Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-05-11
ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA.
THURSDAY, MAY ii. 1875.


teleeraphc news 10 yesterdays Gazette. the
Centennial Exhibition was formally opened to
the public on that day with triumphal music,
a PRAYER, brief addresses FROM Mr.. Welsh,
Gen. Hawley aud President Grant, the firing
of cannon, and the ringing OF bes,ln the pres
ence of vast throng Of interested spectators.
The exhibition was not in order, and 1t will be
some time before the magnitude and Infinite
variety of the display will be understood. The
main building, quarter OF mile long, 10
crowded with the fabrics of all quarters OF the
globe, and toexamine its oooteuts, and those oil
the machinery hall, the art gallery. horticultu'
raj and agricultural halls, the women's pavilion.
and the buildings erected by foreign nations
and the different States 10 the Unon Will re-
auire weeks A correspondent OF the Baltl
more Sun n speaking of the opening day says:
1t was glorious, bright sunshiny day unt,
after all the fornalities Of the Inauguration
had ended. Fully three fourths of the houses
in the city were decorated With numerous flags
of all nations in honor of the international
event. The perspective Of some of the chief
thoroughfares showed nothiug but couverging
lines of coIors above, hiding the houses, and
dark couverging ines Of people in mutltudes
thronging the sidewalks below.
Great difficulty was experienced 10 discover
ing the right place to enter the main building
by the thousands OF people who had been IN
vited to assist in the ceremonies OF the lnau-
guration. Added to this tho exposition po.
cemen were simply uniformed, but not at all
bo;r 2pti nd o,,11d oily hp
little information to the surgIDg masses OF men
and women that assaulted the gates. Much
building debris yet remains about the struc-
lures and the grounds caunot be in good order
until the middle OF June a! least.
The platform for the participants IN the oere
monies of the day was erected 10 front OF Meul
orial Hall. Tie stand was very large, with
wings on both sides shooting out at angles. On
the opposite side terrace platform was put up
aganst the Main Bulldog for the orchestra
and chorus. The distance between the two
stands was about five hundred yards. Twenty
FIVE hundred singers, male and female, and a
superb orchestra, all under the direction Of
Theodore Thomas, occupied the seats Of the
music terrace. Many of the ladies we're IN
white, with bright coored shawls thrown
around their shoulders.
The grand strand was overcrowded with dig
nitaries. Care had been taken to divide the
platform into sections for the different classes
OF officia persoDages, reservlDg the central place
for the President and seats below 10 the front
centre for the hord. of press writers, to WON
invitations had been issued The great pres.
sure from multitude of invited persons and
the complex details necessary to carry out the
arrangements, added to.the inexperience Of the
special police, destroyed all order. ln many
cases those most entitled to place were kept out
of it, aud those least deserving thrust them
serves forward.
The collection of representatives from over
thirty governments Of the world, and of many
colonies, besides the chief officers the Ameri
can Union and of many of the States thereof,
formed an assemblage such as has never been
equaled in this country before. The members
oil the Diplomatic Corns were 10 official uni
FORM Many OF the Foreign Com missioners
were also 10 uniform, aud there was gIltterlng
array OF army, navy and staff uniforms. The
diplomats we're respeDdent 10 gold lace the
bullion epaulettes OF the staff officers and their
gold cordage were brilliant Cooked hats and
golden tassels were not the exception, but the
rule. The Japanese officials came out 10 drab
breechess, gold breasted tail coats and cooked
hats Turkish Beys wore the red fez, military
trock coats, gold striped brooches aud curved sa-
bres. Egyptian officers were somewhat siml
arly uniformed. The representatives of the
Latin race, including French Spanish, Portu
gucse. South Americans, Mexlcaus and Cubans
were quite az numerous as the blonde Caucas
SLAMS. Among the Onentals, Japanese, Egyp-
taus and Turks were most numerous. Fred.
Douglass was the conspicuous representative OF
the American citizen of African descent. he
found some difficulty in making his way 10 the
platform, and had to be helped, over the ropes
10 working his way through the crowd, having
arrived late. His sudden appearance 10 a scmi.
mashed state created some amusement. When
he took his seat he was greeted with cheers
There was also on the platform galaxy Of
ladies, many of them of rhe families OF foreign
ministers and con missioners, and some of the
japanese we're the happy escorts of beautiful
blonde American women. Some OF the Euro
pean ladies we're imperial looking women, no
,ably fair-haired Spanish lady, who possessed
the commanding presence or royalty
The grand platform. with its numerous dis
tinctive national representatives, comprising
upwards Of three thousand individuals, fur.
nished ample material for observation, but as
the morung hours wore away attention was dl
vertcd from them to the steadily increasing
multitude of American citizens gathering 10
the vast arena between the music stand and
that 10 front Of Memorial Hall. This space,
comprising upwards OF thirty acres of ground,
was packed with people just as closely as it was
possible to get human beings to stand. The
two colossal winged horses that stand 90 granite
pedestal, to the right and left iu front of Me-
mortal Hall were alive with men, who had
cambered up not only under the bellies Of the
bropzes, but had 10 fact mounted Pegasus ADD
sat between the outstretched wings. Oue free
American citizen was perched on the head
of one Of the winged horses with an UNI
brella hosted for protection against the
suns rays The swaying black assemblage 10
the arena, the colossal statuary, the vast build
ing piles the main hall of glass and iron, and
Memorial Hall of stone; the bright spring
weather, the glittering uniforms, futtering rib
boos and soarls OF the ladies; the contrast of
their oolors Of dress, parasols aod spring bon.
nets, combined to form most magnificent and |
imposing spectacle. There was nothing dwarf
ed or petty 10 it all. The space and its filling
we're grander than an imperial Roman spec