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Opelousas Courier OPELOUSAS, . LOUISIANA. THE CENTENNIAL. The Great Anniversary Exhibition in Philadelphia. Views of the Exhibition Build ings and Full Descriptions of the Various De partments. Arrangements for the Oentennial. The act of congress which provides for "celebrating the one hundredth anniver sary of American independence, by hold ing an international exhibition of arts, manufactures, and products of the soil and mine." authorized the creation of the United States centennial commission, and intrusted to it the management of the exhibition. This body is composed of two commissioners from each state and territory, nominated by the respective governors, and commissioned by the president of the United States. The en terprise, therefore, is distinctly a nation al one, and not, as has sometimes been stated, the work of a private corpora tion. The exhibition will be opened on May 10th, 1876, and remain open until No vember 10th. There will be a fixed price of fifty cents for admission to all the buildings and grounds. The centennial grounds are situated on the western bank of the Schuylkill river, and within Fairmount Park, the largest public park in proximity to a great city in the world, and one of the most beau tiful in the country. The park contains NEWSPAPER BUILDING. three thousand one hundred and sixty acres, four hundred and fifty of which have been enclosed for the exhibition. Besides this tract, there are large yards near by for the exhibition of stock, and a farm of forty-two acres is already suit ably planted for the tests of plows, mowers, reapers, and other agricultural machinery The exhibition buildings are ap proached by eight lines of street cars which connect with all the other lines in the city, and by the Pennsylvania and Reading railroads, over the tracks of which trains also run from the North Pennsylvania and Philadelphia, Wil mington, and Baltimore railroads. Thus the exhibition is in immediate connec tion with the entire railroad system of the country, and any one within ninety miles of Philadelphia can visit it at no greater cost than that of carriage hire at the Paris or Vienna exhibition. An important special exhibition is made by the United States government, and is prepared under the supervision of a board of officers representing the sev eral executive departments of the gov ernment. A fine ,building of four and a half acres is provided for the purpose, space in which is occupied by the war, treasury, navy, interior, post-office, and agricultural departments and the Smith sonian institution. The women's centennial executive committee have raised $30,000 for the erection of a pavilion in which to exhibit every kind of woman's work. To this collection, women of all nations have contributed. The list of special buildings is con stantly increas ng, and the present indi cations are that their total number will be from two hundred to two hundred and fifty. Most of the important foreign nations-England, Germany, Austra, France, Sweden, Egypt, Japan and others-are putting up one or more structures each, for exhibition purposes, or for the use of the commissioners, ex hibitors and visitors. Offices and head quarters of this kind, usually of consid erable architectural beauty, areprovided by the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan New Jersey, New York, Connecticut; Massachusets, New Hampshire, Missouri, Kansas, Vir ginia, West Vi Nevada, Wiscon sin, Iowa and Dware; and it is likely that others will follow the example. A number of trade and industrial as sociations, which require large amounts of space, are provided for in special build ings. Among these are the photo ny te carra buiders the glass thecr~ckrr alenthe boot and shoe manufacturers, besides quite a num ber of individual exhibiters. -The great demand for space renders this cbrrse ne eearyto a osmiuderable extent~, espee laly for exhibitors who have been tardy S "- the bu~ e d hryt w thou October Ae~Ie or 4he~oia 4 to mpse which it tI UUeerS for the dupe tst is only one _ "r.; s&, lk, the h aeasy hly ovuodby appli cations. There are about one thousand American exhibitors in this department, one hundred and fifty English, and one hundred and fifty from other European countries-which is about two hundred and fifty more than entered the Vien na machinery exhibition. Extra provision has been made for annexes to accommo date the hydraulic machinery, the steam hammers, forges, hoisting engines, boil ers, plumbers, carpenters, etc. Power in the machinery hall is chiefly supplied by a pair of monster Corliss en gines. Each cylinder is forty inches in diameter, with a stroke of ten feet; the fly-wheel is thirty-one feet in diameter, and weighs fifty-five tons; the horse power is fourteen; and the number of boilers is twenty. This engine drives about a mile of shafting. For the