The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-05-02
PARIS EXPOSITION.
CEREMONIES OF THE FIRST DAY.
The Exhibition Opened with Great
Eelat-Tbe Building GaiIy Deco
rated-A Picturesque and
"a N imposing Scene.

PARIS, May 1.-The International EK-
hibition of 1878 was opened to-day with
great ccLqt, the programme heretofore
made public being strictly carried out
| At one time in the morning it was feared
the ceremonies would be interfered with,
as at 9 o'clock rain was falling, but at
9:45 the rain ceased, and hopes were in
spired that the day would be fine. These
were realized at ll:30 when the clouds
broke and the sun shone out brilliantly
the weather though was rather hot.
President Mac Mahon reached the Ex-
position ut . o'clock, in the State car
risge accompanied by his military house
hold He was welcomed by Teisseuer C.
SeBort, Minister of Commerce, and de.
clsred the Exposition open, amid the
salute of the artillery and the music of
the bands. TIE Marshal, at the head OF
the brilliant procession, which included
the Prince of Wales, eI.King Amadeus
and the Crown Princes of Den
mark and the Netherlands, pro-
ceeded through the exhibition buildings.
The scene was picturesque and imposiD &
| in the extreme. State bodies in grand uni
! form, councillors and magistrates In
their robes and different bodies Of the
| institute and legion of honor stood in
| stropg contrast with the Senators, Depu'
ties, clergy and minor officers in their
civil costumes.
The exhibition building was gsyly
decorated with flags Of all nations, and
an immense crowd was in the vicinity
oil the American section. Though unfnsh-
ed, it compares iavorsbly with the other
departments of manufactures, aod shows
best progress. The American Art De
partment is the best ever shown abroad
by America.
New YORK, May IA special from
Paris says: During the psst two days
the city has been continuously under a
cloud Thunder storms have succeeded
each other, and rain has fallen IN torrents.
The effects OF the favorable change In the
weather were soon visible. The friends
of the Exposition were in their glory,
and the Conservatives looked moody.
| The aristoCratiC quarters alone were dis
nal and lifeless. But few flags decorated
the windows of the Legltimists and the
Bonapartists, and it WAS evident that the
enemies OF the Republic were determined
to trown down the great Republican pro
Iect of the day.
Paris was none the less joyous on
this account. The leading thoroughtares
and the Boulevsrds were gorgeous with
flags, banners and decorations. Along
the quays throngs OF people were con-
gregated and the multitude naturally
moved in the direction Of the Antenllard
and Tracadero, Champs Elysees, which
had been almost deserted earlier in the
| day, were soon crowded, French
flags varied by the stars and
stripes, hoated from hundreds of windows,
especially along the Boulevards,
Des Italiens and Champs Eysees.
The American quarters around
the Rue Scribe were especially brilliant.
The Ministerial buildings and the Bank
of France were tsstetully and elegantly
| decorated with tri-color festoons aud silk
banners. The other public buildings
were splendidly adorned and presented
gorgeous spectacle BY noon an i'm
m0nse crowd had congregated In the
| neighborhood of the PODte de Jena, which
is the connecting link between the Tro-
csdero and the Champs du Mars the two
wings of the Exposition. One hundred
! thousand strangers are In the city,
most Of whom are English
and American. The American section
will make very fine display
The American machinery department,
unfortunately, is still IN an unfinished
state, owing to an unforeseen accident,
and will not be ready until June. The
French section is still IN somewhat
chaotic condition. Between 10 and Il
o'clock this morning. large force OF men
and women were hard at work sweeping
scrubbing, hsmmering, hanging and ar
ranging lOr the afternoon. At Z o'clock
this afternoon the great Exposition was
formally opened. Words tail to give an
adequate picture Of the scene at the
time. Multitudes of human beings
| darkened the space comprised between
the limits of the Exposition grounds,
that is to say from the Ecole Mlltalre
aud Hotel des Invs!ides to the Palsiso
de la Trocurdors as far Oh either side as
Fort de Alma and Pont de Greselle.
Everybody who could get within the
| Exposition grounds was there. In the
yestibule of the Trocadero the Minister
of Commerce received the representa-
tiyes of foreign nations and heads of var.
ious home departments. After this the
Marshal president arrived by the rear
euterance and these junction
arie. were formally presented
! TO him After the ceremony
! the Marshal and other gentlemen passed
to the platform which overlooks the
main building, when the Minister OF
Commerce delivered a short address OF
welcome, to which President Mac Mshon
replied, declaring the Exposition formal
" opened. Guns doomed, bands played,
multitudes spplsuded, and the PreIlmi-
| nsries were over.
Ex-Queen Isabella, OF Spain, witnessed
the ceremonies from the gallery occupied
by NJ. De McMahon. Tue father of the
King of Spain was present
The display of machine tools ia in
! fsrior to the American exhibit at Phila-
delphia, but superior TO any other at this
exhibition. Agricultural, sewing and
weighing machines make fine display
Textiles are not yet arranged, but prom
ise very well. Drugs, chemicals, pub
hshers' exhibits, chromos snd cutlery
are superior to the competlr .
exhibits in the other sections
| The American Art Department is
nearly ready. 1t will be the best ever
shown abroad by America. The hall l:
too smsll, but it is beautifully arranged
and contains one hundred paintings and
a few water colors. The American artitt'
represented here include Bacon, Brldg'
msn, Dams, DuBols, Ward, Bruce, May
nard, Llppincott and Msyall. The
places OF honor are occupied by Dams
and Bridgman. Rome is represented BY
Benson and Nedder, Dusseldorf by
| Shode and Munich is not represented.
weather Indications.
WASHINGTON, Msy >, A. M-Fol
! Tennessee and Ohio Valley fsIllr 8