Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-02-14

SAF AAAhAANL hhNA uLlA1 lCuNlluGos.
Present appearance of the Centennial
Grounds.
Day by day, as the winter advances and
the work of removal progresses, the Cen
tennial grounds become more and more
cheerless, and now the prospect is one of
indescribabe desolatiOn. Many of the
asphalJum paves have been taken up, and
the smooth avenues are transformed into
deep-rutted wagon roads. The narrow
gauge track is being partially removed
and the places of pleasure cars filed with
freight trains, while the once brilliantly
thronged structures stand as silent and de-
serted us the ruins of Pompeii. The lake
is frozen over, and the fountain has become
Il crystal circle of cleaning ice. The
wide partarres of flowers along the ap-
proaches to Horticultural Hall have long
since disappeared, and even the dun-col-
ored foliage plants have been removed.
The Main Building, though still crowded
with goods, presents only a promiscuous
array of tightly-packed cases ready for
shipment, hardly an exhibit now remain
ing in place. Among the few articles
which may still be examined are the
bronze and iron fountains and several
pieces OF statuary in the Italian depart
ment. The great organ which stood in
the eastern end Of the structure has been
taken down and shipped back to Boston,
but the New York organ in the north side
still remains. The music stand in the cen
ter of the building is again occupied by
the custom house officials, and several Of
the pavilions have been turned into tenn
porary offices for employees of the terminal
agency, customs brokers, etc. Though n
large amount Of exhibits have been tlken
out Of Machinery Hall, the place still re-
sembIes some mammoth freight depot. in
which thousands Of articles OF all shapes and
sizes are awaiting shipment. All the To-
comotives and nearly all the stationary en-
gines, excepting the Corliss and the large
blast engine near it, have disappeared, and
the wOndrous shaft borer, exhibited by a
Belgian manufacturer, has been taken
down, and most Of the other goods in this
section have been removed. The pavil-
ions in both Machinery Hall and the Main
Building are left standing, and most of
them will probably be utilized in the ar
rangement Of the permanent exhibition.
Agricultural Hall which was the last to
get in readiness for the opening of the
Exhibition, is the first to be dismantled
nearly all the exhibits having been packed
up and most of them removed. This is
one of the most cheerless structures on
the grounds; the long, rambling transepts
are deserted save by an occasional work
man, or the echoing tread of lonely
guard, and the sparrows fit from post to
post, picking up the remnants Of grain ex
hibits, and chirping rs fearlessly as though
in the open air. From the Government
Building only a few private exhibits have
yet been taken, but the labor of packing
up the goods has rapidly progressed, and
will be entirely completed in few weeks.
No visitors are now admitted into this
building unless they have some special
business emitting them to u permit. The
only structure which seems unaffected by
the mighty change is Horticultural Hall.
This Oriental palace is still filled with rare
plants from all sections of the globe, and,
being artilicially heated, is fitvorite re-
sort for the few visitors who enter the
Centennial gates With very few excep
tions, all the PAINTINGS and statuary which
have beautifed Memorial Hall are in cases
and large proportion of the American
exhibits have been sent away. Rother-
mel's magnificent painting, The Battle
of Gettysburg, still remains in the United
States section, and here and there may be
found a small painting or piece of statuary
us We. untouched, and several of the larger
groups have not yet been disturbed.
But in the dissolving Of the old Exhibi-
ton may be seen many preparations for
the new. Not only are most of the Ameri-
can Pavlions to be left standing, but the
snowy Brazilian court, the Mexican pavil-
ion, the Spanish Temple, the framework
in the Swedish and Norwegian depart
mGnts, and some Of the finest showcases
in the German department Of the Main
Building all are to remain, and these alone
will save much expense which would other
wise be necessary in the new enterprise.
A large number Of the Chinese pavilions
have been engaged by the Smithsonian In
stitute for exhibition purposes. There are
now nearly 200 applications for space,
asking for more than the building can ac-
commodale. Amongst these are the Turk
ish who intend to have much finer dis
play of goods than in the old. The hard
ware exhibitors will nearly all remain in
the American department, and several in
the foreign. The Book Trade Association
have applied for 10000 square feet, Cornari
$500 for the display of statuary and paint
ing, and the Trenton potieries for 6,0O0-
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