art exhibition, the most emi nent American artists have sent speci mens, and it may be confidently stated that, especially in the department of landscape painting, the United States presents a finer display than the public has been led to expect. Quite aside from the contributions of American artists, applications from abroad call for more than four times the exhibiting space afforded by the great Memorial Hall. Provision for the surplus has been made in temporary fire-proof buildings, though all exhibiting nations will be represented in the central art gallery. The secretary of the navy has arranged that a United States vessel shall call at convenient European ports, to collect and transport hither to the exhibition the works of American artists resident in Europe. Among the ports thus far designated, are Southampton for Eng land, Havre for France, Bremen for Ger many, and Leghorn for Italy. The ar rival of this vessel is expected daily. Mr. Bell, the eminent English sculp tor, who designed the groups for the plinth for the great Albert memorial in Hyde Park, London, has reproduced in terra cotta, at the celebrated works in Lambeth, the one which symbolizes America. The figures in this group are colossal, covering a ground space of fif teen feet square. It is placed in the great central art gallery, opposite the principal entrance. The art exhibition includes, in addition to the works of contemporary artists, representative productions of the past century of American art-those, for in stance, of Stuart, Copley, Trumbull, West, Alston, Sully, Neagle, Elliot, Kensett, Cole. These, as well as the works offered by living artists, have been passed upon by the committee of selec tion, who visited, for the purpose, New York, Bostbn, Chicago, and other leading cities, in order to prevent the needless transportation to Philadelphia of works of art not up to the standard of admis sion. A large number of orders and frater nities have signified their intention to hold gatherings at Philadelphia during the periodof the exhibition. Amongthese which may now be enumerated, are the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, Inde pendent Order of Odd Fellows; the Grand Encampment, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; Grand Lodge, United States, Independent Order of Odd Fel lows; Grand Commandexy Knights Terplar ; Grand Army of the Republic; Presbyterian Synod; Caledonian Club; Portland Mechanic Blues; , Welsh Na tional Eiatedfodd; Patriotic Order Sons of America; California Zouaves of San Francisco; an International Regatta; the Life Insurance Companies; National Board of Underwriters; State Agricul tural Society; Second Infantry, N. G. of California; Philadelphia Conference, Methodias Episcopal Church; Cincinnati Society,; California Pioneer Society ; American Dental Convention; Catholic Total Abstinence Union of America; Independent Order of B'nai B'rith; National Alumni Association; Sales men's Association; Fifth Maiyland Regiment; Seventh New York Regi ment; American Pomological Society; Malater's Association of the United States; Army of the Cumberland; Humboldt Monument Association; Christopher Columbus Monument Asso ciation; Board of Trade Convention; International Typographical Congress; Rifle Association of the United States; Centennial Legion; Philadelphia Coun ty Medical Society; International Medi cal Congress; Old Volunteer Fire De partment of Philadelphia; German Rifle Club; Army of the Potomac, ete. Nala Building. This is a parallelogram, running east and west one thousand eight hundred and seventy-aix feet long, and north and south four hundred and sixty-four feet wide. The larger portion is one story high, the interior height -being seventy feet, and the cornice on the outside for ty-eight feet from the ground. At the center of the longer sides are projections four hundred and six feet in length, and on the ends of the building projections two hundred and sixteen feet in length. in thee which are in the centerof the four si, are located the main en trances, which are provided with arcades upon the ground floor, sad cen tral facades ninety feet high. The east .entrance forms the prindpal ap. preach for car iugs alight Ting at the doors of the ing under cover of the arcade. 'the south etrance is the ricipal approach from railway cars. ý west entrance opens upon the main e n o rt a y t ro n e tw o m orin i sl bu lld r thenorh ntrncetomemorial haill (art CbMhegt xiseat c cornerr ofthe bul ding. W y f ý Y hiJ'Y ,_ ýY I 'ýý_ ' .ý ,ý ýý1ý ýKýI ý I I "II ýI I)":.1 ýýý" ý;ý4u a I K1r".. I - ý - _ - _ CC ý .f ý J. 1 l e/ 1-" -.ve. ! ý.'a a I li ý J aA 1 I - .r -_ y I I" I {ý 1I Jý1 IIJ I..