Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-05-02

PHILADELPHIA, April 81. 1877.


PHILADELPHIA, April 81, 1877.
Thinking that letter from this city in
relation to the Permanent international
| Exhibition would be more acceptable to
your readers than correspondence from
| Washington, which must necessarily be
uninteresting at present. have been
spending day amid the almost deserted,
but by no means ruined, palaces of the
Centennial Grounds in West Philadelphia.
The street cars running to and from the
grounds no longer move in close process
sion, are no longer crowded and some of
them, happy innovation! are propelled by
steam. Objections were urged against
them, but they are steadily gaining in pub
lie favor. 1t was objected that they move
noiselcssly like sleigh, without the clan
gor of iron hoofs on cobble stones. thus
endangerng the lives of unwary children
playing hop scotch or marbles on the car
track. But in time they will overcome all
objections, their speed is not so great that
they may not be brought to an instantane-
Gus stoppage, by the use oil the air brake,
and man might sit on the COW catcher
with buggy whip to keep the children of
the way.
Philadelphia is just now in a flutter of
expectancy over the opening of her Per-
mnnent International Exhibition, which
will open on the 10Th of May, the ami
versary of the Centennial opening day
The programme of ceremonies has just
been definitely arranged. President
Hayes is to preside, and after congratula-,
tory addresses by Mr.. John Welsh and
Mr. Alfred T. Goshorn, formally announce
the opening of the Exposition. The eXcr-
cises include the music of thousand
voices accompanied by the Roosevelt
Organ, which stills remains in the main
building.
The Permanent international Exhibition
will be confined to the Main Centennial
Building, and the entrance fee will be
twenty-five cents, or half the sum that was
charged last year for admission to the
Centennial Grounds. The Exhibition as
before will be closed on Sundays. There
will be no charge for admission to Me-
mortal and Agricultural Halls, and such
buildings us the japanese Villa, the Eng
fish Cottages, the Imperial German Pa
vilion, and others that have been present.
ed by their various governments to the
city Of Philadel phia, will remain among
the free attractions. Great changes have
been made in the character and arrange
ment of exhibits in the Main Hall. The plan
of arrangement with reference TO nation
ality has been abandoned, and the displays
will be groul ed according 10 the art ~
manufacture which they represent. This
will be IN improvement on the old plan.
The visitor who is interested in any special
class, leather goods, for example, will
find them, although representing the in
dustry in different countries, arranged
side by side, thus allording IL much better
opportunity for comparative study. But
while England and her Colonies, France,
Japan, and Brazil, will not be represented
in lhei national capacity, the display of
much that is distinctive and characteristic
of these and other countries will be no
insignificant part of the show.
1t is impossible not to admire the energy
and courage, some say the fooIhardlness
Of those who have embarked in so unique
and gigantic in enterprise as a Permanent
International Exhibition, for it must be re-
membrred that this is the venture Of indI-
viduals, without municipal, state, or ma
ional aid, and independent of the enthu-
>iasm inspired by a great national epoch.
| cannot believe it will Prove financial
success. The expense of conducting II
permanent exhibition, confined to one
building, will Of course be much less than
was required last year for the Centennial
Exposition; but the attendance and gate
money will be inromparably smaller still.
The visitor from Kaamuzoo, Damlong-
wayotf and Nogaski will he wanting
But, for those in search of useful informa-
ton, the Permanent International Expo
sition Il hope it may survive the calamity
of that name) boiled down to an area OF
twenty acres covered by the main build
ING, will afford advantages that were not
to be found last year in the Babel OF high
titled restaurants and h-penny shows
with foreign names that were so conspicu-
Gus IL feature OF the great Exposition.