The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1878-05-10
Correspondence
OUR PARISLETTER

.IOUR PAKUS LEI1Ef
The Great Day ApprOaehing-PrOgres
in the United States DivisiOn-Exhibi
OF Tiffany & Co.-The Crown Jewel
OF Observation-Disclosures on Dat
| The Electric Light at the Exposition
"A Big Bailoon-Something abOu
our Honorary" Commissioners
Theatre G0ssip-Etc., Etc. I. 30
From our Regular Correspondent
HOTEL DU LOUVRE. PARIS, April II, rs.
Another fortnight, and the grand Ex
position will open. But it will be IA
from ready, and visitors for the frs
week or two will have to pick their wa,
carefully among packing cases, shelving
canvas screens covering incomplete o.
incomplete sections, and brio 6rac O
all kinds. Somehow or other, thest
grand international exhibitions never
are ready on time; Paris was not ready
in 1867, Vienna was not ready in 1873
and Philadelphia was not ready in 1876
In 1857, the Emperor walked through
two rows of"consignments" and declared
the Exhibition open, long before the
workmen were able to make the same
declaration in regard to most of the
packing cases. Marshal McMahon, nc
doubt, will do much the same thing this
time; and would advise those who con
template visiting the grand show not to
start earlier than June, as it will be the
middle Of that month, judging from
present appearances, before all the de-
partments will be complete and ready
for inspection. -.- ..
In our own section, the men are work
ing day and night, and we will be toler-
ably far advanced on the opening day.
The costly exhibit of Tiffany & Co, OF
New York, has arrived and is placed in
position, guarded by four Of the fifteen
marines who we're sent out by the Gov.
ernment to guard the United States Sec
ton; one of the rules being that the
different nations have to watch their
goods at their own expense, with general
assistance, of course, from the local
French authorities. 1t is curious to see
soldiers from all parts of the world in
the palace on the Champ de Mars, sta
toned on duty in front Of the sections
allotted to their respective countries; no
less than eighteen men of the "line"
standing guard, day and night, over the
case which contains the Crown Jewels
of England, in the British section.
The arrangements for lighting the
Palace of the Trocadero, as well as the
Place de POpera, Avenue du Trocadero,
and the Bridge of Jeno, with the electric
light are rapidly progressing, and it is
expected that the machines will be in
operation by the middle of May. The
principal railroad stations will all be sup
piled with this light before the close of
the Exhibition, and the proprietors of
some of the larger retail stores are max
ing arrangements to light their estab-
hshments by electricity, compared with
which gas is as tallog dips compared to
gas. -- 81
The gamins of Paris are looking for
ward in great glee to the balloon ascents
that are to form one of the features ofth
Exposition. The balloon, which will be
the largest in the world is now in course
Of manufacture at the Tuileries, where
one hundred and sixty sewing girls are
engaged in putting the pieces of which
1t is made together. The car will hold
fifty passengers, and has a restaurant and
bar attached. A wire rope, some eight
hundred feet in length, will be secured
in the bottom of the car and operated by
a windlass, so that the balloon with its
living cargo will always be under con-
trol-proyided the rope does not break.
1t will take about four minutes, under
favorable circumstances, for the balloon
to ascend till the end of the rope is
reached, and about eight to wind it down
again, the windlass being operated by
small steam engine. A ride in the bal
lOon will cost two francs, and admittance
10 the enclosure whereupon the ascents
take place, one franc. The chances of
an accident By the rope giving way are
freely discussed, and would form, doubt
less. an acceptable sensatiioal side show
10 the saliated Parislans.
One CT the most amusing features of
he appointment, by the President. of
one hundred and fifty honorary COM
nissioners is the delusion under which
'ome Of these gentlemen labor regarding
heir prerogatives. Some forty or fifty
IF them have arrived already, and are
;ausing Mr. Mccormick, the Commits
loneral General, more trouble than all
,ther things combined. In the first
place, they insist on free passes, which
he French Government will not grant;
secondly, they want choice seats at the
opening ceremonies; thirdly, they want
invitations to the grand banquet which
viii be given by the City of Paris ON the
opening day. and lastly, they want In
to President MacMahon.
Neither Of these things are feasible, and
The "Honoraries' are dissatisfied in con-
sequence. England, with an exhitit
more than six times as large as that of
The United States, has only three honor
ary Commissioners; Germany has seven,
Russia has three, and no nation has
more than ten, with the exception Of the
United States, which has one hundred
and fifty, or about as many as all the
other nations which participate in the
exposition put together. The Parisians
think it absurd, and, in my opinion, they
are not far from the truth.
The theatres, now in full blast, are
resping a rich harvest especially those
whose speciality is Opera Boufts. At
the Renaissance, Mile. Zuima Bouffaris
al the rage although no longer young,
she still possesses, in ie fullest extent,
that indomitable chic which always cap.
tivate-especially foreigners. Mime.