The daily gazette., 1877-04-27
Our Philadelphia Letter,
THE PERMANENT ExHIBfrf1o,Ss


THE PERMANENT ExHIBiTIoN.i
, From Our Regular Correspondent. n Il,
Thinking that a letter from Philadel-
phia in relation to the Permanent Inter-
national Exhibition would be more in-i
teresting than Washington correspon-
dence, during this season of political
fatness, I have been spending few days
amid the almost deserted palaces of the
great exposition where silence and emp
tiness, as contracted with the gay humor
overflow of last fall, make the present
loneliness doubly Impressive. .r .H
The Permanent Exhibition will be
opened with due ceremony on the 10th OF
next month. The programme and page
antry of the opening exercises. win OF
course be less ostentatious than our too
boastful salutation to the "crumblins
monarchies" of Europe and Asia, and
sappy Republics of South Americatft
the year ofpolitical disgrace with fraudu
lent President 1876. But, notwithstanding
the absence of State and National 'appro.
priations, and the less solid, but not unim-
portant, enthusiasm excited by great his.
toric centennial anniversary, themanage.
ment have faith in its permanent success
and usefulness. The energy and boldness
Of those who have undertaken this vast
enterprise cannot be too much admired
The requisite funds have been subscri-
bed, and those who have the m1tter. In
charge viii have profited by the palpable
blunders of LAST year and all arranger
ments will be more complete than they
have been at any former exposition. The
displays Of foreign countries will neces-
sarily be less prominent then they, were
last year; but France, Brazil, Japan, AND
England and her colonies, will be credit
ably represented. The plan Of arrange
ment with reference to nationality will
be abandoned, and the exhibits win bt
grouped in classes Representing various
arts and industries. The advantages Of
this distributionwili be at once Apparent
for the visitor will be able to compart
and study anyaspecial manufacture or ar
i
he was compelled to go from one inde
pendent show to another in order tC
make a comparison. vi s-a.-gl t.I.rs..
| Space will be allowed TO all exhibitor
free of chargey but they will be required
| to pay tax Of ten per cent on all salel
| for the purpose of defraying the, ,csirren
expenses Of the exposition. T.'ii
That 1t has been possible to fill thu
large exhibition building with interes
ting and valuable exhibits isremarkable
covers an area Of precisely twenty acres
or space. Just 1000 times as large as ;
hall of go by lao feet. The admission fe'
has been fixed at % cents and the door
will be closed on Sunday. T..
There will be among the new attrac
| tions two immense aquar1a. one c0nta1nl
salt water and the other fresh water, wei
stocked with fishes and marine animals
! 1t is designed to make Memorial Hal
an art museum after the order OF tn,
| Kensington Museum in London, and
while It may be almost century befor'
lit reaches the mature perfection of 1T
great pattern, there is reason for con
GRADUATION in the excellent beginning
that has been made.
Last year the attention of visitors wa
so much occupied with the wonders II
| the centennial grounds that many o
them omitted to see the most complete
geological garden on this side of the
water but l mention it now only to re
mark that Philadelphia has built anc
stocked, it all in the short period OF foui
years. .l.-..-.--1 -,
Among the Improvements that vii
edify visitors will be street cars propelled
by steam; in spite of cavil, objections tc
| their noiselessness, and objections thai
they will reduce the price of horses, they
NAV now be considered an established
success, and steps have been taken to in
troduce them in other cities.
j neglected to mention that there will
be no charge for admission to Memorial
Hall or to horticultural Hall and that
the beautiful flower lawns in front OF the
latter will be kept in perfect cultivation
at the expense of the city. !
To what use Machenery Hall will
finally be dedicated Is not at present
known, further than that the Franklin
Institute will use a section OF It's vast
SPACE for an annual exhibition of ma
chinery. Other buildings snch as the
English Government houses, the Jap
anese Villa, and the German. Imperia
pavilion which were presented by, theil
several Governments to the State o1
Pennsylvania, will remain among the
| free. attractions, and, if the Permanent
| International Exhi bition can survive the
calamity of its long name, it will doubt
| less prove a success, q. A. s.