Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-05-18
WAS called 80 the trent and compliment

/ CT Nlta tHTVe CneeTS
/ The formal speaking OF the occasion
was by Mr.. John Welsh, of Philadel,
/ phia, president Of the centennial board
of finance, who presented the buildings
/ to the United States centennial com.
mission; by Gen. Joseph r. Hawley
president of the United States centen
NAL commission, who in turn made the
presentation to the President of the
United States, and by Gen. Grant, who
proclaimed the opening OF the Inter
national Exhibition Of 1875. Gen.
Hawley was the only speaker who
could be heard
At noon precisely the ceremonies
were ended. The flag was run up from,
the staff of the main hnilding opposite
Memorial Hall, aud the air was rent
with cheers. The orchestra and
chorus, with organ accompaniment,
rendered a halleluJjan chorus, and the
President moved towards the main
building, with. the Emperor and En-
press Of Brazil and Mrs. Grant, follow
| ed by the long retinue of foreign ann
bassadors commissioners, cabinet
officers, Senators, Governors, Congress
men and others.
AT this time the pressure became so
great below, by the crowd impatient to
get into the main building before the
President, that the marines and sailors
of the frigate Congress had to be
brought in and supplant the volunteers,
which they did with an air that eyident-
" meant business. In the meantime,
however, the narrow aisle was eheked
up with people, Ladies Of high distinc
ton were jostled, and the squeeze was
SO tight that one caught in it could
scarcely breathe
The occurrences in Machinery Fall
formed the most interesting events OF
the day when at halt-pass l O'Clock
President Grant and Dom Pedro start
ed the motive power of that hall. At a
signal from Gen. Hawley the President
and the Emperor each seized crank
opening the valves and turned them
several times. AT once a sound which
gave to the people the understanding
that the engine was about to move,
then the monstrous seventy ton fly
wheel began slowly moving, incrsass
ing gradually in rapidity until it was
travelling at It's full speed. Gen. Haw-
lew started the ''hurrah," which was
taken up by the surrounding multitude.
The deafening cheers travelled through
the building and as all the wheels i'll
the hall began moving, the ringing OF
the bells and other demonstrations told
to the world that the centennial ex-
hibition was fairly opened.
APPEARANCE OF THE BUILDINGS, ETC.
The centennial buildings DOW present
crsditable appearance inside. The
floors have been swept, the rubbish
removed from the principal aisles and
side passages and the unfinished see
tons where goods remain unpaoked
have been partially concealed by cur
tains. The labor Of the past few days
has been very great, and has taxed the
energies Of the commissioner to the
utmost. Visitors generally spper sat-
isfed with the exhibition, and after the
rush to see the procession was over
numbers devoted their time to careful
study Of the many interesting exhibits.
The work will be rapidly pushed on
the unfinished portions and it is hoped
that everything will be completed by
the first OF June.
The Centennial Hymn, by John Greenleaf Whittier,
WAS sung with magnificent erect and ELECTED !oaa
Gi,a tnIlsic
K Paine, OF Massachusetts, and was rendered With
organ and orchestra. The hymn is as follows:
Our fathers Godi from out whose hand
The centuries fall like grains of sand,
We meet to-day, united, free,
And loyal to eur land and Inee,
TO thank Thee fer the era done.
And trust Thes for the opening one,
Here where of G Id, by Thy design,
The fathers spake that word Of Thine
Whose echo is the glad refrain,
Of rsnded bolt and falling chain,
To grace our festal time from all
The zores Of earth guests we call,
Re with MS while the New World grests
The Old World, tnronging all Its stfeets
Unwilling all the triumphs wen
BY art or toll beneath the sun;
Aud unto common good ordain
This riyalship of hand and brain.
Thou who hast here IN concord furled
The war flags Of gathered world,
Beneath western skies tuhu
The Orient's mission of good Will,
And freighted with Loves golden neace,
send back the Argonaut OF peace.
For art and labor met in truce,
For beauty made the bride OF use,
We thank Thee, while withal we crave
The austere virtues strong to save,
The honor proof to place or gold,
The manhood never bought or sold.
!make Thou us, through centuries long
In peace secure, and justice strong;
Around eur gift Of freedom draw
The safeguards Of Thy righteous Law,
And cast in some diviner mold,
Let the new cycle shame the old.
The fine weather of Saturday invited
much larger number of visitors out
to the centennial exposition in Phila
delphia on that day than on the pre-
vious day. The walking facilities were
much better. Improvements have been
made on the principal avenues, and in
few days Belmont avenue will be in
good condition. The attendance on
Saturday numbered between forty and
fifty thousand, though the exact figures
cannot be stated, the electric apparatus
for the purpose of registering not hav-
ing yet been attached to the turn stile.
Work on the grounds in the vicinity
of Georges Hill and Machinery Hall is
sill very backward, and it will take
I