The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1876-08-12
OUR PHILADELPHIA LETTER.
FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 2, 1876.

FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 2, 1876.
This deliciously cool weather has had
rn effect to slightly increase the daily at
tendance at the Fair, and the plenteous
rains have revived the parched earth and
made the beautiful and highly cultivated
lawns and fower-beds around HorticuItu-
raj hall rejoice with fresh life Now, if
ever, the rush Of visitors that has been
so long longed for, will come, for there is
now no resort so replete with the sources
of physical and intellectual enjoyment as
the Centennial Exposition, and no city
where the Injuries or necessaries Of tran
silent life may be had at more reasonable
prices than at Philadelphia. This was not
the case during the first weeks Of the Fair,
but the high priced hotels have been
taught a wholesome lesson. Those on the
American plan, with their exorbitant
prices, such as the "Globe" and Trans
Continental, have been almost empty,
but those on the European plan are doing
a pretty fair business. Their charges are
one dollar per day for room, and the res
taurant prices are very reasonable. Those
convenient to the grounds are the "Atlas. y
ELM Avenue and Congress Hall :" the
last is situated nearly opposite the central
entrance Of the main building After an
experience Of three months at various ho-
tells and boarding houses, ] have learned
to avoid any hotel remote from the
grounds; besides the daily waste Of from
one to two hours of precious time, the
ride on the street-cars, where it is not al
ways possible to secure a seat, is fatiguing,
and units the visitor for the arduous work
of sightseeing. Some of these hotels,
like Congress Hall within FIVE rods Of the
Exposition) are no higher in their charges
than the hotels three or four miles distant,
and the advantage Of stepping fresh from
bed and breakfast into the world Of won
ders, must be estimated both in time and
mnney.
Those who come for short visit fire.
quently say to me: How can we see the
Exhibition to best advantagel What do
you think is best worth seeing" OF course
it is impossible to satisfactorily answer
these questions. A helpful answer must
pre-suppose an intimate acquaintance with
the questioner, and knowledge Of the
forte and foible of his education. AS a
rule, the most important exhibit for all
Americans to see, is in Memorial Hall.
Our cOuntrymen and countrywOmen may
satisfy their passion for machinery textile
fabrics, ceramics, jewelry, furniture, etc,
without coming to the worlds fair but
nowhere, and never before, in this hemi-
sphere, has there been such a large dis
play Of that in which we, as people, are
most deficient, Of art, oil-paintings, water
colors- and marble and bronze statuary.
The eye becomes fatigued and confused by
the redundance Of specimens, and the be-
holder acquires, at first, only vague, beau
tiful impressions of color and form but
he sees them again day after day, and is
soon able to recall them, for they have be-
come an inheritance, the most precious
that he can take away from the fair.
If there is any terrestrial material thing
for which human admiration and enthusi-
asm is excusable, it is high art-the sue
cessful embodiment in marble or on canvas
Of the ideal-but how Insignificant and fiat
seems even the highest of these idealiza-
tiOns when compared with the higher tenn
poral, to say nothing Of eternal, themes.
How infinitely grander are the sea and sky
than any painting Of them A great art
list may fix on canvas an idea, or passion,
but it is at best "just the painting Of a
sorrow." The artist has caught and crys-
talIzed the vision that thrilled him, and he
has his reward: but why should we seek
in alien, or, if preferred, mutual breasts,
for that which thrills or inspires when the
palpable realities are around, above, be-
meath and in US
There is an exhibit in the main build
ing not more attractive in itself than the
channel house or city morgue. The prin-
cipal figures here are the stuffed skins of a
bulldog, with bloody, lacerated legs and
head, and bloody game-cock, with cruel
steel spurs, standing over dying gladiator
of the same species. Numerous whips,
clubs, thongs, and other instruments of
mans inhumanity to animals, complete the
exhibit. Over all is hung banner bearing
the device of the angel Of mercy flying to
the rescue of an over-lsden dray horse that
has fallen down and is making Intellectual
efforts to respond to the cruel blows of his
driver. This is Mr.. Bergh's exhibit. The
bulldog and other stuffed specimens are
such as have been received by the Society
for the Prevention Of Cruelty to Animals.
The clubs, whips, etc., were taken from