Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1878-05-02
The Paris Exhibition.
PARIS, Monday, March rs, 1878.

A1o.sSA@O.
PARIS, Monday, March Is, 1878.
On Friday last paid . visit to the Ex-
position In company with several Commls-
sioners newly arrived, and had an oppor.
tunity for seeing how far the works have
advanced. found that things were great.
iy bchindhand. II seems impossible 70
complete the buildings by the lst Of May.
aud. although the greatest activity reiRns
10 every direction, the time Is much too
short for the amount OF work yet to be
doue. ThelQrand palace upon the Trocs-
dero has been nearly completed, and the
interior has just been given up to the deco
rative psiuters. The central tower, which
can now be seen from all parts OF Paris, 10
not yet finished, but 1t will be ready In
three or four weeks. In front Of It the pa.
vilIions OF the different nations are going
up rapidly. The Chinese are the fnrhest
advanced. perhaps. and group OF work.
men from the Celestial Empire Sarc now
working upon the interior with An assiduity
that astonishes the French. One OF the
English houses 10 nearly done, and the
other was raised while l was OH the
grounds. The Egyptian and Persian
houses are nearly complete, and the Swiss
chalet has been finished so far ~ the out.
side is concerned. Already We have .
dozen cottages, pavilions, or chalets, and
begin n form some Idea Of how the
grounds will look some TWO months hence.
When say that things will not be finished
by the l& OF May. I do not moan TO be uI.
derstood that the opening will not take
place. On the contrary, the grounds and
buildings viii be In far more advanced
state than those Of Vienna, and there will
be no obstacles to the ceremony Of inaug.
uration. But amer that some three weeks
will be required to clean up the grounds.
and get everything in order, SO that visi.
tors arriving about the LIST Of June will be
early enough &c the Exposition. The Ex.
hibitors or their agents must arrive by the
lst OF May, but they will require at least
three weeks to get their goods properly
placed and oil the sections In order. The
grand buildings upon the Champ de Mars
are very far advanced, and hundreds OF
workmcu are now engaged In opening the
the furthest advanced OF any country, and
ne II comes Sweden and Norway.
While upon this subject l may put In
word Of advice ~ those who intend 10 take
season tickets, and that Is TO bring photo
graphs with them. The Directors Intend
to denaud that the photograph Of the per.
son shall accompany the permanent cards.
The price OF the season tickets 10 too high,
The sum oi 100 francs Is demanded, and
only q limited number Of persona will 90
10 100 tunes. 100 days means three months.
and not many foreigners will remain for
that time, or II they do, they will not be
apt 10 enter the Exposition grounds 100
, times. Since the price Of entry ID only one
franc, II will be an economy TO pay each
day. 1t Is very probable, also, that Sun
day will De- . free day. The subject IL now
under discussion. NJ. krAntz and the
members Of the commission propose TO
open the doers TO the public two sun.
days ilP each month, but certain members
OF the Municipal Council OF Paris demand
that every Sunday shall be- \ free day.
The argument Is that the people pay for
the sums voted for the Exposition, and
are, therefore, entitled 10 certain privileges.
Up to ls+9 the principle Of the gratulty OF
Sunday always existed, and Ia 1865 the
public paid only sous entry on thai day.
Duri0X that Exposition there were 70 sun
! days. There were 2,ls6, s6a entries on
those days. and the total number OF entries
was only 4. 43l ,4s9. In 1867 no difference
was made In the price. and the number Of
entries on Sundays was only 1881 .l4l, the
total number OF visitors being s,076,&5S.
lh, shows how large number OF persons
there are ia France who are prevented By
the price from entering the Exposition.
All the citizens OF the country contribute
Indirectly to the sum Of 30 900 600 francs
voted, and hence there Is some reason In
giving those who are unable TO pay Il
chance TO see the great enterprise. Ii Is
estimated that this would cost SOC, 900
francs, but since the Republic votes that
sum for the Marshal to give public fetes, 1t
might vote similar sum for the poor.
The appearance OF the City OF Paris has
changed very materially during the past
few weeks, and all the streets are being
dressed up for the Exposition. The new
Avenue del Opera has been completed,
and = magnificent thorouxhfare it Is. It
will soon bsoo,ue one Of the most fashion,
| able streets Of the city, taxing the place,
when the asphaltum sidewalks have been
laid, OF the old Boulevard des Italiens.
All the streets have been thoroughly
cleaned; trees have been planted along the
bouleya ards; all the roads about the Bois
de Boulogne have been newly macada-
mlzed, or are now undergoing that opera
ti"n. We are to have one innovation; tae
tramwsy lines have made their wsy across
the svenue OF the Champs Elysees much
TO the disgust OF the persons who drive
| out 70 the BOis In their carriages, and the
lines now run 10 the Exposition from all
parts Of the city As l write. one Of the
large bronze statues that are TO SdOrn the
palace Is passing along the bouleyards,
drawn by twenty horses and followed by
= crowd. On Saturday ] saw also the
grand equestrian statue OF Charlemsgne,
which weighs $1,000 pounds. The cAta-
ioxue Of this Exposition will be extremely
interesting, and the first edition will be
ready for the opening. II will be sold for
one franc In all parts Of the city, and In
all the hotels.