Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1876-11-07
Centennial Correspondence.
CENTENNIAL GROUNDS,
w. PHILADELPHIA.
Nov. lst, 1875.

Nov. lst, 1876.
A hasty journey up the main aisle Of
the main building, from the main en-
trance at the West End, brought our
party to the centre of that vast edi-
flee denominated the music stand, an
elevated circular stand, over which
was suspended a canopy. from the
centre of which hung a sign with the
name Weber on ii. The enclosure
was literally supplied with Weber
Pianos, which are used every day for
concert purposes at noon. Between
pieces Mr.. Levy, the champion cornet
player of the world, drew immense
crowds by his matChless music on that
instrument. On our way up the main
aisle We first observed to the left the
Italian display, followed by the long
line of Great Britain and Ireland. TO
the right came in the order named the
Argentine Republic, Chill, China, Ja-
pan, sandwich Islands, Peru, Turkey,
Egypt, Spain, and Russia. Over the
larger of these departments are sus-
pvudid flags, bearing the name of the
nation, and at the various borders of
them are signs similarly inscribed, so
the visitor has no trouble in locating
them. The only exception / observed
being those division signs which have
the name of one nation on one side
and that of the contiguous one on the
other Sometimes the visitor i'm pass
ing under one of these mistakes the
territory in front of him for the one
he has just walked out Of. A differ
ence in the display is pretty sure to
lead to an early correction.
To return TO the music stand our
party at once paid the usual fee of ten
cents per capita, placed themselves in
line and aftera little delay took the ele-
Vator for the top of the main building.
Our object was n survey of the grounds
for tire forming Of an accurate mental
map of them, TO the north of us
stretched the immense and variagated
landscape of Fairmount Park, with
the Centennial enclosure in lha! por-
ton OF 1t nearest our feet. Along its
eastern margin came running down
from the dense woods in the distance
and passing to the right of us, the
beautiful Schuylkill river, with the
snowy monuments and evergreens of
Laurel Cemetery on a lovely promon-
tory, distance several miles on its wes-
tern banks. Numerous steamers were
constantly plying between the two
points, and added to the loveliness Of
the scene. Immediately south Of u.s.
and extending rs far to the right as
the Schuylkill, lay the city of West
PhlIadelphta, while beyond the
Schuylkill to the right stretched the
mMn city AS far rs the eye could reach,
with HIrWd College towering with its
snowy and mammoth columns con-
Sp'cuousIy like some vast oriental
temple over all else, The grounds
nave attempted to describe in n pre-.
N'ous article, but will add that n line
drawn north from the centre of the
mann building will PASS through the
Art building, across n double and
uensoIy wooded gorge to Horticultural
nan and thence across a similar gorge
little to the right Of Agricultural
Hail Now, if the visitor should pre-
Ter he could reach Agricultural Hall
a'o by a semi.circular route to the
I''Ipassing the Main Building annex,
Machinery Hall, Women's Building,
ana L. :, Government Building, The
whole of this route will be over beau
u'ully graded grounds rs it passes
around the head of the gorges alluded
TO- The walks are all Of Asphalt, are
n'ock and are delightful TO walk upon
Do cool weather, I'm summer they
emit AN odor that is pitchy and Of
COURSE unpleasant, Between them
''' finely cultivated flower beds and
rare shrubs beautifully arranged. In
'front.' OF Machinery Hall, and between