ýII ýi _ r , ý'ý +ýi R, 1) pýil'i1'ýi°ntvml `ý ý -rt rcr_ aý+ Ai6ýA- -1 l/ ', - -"' ,,. .,'a'_` - / Jr.rýi of ý"u, ®ý ýr ;< - - sL =_ _ II.IJII_ f,.1.1I1J _ _ x _ i ý_ _ gh' W I 'ELM =-ONE a. ^saJSý _ o _ Yr7T _ r L -- - -- - --- - -- In order to obtain a central feature, the roof for one hundred and eighty-four feet square at the center has been raised above the surrounding portion, and four towers forty-eight feet square, rising to one hun dred and twenty feet high, are intro duced into the corners of this elevated roof. This gives ventilation as well as ornament. The main building has nine hundred and thirty-six thousand and eight square feet of surface, or nearly twenty-one and a half acres. Its ground plan shows a central avenue one hundred and twenty feet in width, and one thou sand eight hundred and thirty-two feet in length, which is the longest avenue of that width ever introduced into an exhi bition building. On either side of this is another avenue of equal length, and one hundred feet wide. Between the central and side avenues are aisles forty eight feet wide, and on the outer sides of the building smaller aisles of twenty-four feet width. To break the great length of the roof-lines three transepts have been introduced, of the same widths and in the same relative positions to each other as the longitudinal avenues. These cross the building, and are four hundred and sixteen feet in length. The inter sections of these various avenues make at the center of the building nine spaces, free from supports, which are from one hundred to one hundred and twenty feet square, and which aggregate four hun dred and sixteen feet square. The gen eral elevation of the roofs of all these avenues varies from forty-five feet to seventy feet. The building rests upon the ground, the land having been thoroughly graded and prepared. The foundations consist of piers of masonry, the superstructure being composed of wrought iron columns placed twenty-four feet apart, which sup port wrought iron roof trusses. There are six hundred and seventy-two of these columns in the entire structure, the shortest being twenty-three feet and the longest one hundred and twenty-five feet long. Their aggregate weight is two mil lions two hundred thousand pounds. The roof trusses and girders weigh five mil lions of pounds. The sides of the build ing, to seven feet above the ground, are finished with brickwork in panels be tween the columns. Above this there are glazed sashes. The roof covering is of tin, that being the best roofing known in this climate to resist leakage. The flooring is of plank, upon sills resting upon the ground, with no open space be neath. Turrets surmount the building at al the corners and angles, and the na tional standard, with appropriate em blems, is placed over each of the main entrances. There are numerous side en trances, each being surmounted with a trophy, showing the national colors of the country occupying that portion of the building. In the vestibules variegated brick and tile are introduced. Louvre ventilators surmount all the avenues, and sky-lights the central aisles. Light, of which there is ample supply, comes from the north and south sides almost entirely. There underlie the building two miles of drainage pipe, the water supply and drainage system being com plete. Offices for the foreign commis sions are placed along the sides of the building, in close proximity to the pro ducts exhibited. Offices for the admin istration are at the enes. The design of the building is such that all exhibitors will have an equally fair opportunity of exhibiting their goods to advantage. There is comparatively little choice of location, as the light is uniformly dis tributed, and each of the spaces devoted to products is located upon one of the main thoroughfares. Machinery Building. This structure is located about five hundred and fifty feet west of the main exhibition building, and as its north front stands upon the same line, it is practi cally a continuation of that edifice, the two presenting a frontage of three thou sand eight hundred and twenty-four feet from their eastern to their western ends, upon the principal avenue within the grounds. This building consits of a main ball, one thousand four hundred and two feet long and three hundred and sixty feet wide, with an annex on the southern side two hundred and eight feet by two hundred and ten feet. The entire area covered is five hundred and fifty-eight thousand four hundred and forty square feet, or nearly thirteen acres, and the floor space aforded is about fourteen acres. The chief portion of the building is one story in height, the main cornice upon the outside btig forty feet from the ground, and the in terior height to the top of the ventilators in the avenues seventy feet, anl in the aisles forty feet. To break the long lines of the exterior, projections have been in troduced upon the four sides, and the main entrances are furnished with racades extending to seventy-eight feet in height. The eastern entrance is the principal approach from railways and from the main exhibition building. Along