The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-01
TIE BIG CENTENNIAL SHOW
INFORMfTTON TUiT ETERYRODT IS
RIO ERLY LOOHING FOR.
Crent Efforts and Great ExpcctatiOns-Gi-
aaniic aud Beautiiui Buildings An Army
Of Exbibitors-The Opening Day Fixed.

anntic and BeautiiuI Buiidinus--An Army
Of pxhibitors-The Opening Day Fixed.
PHILADELPHIA, March 29.-All Philadel-
pha seems to be preparing for gigantic graz
to begin May 10. may say the grabbing has
begun. You cannot now visit the Centennial
grounds and return without feeling that some
body has got ahead OF you somehow. Where
are the grounds Five miles out OF town. across
the schuvlkil river, on n hundred-acre tract
stretching up from Falrmount Park. few
years ago tho neighburhood adjacent to the
grounds was quiet country place. Now II re-
eembles dozen mushroom Rold-digeing cities
all huddled together, selling clam soup and sar-
dimes to tho hungry thousands who visit the
gigantic Exposition buildings beyond. Hun
dreds OF Thousands Of dollars Of private capita
have been invested In hotels, saloons, gambling
houses. boarding houses, and sporting places on
speculation and the clanorous, greedy multi
tude who inhabit them expect to make bags
ful OF solid cash.
In the city proper everything seems TO he
tinged with Centennial. Every department OF
trade has prepared 1t ELF by doubling It's capac-
ity. and II the expectati ons OF these people are
realized. YOU viii hear ths crash all the way to
New YORK. IL NAV be a crash of a far dineTent
character from what they expect. Hut the ave-
rage rhilAdelrhiIn now " mucG Ike "a school
boy before Christmas. lie expects big stock
ingful shortly.
There are several routes. long and dusty in
summer, to Teach the buildings from Chestnut
rrsnnds' vii he TOO tired to take theiy chances
In getting back to the city II It can be avoided.
Cool and convenient county boarding houses
New York people c,n visit the grounds direct
by way OF the Pennsvlvanil Railroad. l. has a
station on the grounds. Few people can fully
realize he great extent OF the Exhibition build
lngs. The seven depaftnonts occupy tract OF
ATTY acres. There are I've gigantic and beautiful
n ma at "a fnAf In
length, running east and west, and AGA feet IN
width. II covers over twenty acres. 1ne weight
of IRON In the roof, tius>es, Nc., Ia 80 O.O o
pounds. frOm the north OF the main building
IA the arr gallery; thence the walk lea 5 To Ma
chinciy and Agricultural Halls Machinery Hal
Is rhout 5O feet west of the main buiidine. IL
is La. feet long. a6) feet wide, with additions.
ard II covers nearly thirteen cres. not countins
upuef tiours. sixteen lines OF shaftinR VIII be
turned bv IA pair Of gigantic Coflss engines Of
l4OJ horse mower lhcre are twenty noilers.
Sie an power ami wa'e VIII hc furnished free.
thc Asucultufll building covers ten acres; the
Arr Gallery . .dj ic-t 90 iruy,n, 30 feet N width,
a. q % 10 heishl "a, .o,nu is ijO feet from tho
grIuul. II i OF glass aid iron. unique In de-
SIG. ana terminates ~ col ls '.L uel lne
orticuiturdi bu llnc Is the most beautiful. 1t
Is III tse horcsqse style ot architecture oi the
tN,fth cent Hy. Ii Is Joj feel IJns, aud 1913 fcet
wide.
rns above are the i've buildings proper erect
cd hi tue Icniena.d CO.Lm'ssiOa at cost oi
several millions.
Scattered all ABOUT these immense structures
Hre the baildints OF the INT ca states Cove n
mert, the several States and foreign countries,
tnciuiiug Turkey aud .pan. The latter build
ing T. large md unique, made OF wood put up by
Japs, ana ;here Is not nail In II.
Amercl'S gren,est collection will be In the
GDyernment builiing, wnicn Is to represent he
Uniteu States In peaco and la war. iLe offer
ent dep rtnents IN Washington lave caar-e of
this. Amount appropriated $55 900.
lhe winding ways aud foot walks stretch out
about seven miles. Tho daily cupacity Of water
su ply will DC over ten millions Il gallons. over
five thousand trses have been planted.
All the space ~ Machinery Hall is taken up.
There VIII be- about 900 American exhibitors,
10 Engli-h, aud 80 from other countries-2JO
more than were at Vienna Amerct tis ciimor-
ins for tw c the space toat was d. st assig0eo in
the IL in building.
a st.lhing Ia IRE to the forei- -ncr viii he the
Names OF business men disnlayei on the slgns
OF tie Ccnlennial grounds. 'ar'y ~ the
rcstaurteur'. caterers. rcirc shment alers. and
the Ike nave distinctive foreign II mes. Inc
Tx i'-itIoI Niii Lot ne Amer can in .hi- itspect.
Gcnus began arriving here from ali mar of
the world eir.y tue present year and they re
ali * c' ca to he Ia ny the l2tn Of ApIl. al, r
Inv ,ont,,.,c.I Ns tn oo1 IT,, Ia .'e1, 80, W.,
Nov. 10; II goods u be removed by Dec. 81.
Adniss IN 5l cen
Pniladeiruia nss funny way OF doing many
thinSs. Ine vsi.or 10 the Great Exhibition
must come armed ex .ctiv with bO-Vcnt note.
Two quarters won't do. Ihe applicant for al
mission must neve a ~ cent nore or he WI. n Il
get In. lhi- slinulasier II 20 be dropacd into a
locked bnx, the visitor edges his WAY In throu. n
Tue aIns ol atulbsyie, a NUMBER Is fegistered,
ana thus the record OF visitors is tp be kept. and
no cHances given Tor suDordinates to do any
have learned that many Philadelphians are
sorry tnat tue exposition WIS made an intrrna.
uunai one. Ihry uon't So IA to want to 1 @
10 nered with Dom Pedro or my other iii.e
tiOus foreigners. Ihryd ratncr nave n a loo |
hh ar, because tney think outsiders Will be uOle q
trouble hIn they're worth.
L. required sever | hours to drive around the
buildings, t"Ae a look Ia mere and there and ga n
the DESIRED information. Mhen the Exhib bi ion
Il in iuii oi ~ person can spend Two weeks IN
settln4 though. NOW everything l. noise, din,
and c Infusion. Enough Is to be seen however,
II stlsiy tue observer that the ExhiDitiOn Is
going L" be- very attractive, ana th.t America
VIII m ke a pie sing ana sdtisf trtnry display.
Tue 100 al pntting up these hudings has been
a tat one iOr Ponus,lv inil wuTkincmen and
oonlra tors. But the city of Pniladrlnni is
deel ly IN ueht, NJ the Government morlgage
may AZ completeiy wilU on the Exhibition re-
ccipts 81 To cripple the QlaAer city Tor years.
ne Cenienniai may grove ruinOus " these staid
people. Nnat thoy would nave done had not
CONGRESS loaned tnem money, /. Is impossl ole To
tell.
From appearances the Centennial will come
off just as II " - announced IL IS believed that
everything Will DC IN lcrfect readiness wncn the
timo com, 5. II this be 80 The Commissioners
"a