Evening journal., 1899-09-21
EARLYExposIIIoNExpERIENcEs
Great Success ofthe Opening-Tho At
tendance Gratifyine-Nearly Ten
Miles OF Isxhibits--Arter an
American Made Pance.

Miles OF Exhibits--After an
American Made Pakce.
Philadelphia, Sept. 19-The FIRST
three days Of the National Export ex-
position have given the enterprise an
immense impetus The fact that $4,000
persons visited the grounds and build
ings on the day of the opening cere-
monies and that they carried away
with them the most favorable impress
sions of the day has been highly grati-
flying to the managers.
A combination of favorable cirtum-
stances conspired to give eclat to the
inaugural exercises. The day was
beautiful and bracing, the great Audi
torium proved 70 be equal to all expec-
tations. and the spectators who as
sembled in it were more than cordial;
they were enthusiastic
The hall and its audience was a re-
minder of some OF our great national
political conventions. particularly, IL
has been remarked. OF that memorable
one held in Chicago Is years ago which
nominated Blaine rim the Exposition
Hall in Chicago, but in many respects
It was much more striking. While
the decorations OF the hall were of the
simplest character. the great audience
itself gave plenty OF color to the scene.
Some one remarked. "There are many
women here and a sprinking OF men.
AS a matter OF fact, the audience was
composed of about an equal number OF
each sex, and il was. this circumstance
which enlivened the scene and lent to
/ It a delightful charm OF color shading.
/ The proceedings we're interesting
/ throughout, and the music was sup
erb. The personal participation Of the
| president by telegraph, from his desk
in the White House. gave complete
ness to the event.
Since the opening the attendance
has been more satisfactory than was
anticipated all of the circumstances
considered Failing from $4,000 to
about 5000 on Friday. it increased to
| $4,000 on Saturday This shows a
healthy interest at the very beginning
of the exposition. and indicates a
large enough interest in the future to
meet the hopes OF the most sanguine
friends Of the exposition.
Visitors have been surprised at the
number and interesting character Of
the exhibits. Notwithstanding the as
tonishingly brief time in which they
have been arranged The magnitude
of the buildings and the economy and
wisdom with which the space has
been utilized has also been a matter
OF remark. For instance, I'm ehe Main
building there is a length OF main
aisles Of over II 900 feet and length
in the cross aisles of 14.000 feet. so that
one who has walked through all OF the
aisles OF the Main building will have
completed a journey OF about I'VE
miles. In the other buildings of the
exposition there are more than four
miles Of aisles, and thus to obtain even
a glimpse of everything in the expo
sition grounds the visitor must walk
nearly ten miles AS all OF these aisles
are lined with succession of all that
is best and most interesting in Ameri-
can manufactures. from those of the
most trifng character to those OF the
greatest magnitude and importance
some idea of what an interesting col
lection in both variety and character
is to be cleaned from these figures
The exposition Is proving to be a pop
ular one In the limited sense OF tina
expression. It has proved interesting
to the merely curious. those who giv'
but a passing thought to what the.
see. as well as to those who seek infor
nation and instruction. This wal
somewhat strikingly shown In thu
vastly different visitors to the e.posi
tion during the week. the one lad,
, looking for a patented needle in a sew
, ing machine. the other an official Wis
itor from Japan hunting for a palace
} for the emperor. which he desires t
= build at Toxic. This statement SHOULD
not be regarded as a forced compari
/ son. The Japanese. commissioner is
/ real parsonage, and he is an archi
tect now in this country arranging 70
, the construction Of a steel skefetol
= framework for the imperial structure
2 which is to be an earthquake proc
! building, and is not the first OF II
! kind to be erected in that country, bu
! will be the first to be constructed o
American steel. Such incidents go IA
TO show the Importance and value o
q the exposition.