the southern side are placed the boiler houses, and such other buildings for special kinds of machinery as may be required. The plan of the machinery building shows two main avenues ninety feet wide, with a central aisle between and an aisle on either side, these being sixty feet in width. These avenues and aisles together have three hundred and sixty feet width,and each of them is one thou sand three hundred and sixty feet long. At the center of the building there is a transept ninety feet in width, which at the south end is prolonged beyond the building. This extended transept, be ginning at thirty feet from the building and extending to two hundred and eight feet, is flanked on either side by aisles sixty feet wide, and forms an annex for hydraulic machines. The, promenades are: It the avenue fifteen feet wide, in the aisles ten feet, and in the transept twenty-five feet. The walks extending acrems the building are all ten feet wide, and lead at either end to exit doors. The foundations of this building are piers of ingonry, the superstructure consist ing of old timber columns supporting roof trusses, constructed of straight wooden principal beams and wrought iron ties and stftsts. The columns are placed in longitudinal lines, and in these rows stand sixteen feet apart. The columns are forty feet high, and support respectively the ninety-feet root-spans over the avenues at a height of forty feet, and the sixty feet roof spans over the aisles at a height of twenty feet. The outer walls are built of masonry to a height of five feet, and above that are composed of glazed sash between the columns. Portions of these sashes are moveable for ventilation, and Louvre ventilators are introduced in continuous lengths over both the ave nues and the aisles. The building is en tirely lighted by side light from the north and south. Space in machinery hall has been allotted as follows: Square feet. Great Britain....................................35,725 Germany ....................... 1,098 France ..... ................11,219 Belgium ....................... 9,379 Brazil .................. ...... 4,000 A ustria.......................................... 1,536 Sw eden .................................... . ... 3,168 Canada ................ ....... 4,300 Spain.... ..................... 2,448 Russia ......................... 1,500 D enm ark.......................................... 585 C hili............................................... 408 Norway............................................ 360 The United States occupies three hun dred thousand square feet. This machinery building has very su perior facilities for shafting and double lines are introduced into each avenue and aisle at a height of about twenty feet. A Corliss steam engine of one thousand four hundred horse-power drives the main shafting. There are also to be counter-lines of shafting in the aisles and special steam power furnished where necessary. Steam power is to be furnished free to exhibitors. In the an nex for hydraulic machines there is a tank sixty feet by one hundred and sixty feet, with ten feet depth of water. It is intended to exibit all sorts of.hydraulic machinery in full operation, and at the southern end of the tank there is a wa ter-fall thirty-five feet high by forty feet wide, supplied from the tank by the ps on exhibition. There will prob ablybe a larger exhibition at Philadel phia of processes of manufacture than at any previous exhibition. The applications for spaee have been so numerous as to require the addition of three annexes, covering two and one half acres, while numerous private ex hibitors have put up buildings for their ARKANSAS. own use. The machinery hall proper con tains above one thousand two hundred American exhibitors, having an average space of two hundred and seventysquare feet each-a more compact arrangement than has been accomplished previously, since at Vienna there were nine hundred and fifty-nine exhibitors of machinery, with an average floor space of three hun dred and three square feet. The Art Gallery. The most imposing and ornate of all the structures is memorial hail, built at a cost of $1,500,000, by the state of Pennsylvania and the city of Philadel phia. This is placed at the disposal of the centennial commission, to be used during the exhibition as an art gallery, after which it is designed to make it the receptacle of an industrial and art col lection similar to the famous south Ken sington museum, at London. It stands on a line parallel with, and a short dis tance northward of, the main building, and is in a commanding position, looking southward across the Schuylkill over Philadelphia. It stands upon a terrace one hundred and twenty-two feet above the level of the Schuylkill. Being de signed for an absolutely fireproof struc ture, nothing combustible haa.been used. The design is modern Renaissance. It covers an acre