Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-08-02

Our Paris Letter.
THE FRENCH MECHANICAL DEPARTNRNT-AN
ICE MANUFACTURING AACHINs-A FRENCH
FAMILY GROUP FROM THK COUNTRY -
AMERICAN PoP-CORN-GILT JEwELRY-DIA-
HoND CUTrING-THE FOLLY OF PATIENCE,
OR THR PATIENCE OF FOLLY AS SHOWN IN
CORK CAsTLR-PRINTISG AND ENGRAv-
ING PROCESSES. FROM WOOD CUTS TO
CHRoHos-INFERIoRITY OF FRENCH Pa
PERs.
PARIS, July Is, 1873.
No part of the French mechanical depart
ment presents finer effect than that where
number of immense machines, from the
celebrated Gail mandatory, rise more than
half way to the high roof of the hall. | will
not attempt to describe these giants Of iron
and steel, but only note peculiar and pictur-
esque effects produced by the grouping Of
so many vast pieces of machinery. A re-
frigerating apparatus attracts much atten-
ton. the whole process of artificial
ice-making being before the eyes of
the observer. Large blocks Of very dense,
clear ice are constantly turned out. 1t is
interesting to observe the naif wonder of the
simple country people, on visit to the Ex-
hibition, when they witness this miracle of
science; they can scarcely believe their eyes
as the CONCEALED masses are laid out on
slabs of cork. There are Just now many vis-
itors from the rural provinces of France,
who are quite as interesting as the exhibits
they have come to look at. | observed one
family. in particular, standing for long
while before tine freezing machine. They
were quite study in themselves; the
head Of the house was attired in
suit Of a cut that might have been
fashionable fifty years ago. which the
village taiior's art had made curiosity OF
wrinkles and creases, of loosenesss where it
should have been tight, and of tightness
where it should have loose. His two sons
one stalwart young man, the other an awk-
ward, angular peasant-wore clothes that
were quite the counterpart of those of their
worthy progenitor, their sembance leading
one to suppose that their local tailor had
strong conservative views. and had trained
his shears to preserve the cut that was all the
style in his youth, with lofty disregard for
the changes Of tickle fashion, had gone
on turning out redingotes Of the style
of Charles IL for three generations of
peasautry. The female members OF the
party displayed their picturesque local cos
tume-a high linen cap, bedecked with gay
ribbons; a woollen dress, of quantity sim
pie fashion; and pretty apron, evidently
meant for show and not for use. Thus at
tired, they looked as fresh and pleasing as
the men appeared ridiculous. They were
amazed at the sight Of the artificial ice, and
watched the frozen blocks as they came out
of the machine, leaning over the railIngs to
lay their fingers upon them, doubling their
eyes until an additional sense had clinched
the argument and convinced them that there
was real ice in the middle of Summer.
What is that distant sign that
mas Just caught our eye Amer
lean popcorn The sight of it makes
the mouth water Just as the "Star Spangled
Banner" played by Gillmore's band, on the
Fourth Of July. made our eyes slop over. We
must pay visit. for the sake of .0ld Lang
Lyme" to the article, which, with chewing
gum, every American remembers to have
been the staple nourishment of his school
boy days. How intensely patriotic we be-
come when the Atlantic ocean is between us
and home. We denounce our institutions aid
public men before we have been abroad,
but become devout worshipers of almost
every thing American when We have had
opportunity to compare them with things
on this side. | have known Americans so
patriotic as to take drink in Paris for
no better reason than that the saloon, kept,
most probably, by an Englishmsn, had on it
the sign, american bar" The American
popcorn machine is actively turning cut
large round balls of the compound, and
lively sale is carried on, most of the people
who gather round being curious to sample
it E; but popcorn as manufactured at the Ex-
hibition seems to be more sticky and less sa-
worry than the popcorn We used to smug9le
into school and nbble at stolen intervals.
Let us approach and see what this dense
crowd is looking at. 1t is an exhibit of the
Of plate gilt iewelry.
The whole process is going on un-
der the eye of the visitor, and
a large quantity of pretty bogus
trinkets are made and sold. Further on
under glass case is Il most elaborate model
of a castle executed entirely in cork. Every
detail OF architecture is finished with sur
prising care, rendering this work of patience
and folly quite artistic in its character. Some
idle individual devoted nine years to the
task, a longer time than Gustave Dore re-
quired to- illustrate five great works, and
cover miles of canvas. In this section the
process of diamond cutting may be witnessed,
and slow, labOrious process it is. The lapi-
daries at work on the precious stones appear
to be sitting in large open pavilion. but.
on closer inspection, you will find that thick
plate glass entirely separates them and the
from the spectator.
Every printing and engraving process may
be seen in the French or other mechanical
departments. Chromos, wood cuts, steel
and copper plate pictures, lithpgraphs, zinc
ographs, copies from Edison's electric pen,
and from the American type writer, are
all made in the presence of the visitor.
Several Paris papers have presses at the |
Exhibition which continually strike of speei-
men sheets for distribution to the public.
But no journal published in Paris can COM
pare in quality Of paper. and beauty of typog-
raphy. with the papers on our side the
water. &. A. :.