The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-09-11
EXPORT EXPOSITION.
The Great Show Which Opens in
Philadelphia Next Thursday.
EXHIBITS OF MGR1oAN SKILL.

Philadelphia, Sept 1.-THE National
Export exposition will be opened at
noon on Thursday. Less than FIVE
months ago the first spadeful of dirt
was turned UP for the foundation of
the superb buildings which have since
been completed at a cost of more than
a million dollars. This splendid ex-
hibition of American enterprise and
quickness is in itself an indication OF
the scope and character of the eXposi-
tion, and the vast auditorium, in which
the opening ceremonies will be held, is
striking illustration of the largeness
of the undertaking. Although mag
nificent music hall. with an amphi-
theater large enough to accommodate
an audience of 5000 people, far be-
yond the seating capacity of the great
Academy of Music, it forms but part
of the enormous main building of the
exposition. The stage alone Of the
auditorium has a capacity for 500 sing
ers, in addition to space for public
speakers and the caring for of very
large number of distinguished person
ages and guests who will be present on
the opening day and upon other ac-
casions during the progress of the eX-
hibition. The grand interior of which
this music hall is but room is in it
self nearly 1000 feet long and 400 wide.
The opening ceremonies on Thurs
day, which are to be held in this chief
structure of the exposition, will be at
tended with much solemnity and in
terest The governor of the state, the
mayor of the city and representatives
of the government at Washington and
Of many of the greatest nations of the
world will be present, and that widely
popular organization, the United States
Marine band, together with 600 trained
singers under the leadership of Profess
sor Rosewig, are preparing a musical
program which will extend through a
large part of the day. AS at present
arranged President Widener. of the
Exposition association, will turn over
the exposition to Governor Stone, who
is in turn to deliver it into the Gus
tody of the mayor of the city, and Con-
gresham Hepburn will accept joint
supervision of the enterprise on be-
half of President Mckinley. There will
be an address by Director General
Wilson, and the other addresses and
ceremonies of the day, which will be
and other prominent clergymen, will
be of the most interesting character.
The conception of the idea of an ex.
hibition to illustrate the astonishing
growth of the export trade of the Uni
ted States in recent years was the out
growth of the tour of the representa-
tives of the various foreign govern
ments who came here to study our in
dustries in 1897, and grew specifically
from their visit to the little fair held
at Providence, r. l. In that year, when
the late DR.. Pepper, DR.. w. P. Wilson,
directOro of the eCommercial Museum, who
is the director general of the existing
enterprise, William Harper and others,
accompanied the visitors to that city.
The thought was taken up by the
Philadelphia Commercial Museum and
the Franklin Institute AS a result of
the movement thus inaugurated the
public will find a presentation of
American trade movements and
mechanical and art enterprises of a
most surprising and interesting char
acter.
The display of manufactured pro-
ducts which have present or contem-
plated foreign market is very complete,
and the methods of manufacture show
ing the progress in the making and the
completion of a needle or a cuff button
or of a giant locomotive or a great
bridge, will be everywhere before the
eye in varied and almost endless sue
cession. The beauty and extent of the
buildings themselves, as now com
pleted, compare with the best product
of the Centennial or the Chicago
Worlds fair, and in freshness and up
to-date originality surpass anything
seen at either of those great industrial
and art shows.
A surprising and brilliant musical
program has been arranged, which In
cludes the cooperation of the United
States military band, Sousa, the great
march composer, Damrosch's great or
chestra, the Banda Rosa, Innis' IA
nous concert band and the Municipal
band of Philadelphia. These musicians
will be supplemented by a succession
of celebrated organists, who will give
recitals on the gigantic organ.
On the esplanade the public finds a
great variety of amusements, rivaling
in some respects the famous Midway
of the Chicago fair This includes a
Chinese village of 450 persons and all
the variety of Chinese religion and do
mestic life. There are also such things
as an Oriental theater, where one can
indulge in pipes of the east and the
Oriental cup that cheers but not in
ebriates; also where one can see the
realistic side OF Indian life and of the
old plantation southern existence be-
fore the war. where one also may see
the blarney stone, with all its sur
roundings and the blue Killarney lakes
and Irish home life If one has a dis
position that way, there will be an
opportunity to see Hagenback's trained
beasts, glass works in full operation
and great candy factory. There will
be picture shows and startling novel;
ties, striking electrical effects Aside
from these esplanade exhibitions will
be some new effects in electricity which
Tesla has made somewhat vaguely fa-
miliar to the public.
The Importance, as well as the hui
man interest. in the export exposition
may be indicated by the fact that some
great personages have already taken
interest enough in the exhibition to
visit it. President Diaz, for instance,
of Mexico, who is likely to be an in
teresting figure in the International
Commercial Congress- closely associ-
ated with the exposition, is one of the
expected visitors. Since Dom Pedro's
time, who visited us at the time of the
Centennial, and except, perhaps for
Kalakua, this visit will be the first Of
any national ruler during his rulership
TO visit the United States,