and a half, and is three hundred and sixty-fire feet long, two hundred and ten feet wide, and fifty nine feet high, over a spacious basement twelve feet high. A dome, rising one hundred feet above the ground, sur mounts the center, capped bya colossal ball, from which rises the figure of Co lumbia. The main front of this build ing looks southward, displaying a main entrance in the center consisting of three enormous arched doorways a pavilion on each end, and two arcades connecting the pavilions with the center. The en trance is seventy feet wide, to which there is a rise of thirteen steps. Each of the huge doorways is forty feet high and fifteen feet wide, opening into a hall. Between the arches of the door waysare clusters of columns, terminating in emblematic designs illustrative of science and art. The doors are of iron, relieved by bronze panels, displaying the coats of arms of all the states and ter ritories. The United States coat of arms is in the center of the main frieze. The dome is of glass and iron, of unique de sign. While Columbia rises at the top, a colossal figure stands at each corner of the base of the dome, typifying the four quarters of the globe. In each pavilion there is a large win dow, twelve and one-half feet by thirty four feet. There are altogether eight of these windows, used for the display of stained glass paintings, etc. The arcades designed to screen the long walls of the galleries each consist of five groined arches, and form promenades looking outward over the grounds and inward over gardens extending back to the main wall of the building. These garden plots are each ninety feet by thirty-six feet, or namented in the center with fountains, and intended to display statuary. The arcades are highly ornanented, and the balustrades of them and of the stairways are also designed for statuary. The walls of the east and west sides of the structure display the pavilions and the walls of the picture galleries, and are relieved by niches designed for statues. The frieze is richly ornamented, and above it the central dome shows to great advantage. The rear or north front of the building is of the same general character as the main front, but, in place of the arcade, has a series of arched windows, twelve in number, with the entrance in the center. Between the pavilions is the grand balcony, a prom enade two hundred and seventy-five feet long and forty-five feet wide, elevated forty feet above the ground, and over looking to the northward the beautiful grounds of the park. On each front of the buildings the entrances open into halls eighty-two feet long, sixty feet wide and fifty-three feet high, decorated in modern renaissance. These, in turn, open into the center hall, eighty-three feet square, the ceiling rising over eighty feet in height. From the east and west sides of this center hall extend the gal leries, each ninety-eight feet long, forty eight feet wide and thirty-five feet high. These galleries admit of temporary di visions for the better display of paint ings, and with the center hall form a grand hall two hundred and eighty-seven feet long and eighty-three feet wide, capable of comfortably accommodating eight thousand persons. This is nearly twice the dimensions of the largent hall in the United States. From the gal leries doorways open into two smaller galleries, eighty-nine feet long and twenty-eight feet wide. These open north and south into private apartments connecting with the pavilion-rooms, and forming two side galleries two hundred and ten feet long. Along the whole length of the north side of the main galleries and central hall extends a cor ridor fourteen feet high, opening on its north line into a series of private rooms twenty-three in number designed for studies and smaller exhibition rooms. All the galleries and the central hall are lighted from above; the pavilion and studios from the sides. The pavilions and central hall are designed especially for the exhibition of sculpture. This fine building gives seventy-five thousand square feet of wall space for paintings, and twenty thousand square feet of floor space for statues, etc. The skylights throughout are double, the upper being of clear glass and the under of ground glass. Great as is the space afforded in the memorial hall, the applications from American and foreign artists have proved so greatly in excess of its capacity as to require the erection of a much more spacious building. This, only of brick, harmonizes architecturally with the me morial hall, and it is to be permanent. It stands just in the rear of the original art gallery and communicates with it. It affords sixty thousand square feet of wall space available for paintings, and contains twenty-four galleries, each forty feet square, besides two galleries, each one hundred feet long by fort feet wide, and two transverse central corridors, twenty feet