Year: 1876

each standing OppOSlJe his ulV


sion. General Grant, accompanied


by a numerous cOrtege, then eros!


ed to the main hall. and passed


through to the Machinery Hall


The great Corliss engine, 2,OO(


horse power. stood silent anG


still as if wanting the magic


touch that should wake it to act


witty aud life. The President ad


vanced, and laying his hand or
the polished lever, threw it easi
ly forward. In an instant there
was an answering thrill and vi
bration. The mighty piston NOV
ed slowly forward. Then came
the recoil. Faster and faster the
| tremendous iron arm cleaves the
air. Where all was quiet an in
slant before, all is now activity
and life. Wheels whiz, steam whis
tl6 roar, cannon thunder, all
sorts of machines, conceivable
and inconceivable are set in busy
motion, and the Great Exhibition
may be fairly said to have begun.
The crowd then scattered all
over the grounds wherever their
inclination led. l went down to
A Agricultural Hall, attracted by
the splendid exhibition in that
department. 1t is a world in itself.
| will not attempt today to des
cribe anything there. Except in a
few instances-all was confusion
aud chaos. Near the fountain was
u magnificent Oriental structure,
erected by the Glen Cove Starch
Company. This enterprising firm
had engaged Beck's celebrated
band. which discoursed most
beautiful music all the day, in fact
it was the only private band adj
mitted in any OF the buildings.
But l feel that | must close.


trust 1t will be no disappOint
ment to my readers that l have
made no attempt to describe a sin
gle Centennial building, or in
Tact to do anything more in the
present letter than to give in as
few words as possible, passing
sketch of the principal events Of
the day while much is described
l can only feel how much that is
important, has utterly and entire
ly escaped me. Great men have
passed by me whose names and
persons were unknown }; frightfnl
accidents have occurred without
even passing mention. Many
brilliant societies, which on any
other occasion would have created
the prOfOundest sensation. have
been ensulphed and swallowed
up in the presence spirits, greater
and mightier than themselves.


For each and all OF these short
comings, | will endeavor in the
futule to make amends. If my
readers will follow me week by
week will do my best to lead
them through all the buildings of
the great Exhibition, and make
them see, as far as they can
through my eyes its wonders, it's
glo:ies, and its magnificent collec
ton of the arts. This | know will
take many letters aud months of
patient work and study, but with
patience and work, hope and OK
pect to accomplish it.


In conclusion, let ne say that
in the life of an ordinary man,
there are few such days in any
part Of the world lis the great
day we have just past through, no
man living on the continent of
America can reasonably expect to
see exactly such another, or even
one remotely approaching it as IA
grand imposing and magnificent
spectacle participated in by hun
dreds of thousands of people, and
distinguished by mighty names
and characters that would be con
sidered great in any country or
cline. l do not say that there will
not be other great national cele
brations. and exhibitions where
kingand queensland emperors will
take part, and millions of people
backed by countless millions of
dollars, will contribute every
thing that can be aid to the clio
ry of the pagent, and make it
memorable forever.


1t is not any of these things
that distinguishes our Centennial
day. 1t is not the splendor OF the
procession, nor the snowy cos
tunes, nor the lavish expenditure
Of money, nor the infini.ude of
numbers, nor the startling varie
ty, and magnitude of the cOntri
buttons gathered from the farthest
ends of the earth. 1t is all these
added together, and above, be
meath and around them all the
grand fact that We have reached
the hundredth year of our Nation