The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1896-01-31
CENTENNIAL NOTES.

The busiest spot in Tennessee today IL
the park in which the Tennessee Centcn-
NAL is being constructed The f0anda-
ton of the Weman's Building has been
laid and the superstructure begun. The
Machinery Hall is also commenced and
over 100 men are employed on the foun-
dalton. Work ON the auditorium has
progressed so far as the erection Of the
heavy outside studdiDa up to above the
first floor. A large force of hands is
at work here. In many respects this
will be the most ornamental building
on the grounds, and the outlines as shown
in the rough work so far completed are in
dicative of refined beauty. Over where the
great Commerce Building is to stand the
grading has been finished and q large
amount of rock removed for the founda-
ton, which is now being laid. The con-
tractors are losing no time in doing their
preparatory work. They have erected
portable saw and planning mill near the
site, and they are prepared to rush the
building to completion Oh time. The site
for the Transportation building has been
prepared and the preliminary work is
being done by the contractors. The
walls of the Parthenon have arisen if
teen feet on the terrace in the middle
of the grounds and as many men are
working on them as can find room. All
OF these buildings must be completed IN
der the contract by the first of July,
and If the splendid weather of the first
half of this month continues much longer
they will be finished a month before that
time. AT any rate there will be no let
up from this time on. The total cost of
these buildings will be SIS, Zoo.
most interesting rivalry between the
counties is springing up all over the
State as to what sort of exhibits they
will make at the Centennial. Many cOun-
ties made appropriations through the
county courts at the January term to
cover the expense the exhibit and in
other counties money is being raised in
other ways The exhibits are beginning
TO take shape. For instance, Moore
county is preparing to erect a corn pal
ace, to be covered entirely with corn,
and to maintain the other exhibits of
that county, and Campbell county pro-
poses to erect n building constructed
entirely of coal and slate. Seven months
still remain before the opening of the
Exposition, and in that time some won
derful exhibits will doubtless be arrang-
ed
The Tennessee Historical Society is pre-
pairing to make an exhibit at the Tennes-
see Centennial Exposition next year that
will be a revelation. This society has
for years been engaged in collecting
mounting and preserving documents and
all kinds of relics of old times in Tennes-
see. What the society has gathered will
be redOubled from private collections
throughout the State, and a study of rare
interest will be afforded. No State has
had a more thrilling history than Tennes-
see, and the evidences of it have been pre-.
pared most carefully. Gen. G. p. Thurs
ton, who has charge of this department,
has been interested in such things for
years, and he is an authority in the mat
ter of antiquities. He is working enthus.
iastically.
The offering of free space for exhibits
at the Tennessee Centennial has attract
ed n larger number of applications than
the management of the AIidwinter Fair
at San Francisco or the Atlanta EXPOSE
ton were in receipt of seven months
before the opening of their .expositions,
and among them are some of the leading
manufacturers of the world. The six
teen departments which have charge of
this part of the Centennial work will
continue to receive applications for some
time yet and then the sitting process will
begin. Only those exhibits which pre-
sent especially attractive features Will
be accepted, and the result will be that
the Centennial will be remarkably beau
tiful in the extent and value of the dis
plays that come from manufacturing es-
adjustments.
The Tennessee Centennial Exposition
10 a patriotic enterprise. The salary list
comprises only those who are engaged i'm
mediately upon construction and the di-
rectiOn of the actual work. The presi-
dent, Maj. John w. Thomas, who super
vises the entire work, is not paid dol
lar, and there are over 1000 commission
ers and committeeman working for the
Exposition who receive no salary. These
men are enthusiastic in the discharge
of the duties they have assumed, and
the money saved from what might be an
immense salary list goes to make the fair
more extensive and more complete.
The Nashville, Chattanooga q st. Louis
railway, the Plant System, and the Sea-
board Air Line, have subscribed to the
general fund of the Centennial, and prom
lSeu 10 erect DullOlngS I0r their special
exhibits. What this means in beauty to
the Exposition may be gathered from
the fact that the exhibit made by the
Seaboard Airline at the Atlanta Elk
position cost that company $4,000.
The building of History will be one Of
the most attractive edifices on the
grounds. No State has more eventful
history than Tennessee, and in this build
ing will be placed the personal relics of
John Sewer, Andrew Jackson and other
great men of the long-gone past. Indian
relics and historical documents, and hun
dreds of paintings of prominent citizens
and officials of the last century.
One of the buildings at the Centennial
Exposition will be erected entirely with
money provided by the children of the
State. Everything in it and around it will
be arranged for the pleasure and profit
of children. In the tower will swing the
handsemest set of silver chimes ever
brought South.
The Cumberland Presbyterian Church
has been granted space on the grounds for
the erection of a reproduction OF the log
cabin in which that church was organized
many years ago.
The Franklin Electric company, Of
Kansas City, Mo-, and George Francis
Myers, of Pittsburg, Pa, are in CORE
spOndence with the management of the