wide. Independence Hall. The hall of the independence, on Chest nut street, between Fifth and Sixth, was commenced in 1729, and completed in 1734, having been designed for the use of the provincial asuemblies; and the long hall formerly in the upper story was often used for grand official banquets given to governors, distinguished stranger and generals, arid to the mem bers of the first congress when they ar rived in 1774. It was originally de corated with a stately steeple, which was taken down in 1774 on account of decay; only a small belfry was left to cover the belf until the year 1828, when the pres ent steeple was erected as nearly like the ancient one as circumstances would per mit. The ancient bell, formerly used for the clock, is remarkable for its prophetic inscription. Originally imported from England in 1752, but cracked in its first ringing, it was recast in Philadelphia, and the inscription-" Proclaim liberty throughout the land, and to all the poe ple thereof"-was placed upon it. This was more than twenty years before the independence of the colonies was dreamed of; yet, when the declaration was signed, this very bell was the first, by its merry peal, to "proclaim liberty throughout the land." It now occupies a place in the south vetisbule of the building. The INDEPENDENCE HALL. Declaration of Independence was signed in the chamber on the left of the prin cipal entrance. Some years since the antique architectural decorations and furniture of this room were re moved, and their places supplied with new furniture and tapestry in modern style. This error has since been repaired, as far as possible, by restoring the hall to its ancient appear ance. The portraits of nearly every one of the signers now adorn the walls. Open daily. The Agricultural Building stands northof the horticultural building, being separated from `t by a romantic ravine, and has a commanding view of the Schuylkill river and the northwestern suburbs of Philadelphia beyond. This building illustrates a novel combination of materials, mainly wood and glass, and consists of a long nave crossed by three transepts, each being composed of truss arches of Gothic form. The nave is eight hundred and twenty feet long by one hundred and twenty-five feet in width, with a height of seventy-five feet from the floor to the point of the arch, the cen tral transept one hundred feet wide and seventy-five feet high, and the two end transepts eighty feet wide and seventy feet high. Its interior appearance re sembles that of a great cathedral, and in looking from transept to transept, the vista is extremely imposing. A portion of this building is supplied with steam power for the use of agricultural machin ery. The four courts inclosed by the nave and transepts, and also the four spaces at the corners of the building, having the nave and end transepts for two of their sides, are roofed, and form valuable space for exhibits. The ground plan of the building is parallelogram five hundred and forty feet by eight hundred and twenty feet, covering about ten and one-quarter acres. Sixteen foreign na tions have space in this building, and in the one hundred and forty-seven thou sands five hundred and seventy-two square feet which remain, more than one thousand American exhibitors are ac commodated. This necessitates special buildings for the collective exhibits of their natural resources provided by the different states. In addition to the grounds within the inclosure, an eligibly located stockyard, twenty-two acres in extent, has been pro vided for the display of live stock, which will be exhibited in a series of shows during the months of September, Octo ber, and November, Two farm=, more over, of about fifty acres each, have been suitably planted for the trials of agricul tural machinery. Horticultural Building. The city of Philadelphia made a liberal grant of money to provide for the horti MAIN EXHIBITION BUILDING. cultural department of the exhibition an extremely ornate and commodious building, which is designed to remain in permanence as an ornament of Fairmoun t Park. This structure is located on a terrace bordering on the Schuylkill river, a short distance north of memorial hall, and has a commanding view of the Schuylkill river valley and the north western portions of Philadelphia. Ro mantic ravines running down to the river are on either side, separating it on the south from memorial hall and on the north from agticulttrral building. These ravines are sfmvsned by ornamental bridges five hundred feet long and sixty feet wide, for convenience of access. Car riage roads, a railway, and foot walks, pass over them. The horticultural huil14 ing is designed in the Moresque style ef architecture of the twelfth century, the chiet materials externally being iron and' glans, supported by fine marble and brick work. The building is three hundred and eighty-three feet long, one