Year: 1876

PHILADELPHIA, May 11.-Good
judges have estimated that nearly
l5v, 900 people were in and around
the Centennial grounds yesterday I
have had much experience with crowds
in various parts of the world, and am
confident that there were not less
than 10000 persons within sight of
the President when he read his man
uscript speech. An evening paper
puts the Centennial attendance today
at 100000, but this estimate is alto
gether wild, and possibly whiskyhed.


Soon after nine, the invited guests
began to arrive, and before ten o'clock
the platform was full. Rarely has
there been in America such an array
of heavy swel.. where the public
could look at them, as there was to-
day. The holding capacity of the
platform had been overestimated, so
that it was crush there as every
where else. Secretary Fish elbowed
the Austrian Minister, and Gen
Sheridan stepped on the toe of the
Turkish Ambassador. Judge Pierre
pont shared chair with the French
Minister, and there was a whole row
Of Presidential candidates on single
settee. There were officials enough
to stock half dozen governments lib
orally and then have fifteen present
to spare. The list of invited guests.
beginning with President Grant and
ending with Cyrus W. Field, makes
two columns of solid nonpareil in an
evening paper, SO please excuse de-
tails.


The crowd increased rapidly and
by 10 o'clock there were several.
acres Of occupied clothing of both
sexes. The sky was clear and the
heat of the sun became uncomfortable.
those who came prepared for rain
found their umbrellas useful to spread
against the heat, so that, in little
while, the spectacle presented was
that Of sea Of up-turned umbrellas.
or mushroom yard on a gigantic scale
Newspapers and programmes were
used as sunshades to such an extent
as to produce curious effect. Eyerv
spot available for sitting or standing
was occupied up to the very roof Of
the main building, where adventurous
boys nestled upon the back of the
wooden eagle, or climbed into the
crevices Of the Gothic works of the
turrets. The Two winged horses that
guard the approach to Memorial Hall
were thickly covered, and there would
have been CONSERVATION among several
Philadelphia families if the brutes
had flown away Places on the pc
destal were in great demand. Several
amusing scenes occurred here.


One boy was so determined to secure
place that he lifted himself up in
spite Of all the energetic opposition of
those above. These kicked him and
trod on his fingers, and pushed him
off repeatedly, but he persisted, and
when at last ne reached the top cheers
went up from thousands who had
watched his maneuvres with interest.


The invited guests mounted the
platform. There was some decorous
cheering whenever any OF them were !
recognized. The most applause was
given to the Emperor of Brazil, who
happened to arrive just as the orches-
tra played the Brazilian hymn. Those
whose acquaintance with kingly dress
is limited to that on the ordinary
playing card, We're somewha. disap-
pointed to find that his Majesty wore
only plain suit, and was as devoid
of ornament as freight-car. He
was introduced to several of his fellow
dignitaries, and gracefully accepted
common chair, such as may be found
in many American bar-rooms and