Year: 1874

There has been such conflicting opinion, ard
so many erroneous statements regarding this
great national enterprise that we take this 0p-
portunity to inform the Press generally as to its
present status and condition. The progress OF
the work has been much delayed up to the pre-
sent time owing to the financial difficulties of
the entire country, which have prevented the
subscriptions to stock to as large an extent as
was anticipated Now, however, by the active
exertiOBs of the citizens of Philadelphia, and
by the generous donations of the City and State,
the Board of Finance feel warranted to proceed
with the work at once, and contracts are in
progress for the erection of the necessary bull.
dings required for the Exhibition, viz, five in
number. ~


l. THE GRAND PAVILION OR MAIN EXHIBITION BUILD


This is intended to be under one roof, and it
will cover no less than twenty acres. 1t will
be so arranged as to contain all the articles not
specially referred to hereafter in the order of
the system Of classification adopted by the Gen.
tennal Commission. This building will pre-
sent many advantages gathered from the expe-
rience connected with former exhibitions, and
as completed will be a credit to those who have
originated and carried out its plans.


.. THE PERMANENT BUILDING AND ART GALLERY.a


During the progress of the exhibition this
building will be devoted entirely to the Art col
lection, comprising paintings. statuary, photo
glaphs, engravings, and other branches con-
nected with fine arts. The permanent building
will be most substantially built Of stone. and
made fire proof in every respect. After the
close of the exhibition it will be devoted to the
services of art and history as q grand national
museum, and all its interior arrangements will
be based upon that calculation. For the pur.
poses of exhibiting paintings there will be avail
able S6, 100 square feet OF wall space.


g. THE MACHINERY HALL. st .,ss4l


Specially devoted to all branches of machi-
merry Will cover not less than ten acres. It
will be built with wrought-irOn columns, the
walls Of brick and iron. Steam will be intro
duced into this building for the purpose of pre-
senting the machinery in running order.


4. THE AGRICULTURAL HALL


This is also a separate building, intended for
the exhibition of the natural products of all ma
tions, and Of similar construction to the ma
chinery hall. This building will cover about
eight acres.


5. THE HORTICULTURAL DEPARTMENT.
A series Of large greenhouses, surrounded
with appropriate grounds, and exhibiting the
various floral and fruit specimens OF all cOun-
tries. s-z1s
The FIVE buildings referred to above will cover
in all over forty acres, being larger in extent
than ever occupied by any exhibition that has
yet taken place The Building Committee have
taken great care in regard to all details OF con-
strmction and all of the buildings will be ready
in season for the proper arrangement of the
exhibition. The Subscription Committee of the
Board Of Finance have now under cOnsidera-
tiou q sompletc plan for extending the sale of
stock upon most comprehensive basis. We
hope to be able to present this to the Press in
our next issue. We trust that the facts aleady
set forth will be of sufficient interest to secure
their being reprinted by all our clients.-Amer-
ican Journalist.