hundred and ninety-three feet wide, and seventy. two feet high to the top of the lantern. The main floor is occupied by the cen tral conservatorv, two hundred and thir ty feet by eighty Icet, and fifty five feet high, surmounted by a lantern one hun dred and seventy feet long, tweity feet wide, and fourteen feet high. Running entirely around this consei vatory, at a height of twenty feet Irom the floor, is a gallery five feet wide. On the north anid south sides of this principal room are four ihrciog houses for the piopagation of young pjiints, each of them one hundred feethiy thirty feet, and covered by curved roofs of iron and glass, which, appearing upon the ex teriorof the building, present a very fine feature. A vestib¶'le thirty feet square, separates the two forcing houses on each side, and there are similar vestibules at the center of the east and west ends, on either side of which are apartments lor reception rooms, ofhices, etc Orna mental stairways lead from these vesti bules to the internal galleries of ilhe con servatory, as weli as four external gal leries, each one hlnid reel feet long and ten feet wide, which surmount the roofs of the forcing houses. These external galleries are connected miitlh a graindl promenade, formed by the roofs of the rooms on the lower floor, giving a su perficial area of about seventeen thou sand square feet. The east and west entrances to the horticultural building are approached by flights of blue marble steps, from ter races eighty feet by twenty feet, in the center of each of which stands an open kiosque twenty feet in diameter. Each eentrance is beatitified by ornamental tile and marble work, and the angles of the main conservatory are adorned with eight attractive fountains. The corri dors connecting the conservatory with the surrounding apartments open fine vistas in every direction, and the beau ties of the surrounding park, with the river flowing in front and more than one hundred feet beneath the building, add to the attractions. Extensive heating arrangements are provided in the base ment, which is of fireproof construction. Surrounding this buildine there are thirty-five acres of ground, which are devoted to horticultural purposes, and have been suitably planted. In this plot there is an extensive series of sunken gardens. Who Shall Take the Palm. It is hard to tell what nation makes the best show at the exhibition. Egypt displays her antiquities of the Pharaohs, her wonderful collection from among the savage tribes of interior Soudan, and her artistic furniture of rare wood, inlaid with ebony, ivory and silver, executed in the ancient Arabic style, and people think that nothing in the main building excels that. Little Holland sets up small but strong and perfect models of her far famed dykes, and of all the noted public works within her territory, displays great squares of carpet, rivaling treat of Brussels in quality and erects the pretti est commission office in the main build ing. Brazil puts up a dazzling $30,000 pavilion, suggesting the Alhambra style of architecture. The United States makes the grandest display of granite work, in the shape of half a dozen im mense sarcophagi, one of them surmount ed by a female statue, finely chiseled out of a solid mass of granite. Chili builds the most picturesque pagoda and Spain the most imposing and tastetul pavilon. China and Japan contend with each other in striving to present the best specimen of bamboo architecture, and to paint on their commissioners' offices, of the tea caddie style, the ugliest old grannies with bald pates, expressionless almond eyes and queues that many a cabby Jehu sighs for as he looks at his worn-out whip. England carries off the palm in pot tery; Germany Pin showcases, toys and fancy articles; France stands alone in the matter of wines, fine groceries and notions in the clothing line; Sweden de fies competition in exhibiting the perfec tion attainable by the carpenter's art, and Belgium takes pride in the representa tion, in carved wood, of Scriptural and other religious subjects, one of its cabi nets having a series of niches extending around it and containing groups of wooden statuary representing the marriage of Joseph and Mary, the annunciation, Mary's visit to her cousin, St. Eliza beth, the flight into Egypt, etc. A Norway iron firm instead of heaping up their plates and bars of wrought iron in an unattractive pile, have constructed of it a complete model of a Norwegian fishing boat; even the ratlines are of wrought iron, the metal composing the cross-lines or foot-holds being knotted as neatly as though the latter were made of hemp. In the display of iron manu factures both Norway and Sweden stand very high. The section of the former is enlivened by well executed paintings of pictueresque scenery in that romantic country. Among these are representa tions of Christians, Oskarshal and Bergen.