The bee., 1897-08-19
GOVERNMENT EXHIBIT.
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CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.
use IN Philadelphia for fifty-twc
years and can turn out 500, 600 ar
hour.
The lighthouse exhibits com
prise several large lenses such as
are in use at the stations along the
coast. The largest is an immense
second order bi-valve which weighs
more than eight tons.
The navy exhibit presents an in
terestIng show-quite an eye
opener, indeed, to the average in
land inhabitant. A full size model
of the military mast of the gunboat
'Helena," models OF various bat.
tle-ships, of an anchor weighing
ii, 700, torpedoes, ship guns,
Hotchkiss revolving cannons, tie
Hichborn turret, life buoys, charts,
ropes, diving suits go to make up
this exhibit. The model of the
new gunboat, Nashville" was
made especially for this EXPOSE
ton.
The collection and portraits in
Postoffice Department are the OBJ
jects of much study by the people
in general. 1t is astonishing what
curious variety of things come to
the hands of the officers of the
Dead Letter Department. Mr..
Slack, the Curator of the Depart
ment, has brought to the Exposi-
ton a collection of the most inter
esting things. Here you see any
thing from a lock of the assassin
Guiteau's hair to a tarantula or a
rattlesnake.
The Smithsonian Institution ex-
hibits are chiefly in the line OF eth
nology and zoology, and consists Of
magnificent line of specimens.
The Department of State is de-
voted, of course, to historical col
lection. The most interesting
things to be found here are papers
of American statesmen, reproduc-
tions of original papers, one Of
which is the Constitution of the
United States. There are letters
from Robespierre, from Napoleon,
from Alexander |. OF Russia, and
from the King Of Siam. The medal
presented to the President OF the
United States in commentator
OF the 4ooth anniversary of the dis
covery OF America is on exhibition.
1t is a rare piece of work, being
set with diamonds which surround
a cameo representing Columbus
landing on American soil.
Without question the exhibit oil
the Fish Commission is the most
interesting to the ordinary visitor
of all the wonders of the Govern
ment Building. The whole pro-
cess of fish culture is shown, from
the collecting apparatus which is
used for getting the eggs from the
bottom of the sea, through
the Matching of the eggs, the
feeding of the spawn and the
growth oil the fish to full size.
In grotto 40 feet long, its walls
finished in stucco and plaster, rep
resentIng rough submarine cav
ern are situated the glass tanks OF
the aquarium. They are kept
fresh with constantly flowing water,
and fresh air is pumped through
them without cessation. The tam
mel is always crowded with visitors
eager to see the curious water
dwellers-crabs, dog fish, cells, ugly
catfish, beautiful specklcd trout,
shad and salmon.
In addition to the exhibits thus
briefly described there are hun
dreds of others just as interesting,
and it is we'll worth the visitor S
time to examine the displays in
this building carefully. Uncle
Sam has not failed to MAINTAIN his
reputation here as elsewhere for
always taking the lead. The
Government Building is the great
est educational exhibit at the Cen
tennial.