Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-05-10
CENTENNIAL OPENING.
The City Crowded with Visitors
and the Streets Ablaze with
Flags and StrsamerS.
The Bad Weather RetarCs the Grand
Opening.

PHILADELPHIA, May lO.-The morning
was very rainy, with the prospect of a
steady rain all day, but the indications
are now that the clouds will break, the
rain cease ard the original programme
of the opening ceremonies be carried
out. The city is crowded with visitors,
the trains last evening and this morning
having come from all directions with
crowds of passengers from abroad The
streets are all ablaze with flags, and not
w~ithstanding the rain patriotic decora-
tious are numerous and Gne.
The Exposition opening is the only
theme Of conversation, and since early
in the morning throngs Of people on foot,
street cars, carriages, wagons and steam
cars have been pouring toward the Cen
~tennial grounds, in anticipation OF the
opening of the gates.
This morning eaEly the military pa
rade, comprising portions of the first
division, took place, passing through the
principal streets Of the city. The dis
play was fine, though not nearly 30 large
as it would have been had the weather
been favorable. If the weather becomes
clear the opening Of the Exposition will
be a great success.
l0:l5 A. M.-The sky has cleared and
the weather is beautiful and sunny, but
not too warm. The grounds are in very
good condition in spite Of the hard and
long continued rains, though there is
much mud. The gates opened a little
after 8 o'clock and crowds have been
pouring in ever since. 1t is roughly
estimated that there are fifty thousand
people now on the grounds, and still
there is a constant rush of people
through all the gates. The favorable
change in the weather will permit the
original programme to be carried out,
though arrangements had been partly
made to conduct the inauguration cere-
monies in the main building in case OF
continued rain.
A spacious platform has been erected
a. the side of Memorial Hall, north Of
the center and main building. Seats are
arranged on the platform for official and
other invited guests. At the right Of the
center are the seats Of the President and
members Of his cabinet, and further ia
the right are the seats Of the Governors
of the various States with their STATE
various State officers, Supreme CourI
and Legislature Of Pennsylvania, anc
representatives Of the army and navy
Smithsonian Institute, United States
Judges, officers Of the executive, Of bu
l resus and members Of the women's Cen
tennial committee. On the left OF thu
center are seats for members Of the dip
lomatic corps aud members Of the Cen
, %tennial commission, board Of finance
women's executive committee, foreign
commissions, Mayor, Councils and othe
I officials Of Philadelphia, Mayors Of othe
cities, State Centennial boards, board o
award, judges, yacht and rife clubs, ant
along the front Of the platform are seat
q for members of the press.
An orchestra of $50 pieces and
chorus Of 1000 voices, under the direC
ton Of Theodore Thomas and Dude
Buck, are stationed directly in front {
the platform at the side Of the mai
building. The space in front Of the pla'
. form, except that needed for passagI
ways, is open to the public until after tn
i Inauguration. The main building, Nj
d chinery Hall and Memorial Hall are r
,. served for invited guests, and closed
the public. All guests pass through ii
main building, entering at the east al
= west end OF ct the south side, and them
st through the inter door at the north elk
b to the platform. The space about Il
g platform, and for such distance that
see and hear are impossible, is crowd'
- densely with people waiting for d
opening exercises.
in ll:3O A.M.-At eleven o'clock (
ho Presidents party, accompanied by o.
-, cisls previously designated, proceeded
ia the platform, the President having be
ia escorted to the grounds by Govern
YES Hartranft with a division Of militar
IRE The platform was at once crowded, q
ON all the surrounding space and all I
~ available points Of elevation in I
%neigbborhood were already occupied
crowds Of visitors. The orchestra, VII
ect seats we're being secured, played natiol
ep- airs, and after the party on the plato
had arranged themselves, played W.
ner's Centennial March, which was
or ceived with applause,
Tho After the opening prayer by Bist
the Simpson, Of the N. e. Church, and
an singing Of Whittisr'S Centennial hyr
the presentation Of the buildings 4
place, the board Of finance, with apr
NY pirate speeches and %ceremOniAls, to
the Ing over the buildings to the cOmmissi