The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-06-16

Secret Expenses Of the Centennial
Commission.
VIII tho Board Of Finance Pub
lish the Facts?
POLITICS AND TIE SHOW.


There conspicuous absence o. politicians IRON the
grounds adjacent hotels and though this makes NO
difference in tho pecuniary receipts It
. pcrceptibie decrease In tho attendance.
Tho politicians Of Philadelphia constitute .
large proportion OF its population and their
familiar faces missed from the Art Gallery, the
rrois Frcres restaurant and tho hotel porchcs where
hey used TO sip mint juleps around small tables
md discuss the Russian Malachitcs the Corss engine
he approaching nomination for sharG-rcpublicau, Of
Nurse, for democratic sheriff is an extinct animal
AXE Pterodactyl Jabberw ock-and wander from
ravc TO gay, from lively to severe" Tho absence or
those festive personages casts kind Of gloom the
Exhibition They arc all At Cincinnati, and when
! saw democratic statesman all alone, upon
. hotel porch to-day, lookingin depressed
way at the sunset, as II II were an en-
blemf OF his party, thought Of Marus at tho
ruins Of Carthage, or Mark Twain and Lord byron in
The Colosseum. Sunset Cox has written a very fine
book about the Humors OF Congress, but he omitted
the greatest joke OF ALL that his party had been out OF
power In that body for twelve years The Har-
trantt Club by going to the Cincinnati Convention has
done great injury to Laubers restaurant and all the
beer saloons willing to put their flags halfmast
Another effect Of the republican party exhibition upon
his international show Is that the question asked of
Visitors in the afternoon was what the latest ncws
manner in which they were received were posted
on the telegraph bulletin boards, and there was
disappointment expressed by the friends
Of Blaine that the motion for an immediate
ballot was defeated Tho general opinion the Con-
tcnniaI grounds that this repnse might be 'good
for tho republican party" but was ..bad for Mr.
Blaincn
THE BOTTOM FACTS DESIRED
Tho Exhibition and the campaign will 60 to-
to say which will command the most attention. In
rome respects the great lair win not be unlike the
Tho eravest issue of tho latter will be that OF
personal honesty and fitness Of the candidates. and the
most important question OF the former concerns the
integrity and character OF the management The policy
OF silence in respect to the differences between the
United States Commissioners and the Board Finance
has already failed Both parties are now dosrous to
up tho facts but loo much has been already pub
lished. That there great quarrel for authority
and tho control OF the money invested can deny
and this caused the Board Of Finance to submit tho
question to a nrge number of the best lawyers in
tho country The Commissioners also took the
ablcsi legal advice These opinions, of course, were
obtained without considerable cost and yet il is
now claimed that thcre never any dispute Of i'm
portance. But this denial comes too late Every
body knows that there has been quarrel and that
facts' demanded by the public.
WHAT PUBLIC HAS A RIGHT TO KNOW
The public has certainly right to know what the
board OF Commissioners is costing the Exhibition The
principal questions asked by tho Board OF Finance
were whether the Commissioners Ind any legal right
10 demand compensation and whether they had any
authority in making appointments, SO The answer
was "No" But now the stockholders and the States
and tho people informed that all past disputes
hHe been amicaby adjusted, and that no fu-
turo differences OF opinion possible What
does this mean? Only that the Board OF Finance has
consented to give these useless Commissioners CON-
pcnsstion although the highest legal authorities say
that they have right under the OF Congress to
dollar There is something Rong here. Can the
Board OF Finance compromise matter Of duty or
tampcr with trusty Either the Commissioners are
entitled to BE- paid they not, and
he public have right TO know what de-
nson she Board Of Finance has maoe Tho
public have also right 10 require statement Of tho
money that has already been PAID for the support OF
the Commissioners. There Is apparent reason which
justincs the suppression OF these gurcs The Amer-
cnn people want nothing done meany In connection
with tho Centennial celebration, but they do wish
everything done above board II the expenses OF
commission concealed much longer there viii DO
nl greater reason for complaint.
the grounds, thus tar confined tho gauge rail-
way and the rolling chair concern, have received
in the shape Of curously constructed Gle.
waited railway now in operation which connects Hor-
ticultural and Agricultural halls This mir limo
1t rst glance, to have but rail, while tho engine
and car are both split halt way mp the middle and
this dangling position, seem 10 be very nicely balanced
SIN tho visitor would hesitate long be
fore disturbing tho centre OF gravity by step
ping on 10 one side Of Tho If be did not
look still closely and discover two side rails,
about four and half feet below the central track and
forming with II a sort or trianL ular truss still
closer examination reveals the TACT that tho lower
side tracks horizontal wheels rcvolvc. these ncccs.
arily keeping tho train from the unpleasant oscillation
n tue running OF gronna tracks The lower
parl OF the locomotive (which rotary engines and
ordinary horizontal bosr) Is completely covered with
woodwork consequently wbilc The portion above tho
upper tracks presents most Of he charactcxtice Of the
engine, the lower portion looks like an inverted
starch box With triangular slice cut out OF each end
The passenger s also haf above and half below
top rail, but resembles nothing ever before seen
Earth above IL II can only be compared TO
doublc-deck omnibus split up from the bottom by
ming n circular This conveyance seats sixty
passengers and weighs 1900 pounds fhe charge Tor
n the moderate figure Of three cents, but then the
pleasure very short lived As takes less than
minute 10 journey from horticultural Hall TO the
northern terminus OF tho line.
CENTENNIAL LIGHTHOUSE
At the northeast corner Of the government building
force OF work men is now engaged IN putting MP IRON
lighthouse, which, when finished, VIII fully Illustrate
hc provisions made By the government for protecting
hc lives and property OF ali who bravo the dangers OF
ho deep The base Of This structure u OF wood, but
vi be painted TO represent stone TO this the iron
lapgcs OF the supcrsrucurc botcd and above this
ls high cylinder eighteen feet IN diameter, tho
whole being capped by an ornamental tower.
In tue centre OF this elevation Is place Tor rcsolv
nc flash light OF the fourth grade, and over one OF
tho dormcr windows quito as ornamental as thcy arc
asclu Is to be placed log bell weighing 4,s50 pounds
This bell now be on the ground, near tho
lower but tho light lantern has not yet boon rc
moved from the government building Both
81 those signals are operated by clockworS,
which nuw also DO fully examined,
~ Il will not be in position for several days. This
Icficate yet massive piece Of mechanism derives us
power from . weight Of 800 pounds, aud by
,mpIc change OF motion IS made TO rcvove The light
strike the log bell at the intervals required The
nockwork exhibited lie Intended TO strike nrst three
,mcs, then twice, then once and so on This IS Tho
cna adopted for OF the shoals Long Island, 10
rbich tho lighthouse now on tho grounds Is TO
,c removed alter the Exhibition. Near this
lew attraction is the Fog Siren, whose very
lnsircn-likc roar has often startled visit
RS 10 tho Exhibition. This ear-splttug
lltfl puci,e tod