Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-12-07
The Atlanta Exposition.

The Atlanta Exposition.
Having procured our tickets for Atlanta, !
we boarded the train at Knoxville, and, OBJ
aiming q comfortable seat, were ready for
the train to msve. We did not have to wait
long. The bell rang and the conductors
all aboard" gave notice that we were off.
Proceeding some distance on our way we
began to look around to discover who were
or likely to be, our companions sen goyage."
We found, on investigation, that we were to
have the pleasant companionship of the
Nessrs Squire, Cornick, Hale, and Thomas,
of Knoxville, all clever, nice gentlemen,
with whom the weary monotony of the long
ride was broken by jest and story. We also
had the pleasant company of Mr.. Galloway,
of Bountville. We arrived in good shape
at our destination at $50 o'clock p. III and
after some difficulty obtained comfortable
rooms at the Markham House. We were
up bright and early next morning, preparing
to start forthe Exposition grounds, two miles
east of the city on the line of the railroad.
Tickets to the grounds and return cost 20
cents. These bits of paper purchased, we
were ON the cars and off After a short and
rapid run we were landed on the entrance
platform of the Exposition. Here at the
gate of covered and inclosed shed our
railroad ticket was taken up and we were
admitted on the, payment of a silver half
dollar, through another gate into the
grounds of the Exposition and we were at
liberty to see all that was to be seen. 1t is
not my purpose to give in detail all the
articles on exhibition. l should fail in try
ing But l will give as best may gen.
eral view or idea of the Exposition, pre-
missing at the beginning, that it is the
grandest display of fine arts and industries
and all the articles and things entering into
the productions of human industry and in
genuity that l have ever seen er mayhap
may see again during my life. 1t
is simply grand beyond de-
scription, and to be appreciated
must be seen. We made our entrance at
the western end of the building The ex-
pass ways the entire length of the mon
strous building, which is in the form of
cross with arms of equal length, all the
passages thus meeting in a common centre
at the intersection of the cruciform build
ing. I was informed that there were eleven
miles of walks Throughout the building.
This will give some idea of it's extent. Be-
ginning with our entrance were machines
making Busher wire fencing, and extending
on before us on the right and left were saws.
sawmills and machinery for working all
kinds of saws, some in operation, engines
of all makes and patterns known, SEEM
ingly, straw and ensilage cutters, threshing
machines and wheat cleaning machines of
all sorts and Sizes Further on we came on
to the first exhibition of cotton machinery.
Here were power looms in operation, weav-
ing cotton fabrics. Near by was the J. & p.
Coats thread machine hard at work making
spools and spinning thread and fill
ing the spools with thread all at once.
Near these on the right were looms weav-
ing silk in different shades. Further on,
We came up with the huge Corliss engine
moving with its polished arm all this ma
chinery. Further to the left, here we meet
up with King Cotton in his natural state
Just from the field. Then in endless varie
ty followed the cotton gin machines pre-
pairing the raw cotton for spinning and
weaving machines for hulling the cotton
seed, and expressing the oil from them
were also in operation. Returning to the
centre, we again turn to the left to find new
wonders. The Remington display of fire.
arms, agricultural implements, &C., was
simply splendid. So also was the display
of the different sewing machine companies
oil cto I,,sl
Still on in this direction we pass through a
bewildering display Of almost everything
under the sun. Here we meet up with
8 bleeding" Kansas But instead of bor-
der ruflians and jay hawkers, we find the
grandest display of agricultural products
and other elements of human indus
try and enterprise. Such as was
never witnessed upon the face of the
earth-a display that is magnificent beyond
descriptions witness and monument to the
genius of free labor The central figure in
TINS display of Kansas was an open pavilion
with dome resting on four columns COW
cred with the grains, grapes and fruits of
Kansas and crowned at either end with
splendid Brahma rooster constructed of
wheat, oats, grass and barley heads. This
pavilion is fianked on the right and left by
columns perhaps thirty feet in height, COW
cred with grains and fruits in such way as
to spell the name &C Kansas" from top to
bottom. Near by are the displays of Texas
and Arkansas, both of which are creditable
indeed TO the public spirit and enterprise of
those states. Further on, in an annex to the
main building, we meet up with the South
Carolina exhibit. Here again I was sur
prised and gratifed at the evidence of wealth
and returning prosperity shown by this
littIa fate yyboGa fact Iava1 1,u be broad
Atlantic and whose head is crowned
with the mists of the Blue Noun
tains. GIVE la South Carolina"
About face, and we wound our way back on
the opposite side of the broad Hail. meeting
WITH new surprises at every step. Here We
are again at the intersecting point, and we
take the left hand through maze of aston
lshlng displays of the products of the field,
the forest, the mine, and the machine,
Wooden and cotton goods, in all their differ
ent varieties and from all the mills in the
Union are here exhibited in beautiful array.
Turning to the right at the end of this wing
of the main building, we retrace our steps
on the opposite side and take in the objects
efipterest as they present themselves to our
wondering view. We see huge lump of
coal, labeled 5000 lbs, and then followed
specimens Of marble and granite. In quick
succession on the right and leftare splendid
display of burial caskets. Bales of cotton
from the utmost parts of the earth, includ-
ing India and Africa. Here near the central
point of the building in this wing we came
up with Clarks o. N. r. thread machine.
Wonderful indeed is the almost human pre-
clslon with which this machine does its
work, attended by one pretty young wo-
man. supplying it with empty spools and re-
moving the spools after being filed. This
machine fills 5000 spools of Clark's cele-
u Ill vi.