The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-01-13
WHOLE NO. -.

WHOLE NO. ~.
dence Hall rang out the bells welcom-
ing the birth of the centennial year.
May it be grand and auspicious year
for our beloved Republic.
drove out the other day to view the
preparations for the great Exposition.
The park in which they are situated is
the grandest in the United States it
stretches along the banks of the Schuyl-
kill river for distance of ten miles;
and is full of beautiful scenery and
adorned with all the graces of art. The
Centennial buildings surpassed my anti
cipations; they were simply stupendous.
The ''Main Building is 1880 feet long
by 464 feet wide, and covers an area Of
more than t,Uenty acres! Think of that.
reader. One building covering twenty
acres! MACHINERY Hall" covers twelve
| acres, and is 1902 feet long by $50 feet
wide. Agricultural Hall is $50 feet long
by $40 feet wide, and covers ten acres.
A whole army of mechanics. artists, sur
veyors and la5Orers are at work in and
around the buildings, getting them rea-
dy for the Exposition. At present all is
mud, debris and confusion.
The hard times are exempliied in the
wages paid here to laborers- -to-wit:
ninety cents q dag; and thousands are Of
fering their services for even fifty cents
per day.
l visited the "House of Correction" a
new institution, situated on the Della
ware River above the city. Its prima:
idea is that the idle and vicious should
be made to work for their own support.
The building is immense; it is nearly
500 feet long, and contains 22O0 inmates,
about 25O Of whom are females. The
success of the institution has been very
great. The vagrant classes are taken up
from the streets and the haunts Of vice
and set TO work. 1t is Il splendid illus.
tration of the power of intelligence to
direct to wise and worthy uses the bru-
tai and unwilling labor-force Of the COM
munity. For instance, in front of the
bulldog there was great piece OF
marshy land over which the Delaware
flowed at high tide. The ..inmates'
were set to work to quarry the rock and
build huge wall to keep out the water;
and in this way they have now reclaimed
some thirty or forty acres of land which
will next year be used for farming pur-
poses, to raise food for the men whose
unwilling labor rescued it from the
waves. In the same way they have
erected fine barns and out-buildinys, and
even much Of the work in the principal
edifice has been performed by the .'in-
mates" / was shown in one of the
largest rooms, one that is used as meet
ing room Of the Board Of Direction,
some handsome frescoing on the walls
and ceiling, fruits, flowers, leaves, &C.,
beautifully and artistically executed
and | was told that it was the work Of
two poor. ragged fellows who had
sought Tor employment in vain, and had
at last found their way I'd the House Of
Correction. When they got through
their task the managers equipped them
with complete suits Of new clothes and
furnished them with some money; and
as they have not since returned it is to
be hoped they have found work and
prosperity.
The ''hard times" are shown in the
fact that large percentage Of the 22OO
occupants of the institution, viz: 1900,
are voluntary commitments. That is 70
1 say, they are poor fellows who are will
ing to work. tut are unable to procure
! employment, and who give themselves
up as vagrants: or break window. OF
q commit some petty offence, in order to
+ be sent to the House of Correction.
4 There they are put to work at their res
pective trades, or they are taught
' trades. They make their own clothes
0 their own shoes. their own caps, do their
/ own washing, ironing. cooking, &C.
q The institution is admirably managed,
under the presidency of Samuel Kilpat-
rick, Esq, and the cost of sustaining the
inmates is reduced 10 serenteen cents ne,
!. day. after deductlng the value of theil
t work! In few years, with their farm
g in successful operation, raising their OWL
. vegetables, flour, meats, &c. and witt
: a surplus Of building stone, boots. shoes
= clothing &C., to sell, they will, It 4
!. hoped. be self-sustainin4. This will b
q agrand result. It will he like draining
= swamp which had bred only pestilenc;
and death, and turning it into wheat
fields and gardens.
The weather has been intolersble =
= rain. fog, mist. mud, clouds and cor,
:. tbroats. have longed for the bracina
;. atmosphere Of the great northwest. /
q this is what California and Florida have
i to offer want none of Il. In sever
= days the sun peeped ont just once fol
!, about three hours, and the rest Of thl
;. time we have lived 1t the base Of . strs&
um OF fog which must have been ~
!. miles in thickness and weighed, l think
e about len tons to the square inch! lstas
back tomorrow night, thinking more q
Minnesota than ever did before. Il {
indeed 1.-THE lungs Of the continent" !" an,
e great. broad, noble lungs they are. ful
e OF the purest air in the world. This A
lansic coast breathes an rratcd slush a.
each generation promises TO be weake
and more imbecile than that wkich on
i ceded it.
ii But enough for to-day.