The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-02-07
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM NEW ORLEANS.
The Worlds Exposition-The Govern
ment and States Building-A Sea Of
Entertaining and Wonderful
Exhibits, &C., &c.
New ORLEANS, January goth, 1885


Editors Union AS promised in my last to
give description of some of the exhibits in the
Government and State buildings, will do so now
When say some l mean few, for n complete
decription Of the many exhibits and wonders in
this building would make volume of several
hundred pages. The display is fine, wonderful
and beautiful, and will repay person to spend
considerable time and money, and to go long
distance to see it, not to speak of the balance of
the great Worlds Exposition. The Government
and States building is the second largest one,
and is situated to the right and north of the main
balding, the latter being in the centre of the
grounds of nearly 800 acres. A line of cars run
to the main entrance of the Government
and State building. AS you enter you see
profusion of flags and the National colors placed
by the government in the space occupied by its
display. The space extends the whole length of
the building and is of considerable width. The
first thing is the display of Indian relics and two
splendid busts of Indian warriors. The Fish
Commissioners display of models of fish, fishing
boats and vessels, comes next. The taxidermist's
display is very fine indeed, two subjects being
especially admired, is "Comming to the point"
and is bird-dog coming upon covey of par
tridges, the dog and birds being as natural as
life. The other is sea gull which has been shot
in its light by and the bird is endeavoring
to pull the arrow out with its claw and bill. The
"Funny Fellows" are represented by about twenty
FIVE bull-frogs placed in as many different atti-
tudes, representing such scenes as the Bridal
Party" the "Smoker," the "Dude," the "Social
Club" where about eight represented as
carousing and all drunk, and several other scenes
all well gotten up. There is large collection of
minerals and ores, models of all descriptions from
the Patent Office. The light house service makes
a display of the different lamps and apparatus
used for that purpose and several models of large
and prominent light houses. The Army and Navy
is also represented by two models of cannons full
size) and guns captured in different battles. The
Greedy Relief Expedition exhibits large collec-
ton of photographs of views taken in the Arctic
regions also the boats, sleds, &C., used by the
Greedy party, but the most interesting thing is
the piece of seal skin left of the piece which
Greedy and his men tried to live upon while
starving at Camp Sabine. 1t looks just like a
piece of tough hide used for harness, and how
they managed to prepare and eat it is one
of the mysteries. Every visitor should not fail to
see it. The post office is great convenience for
exhibitors, as they can have their mail delivered
three times day at their space. The govern
ment will show elevated railroad on a miniature
scale, the speed with which the mail is carried.
The government has large and interesting dis
play and is almost equal to q trip through the
public buildings at Washington.
Maryland comes next in the order of notice
She is located on one of the two principal asles,
and the display is varied and instructive, being
composed of relics and collections, and is study
in itself; while it is not decorated with the grains
and fruits of the Stateas the majority the West
ern States are will tell of later, yet it is
of school for historians and those who wish to
learn of the resources of the State. Maryland has
the honor of owning the largest collection of in
sects in the United States, and probably in the
world, she having the very large number of 200,-
900. Col. Scharf, after considerable trouble in ar
ranging them in glass cases, was compelled to re-
ship them home, owing to the frequent rains the
IL g I'll tho,x 90
mold. He filled the space made vacant with p0r-
traits of the Presidents of the United States and
prominent men of Maryland. The Battle Monu-
ment is represented by model, also the Wash
ington Monument at Washington, the latter being
of marble from Cockeysville. All the building
stones and marbles of the State are shown, includ-
ing fine specimen of the beautiful green serpen-
tine marble of Hartford county.
The Western Maryland Railroad makes dis
play of grain grown, ores mined and goods man.
ufactured along its route; also photographs of Pen
Mar scenery.
The B. & O. R. R. makes show that Maryland
should be proud of, being the birthplace of the
first railroad and telegraph line in the world
They show model of the Cooper engine, the first
railway engine ever run in the world also the
"Grasshopper," the first engine whose wheels
were coupled. They also show models of the first
closed and oren passenger coaches; also fac similes
of the first tickets and passes, the tools used by
Chas Carroll, of Carrollton 1.-THE last surviving
signer of the Declaration of independence in
laying the corner stone of the B. & O. R. R. in
1927. The following will be new to the majority
of your readers-that the Baltimore & Ohio R.
R., in its infancy used q which was propelled
along its line by the wind, and is called the sail
car also an electric moter which made its trial
on the B. & o. But the greatest surprise is
tread-power after the style of tread-powers used
for threshing machines. 1t was mounted on
wheels, the gearing attached to them, and thus
being propelled by the horse treading; attached
to this was the passenger coaches. This shows
the difference between 1927 and 1885, and also
shows the different experiments made by the road.
The three above mentioned machines are repre-
scented by models. They show the first telegraph
message and instrument, tho style of poles and
wire, and also the present telegraph instrument,
by which sic messages are sent and received upon
one wire at one an the same time. This wonder
full machine is owned and used exclusively by the
B. 0. Telegraph Company. They have fine
photographs of scenery along the road, one pho
tograph being the largert taken in this coun-
try. l will give description of other State ex-
hibits after I return to Baltimore, which will be
in few days, having made arrangements with a
party to take charge of our exhibit, which, by
the way, is pronounced by quito number to be
the handsomest exhibit in the Main Building,
which is quite complimentary.
The Old Liberty Bell arrives this morning, and
to-day has been declared general holiday here
in honor to the old relic.
Col. Scharf, Commissioner of Maryland, has
been holding some complimentary positions while
here. He is president of the Press Association,
and the other day was appointed Chairman Of the
committee appointed to receive the Mayor of Phil
adelphia. Hoping you will not find this too long,
am, yours truly. w. II. h.