through the gates. In
the favorable change in the weather the
original plan is to be carried out,
though arrangements had been made
for the inauguration ceremonies IN the
main building.
Programme Arrangnd.
In case of continued rain, a spacious
platform had been erected at the side o.!
Memorial Hall North of the centre of
the main building seats are arranged on
the d atform for officers and other invited
guests, At the right of the centre are
Us Tor the President of the United
States and members OF the Cabinet. and
further to the right the seats OF United
States Senato-s and members OF the
House of ReL. .osentaLives, governors OF
the various States with their statfs, the
governor, State officers, aupreme court
and legislature Of Pennsylvania, and rep
resentatiyes of the army and
navy, Smithsonian Institute, United
States judges, officers OF the
executive bureaus and members OF
the Womens Centennial Commission,
on the left of the centre are seats OF the
Uuited States Supreme Court, and fur
ther to the lett are seats for the members
of the diplomatic corps and members of
tho (,entennim commissioners, board of
finance, woman's executive commission,
foreign commissioners, mayor, council
and other officers of Philadelphia, man
ayers of other cities, State Centennial
boards, board of award, judges, yacht
and rifle clubs, and along the front OF
the platform are seats Tor mem
bers OF the press, orchestra OF LOO
pieces and chorus of 900 voices, under
The direction of Theodore Thomas and
Dudley Buck, are stationed directly In
front of the platform, at the side OF the
main building. The space in front OF the
platform, except that reserved for pas.
sage ways, is open to the public until
after the Inauguration. The main build
ing. Machinery Hall and Memorial Hall
are reserved for invited guests, and closed
to the public. All guests pass through
the main building, entering ut the east or
west end, or st the south side, and thence
through the center door at the north side
IN the platform. The space about the
nlstform ard for such distance thai 10
sec and hear is impossible, is crowded
densely with people waiting ior the
opening exercises.
The show Begins.
1,.sOA. Ma. IL o'clock the Presi-
dents party, accompanied by the officials
nreviously designated, proceeded to the
nla,form, the President having been es-
cor,ed to the grounds by Gov. Hartranit
with division of military. The plat
form wss at once crowded, and all the
surrounding space and all available points
of elevation in the neighb,rheod were
occupied by crowds Of visitors.
The orchestra while the seats were be,
ing secured, played the National airs ana
afser the people on the platform had
ranged themselves played Wag-
ner,s aCentennial March" which was
received with app ause. Afier the
openipp prayer BY Bishop simpson OF
,bs NJ Is Church and the singing OF
Whn,ier's Centennial Hymn, the pre-
s.nia,ion OF the building took place by
the Board of Finance With appropriate
sres,bes and ceremoniak, turning over
the bulldogs to the commission;
Next followed the singing OF Sidney
Jsnisr's cantsta by the full chorus Ac-
eompapied by the orchestra The ap'
.s,srse of the vast crowd was enthusiss
&c and portions of the music were en- :
cored. especially the bas- solo sung oy
Mr.. Whitney, of Boston. a.