Daily Republican., 1884-09-03

LIDO great EleCtrlCAl CXnlDfLiUn, fntl-
adelphia, was opened promptly at noon
yesterday. A great throng filed the
lecture room in the abandoned depot OF
the Pennsylvania Railroad at Thirty.
second and Market streets almost to
suffocati0n, and crowds as thick rs bees
In hive swarmed into the adj Joining
restaurant. The vestibnles leading to
tho lecture room also contained q
great mass of spectators, and blocked
up the approaches of the bridge across
Thirty second street The aisles OF the
main exhibition building were also ALI
ed with people who could not get near
the depot building itself. The platform
OF the stage at the north end OF the lee.
ture room was almost hidden from sight
by encircling banks of tropical plants
and summer flowers. Silken banners
decorated the walls in the rear of
the stage, and festooned flags, ever.
green's and grouped bannerets made
striking and fantastic friezes for the
large columns VIII, ch arose from eac b
corner Of the stage to support conical
roof Of American flags.
Central figures In a group OF distin.
gnished scientists, ischolars and public
men upon the platform we're Governor
4 dtllrOut utOFkt bOktI AuN NlhybT
Smith. To the right and left Of the ros
trum, above the heads of the Governor,
and Mayor respectively, we're the coat
of arms of the Commonwealth of Penn
sylvania and the city of Philadelphia,
lie the banners of all nations hung
from the east, west and south walls.
Modestly occupying back seat was
the President Of the Frank lin Institute,
TsLs hr. all atA tA..u
wedged In like sardines in box, over
flowing the stage itself and filing two
thirds Of the lecture room, were promi :
nent public men of the State and nation,
scient fists Of world wide reputation and
civic representatives from various ma
tions of the globe. Itwas a striking
Assem- blage, gathered to do honor to the
first Electrical Exhibition of the fore
most nation in electrical discovery and
utilization OF electrical force in all the
world.
Hon. George II. Boxer, poet and diplo-
mat, WAS, as Chairman of the Recep.
ton Committee, chosen to preside, and
atnoon, In single appropriate sentence,
introduced Mayor Smith, who, "a the
Chief Magistrate of Frapklin's adopted
city, delivered the address of welcome
to the guests and assembled friends.
Upon the conclusion of the Mayors
address, and as soon as the vast throng
could be properly placed In position, a
procession was formed headed byMayoI
Smith, who escorted the long line
through the vestibule and over the
bridge 10 the main gallery of the ex'
hibition hall. Here the great electric
vocation poured forth theamelody of q
popular American air as the procession
lied in from below. A great noise OF
hammering, banging and general prepa-
| ration was going on upon the floor be-
meath.
In the midst of all this confusion
Rev. j. s. Mcintosh, d. D, offered uI
q beautiful prayer, his mellow voice a,
times even getting the better of the in
tolerable racket below. Two thousand
heads were reverently bowed during
the delivery OF the prayer, at the con
clusiou Of which the German orchestrs
rendered Eome choice music. These
sweet concords, together with the per
suasions of the Off GERS of the exhibition
finally induced the hammerers to stoI
their noisy preparations on the floor O.
the main hall, and when Mr.. Boxer in
troduced President latham, of tn,
Franklin Institute, quiet had been re-
stored and the speaker had fair chanc,
to be heard.
At the close of Mr.. Tatham's address
IGovernor Pattison was introduced, who
made an eloquent and able address
Last night thousands of people gathered
on the streets in the vicinity of the ex
hibition building. The structure has {
front of 283 feet on Lancaster avenue
and 160 feet on Thirty-second street
with towers 60 feet high at each of th'
four corners. The main roof consists o
q central Gothic arch 100 feet span ant
200 feet in length. Two smaller ones
with 80 feet span each, run parallel will
the main arch. There is q large trian
gular annex one story high, whicl
completes the structure. The size of it
interior may I've judged from the fac
that with more than two o-thirds of tn
space occupied by exhibits, 900 visitor
can be accommodated.
A Y9rmOmt Election.