12 Transactions of the American Institute. 



Institute, could not accommodate all who desired to become exhibitors, 

 and the Board thereupon decided to make another addition of 20 by 

 170 feet. In this all the boilers, and other a])paratus requiring fire, 

 ■were located, while the remaining part of the new building was 

 devoted to steam engines and machinery in motion. A few light 

 machines, whose operation did not depend on a very solid foundation, 

 were placed at the east end of the rink, and as near as possible to the 

 driving power. For the first time in many years the Managers were 

 enabled to devote ample space for the movement of visitors. A wide 

 promenade extended through the middle of the main hall, and at 

 convenient distances were other parallel avenues of less width. The 

 exhibition tables were placed transversely to these avenues, and the 

 spaces between formed a series of passages extending across the lower 

 and main floor. All the available room for the use of exhibitors was 

 equitably divided into seven portions, and were respectively occupied 

 by the seven departments into which the exhibition was divided. 

 Each department was under the immediate control of a sub-committee 

 of three Managers, whose names will be found in the appendix to this 

 report. The buildings were opened for the reception of goods on tlie 

 1st day of September, and on the 8th they were opened to the public. 

 As is usuall}^ the case, several days elapsed before all the engines 

 and machinery were in full motion, and the department occnpied by 

 the wool industry exposition, was completely filled. Notwithstanding 

 the great distance of the place of exhibition from the business center 

 of the cit}^, the attractions presented were so novel and numerous, 

 that large crowds were drawn to it, during eveiy day and evening, 

 until its close. Every department of the exhibition, under the direct 

 control of the Managers, contained many articles of unusual merit. 



It would be impossible to enumerate them within the limits of an 

 ordinary report, yet it will not be deemed invidious or improper to 

 state that an unusually rich and surprising display of raw and manu- 

 factured silks was made, and that for it, the Institute is indebted to 

 the prompt action of the American Association of Silk Manufacturers, 

 and particularly to the personal exertions of Mr. Frederick Baare. 



The exposition of the wool industry, under the immediate direction 

 of the National Association of Wool Manufacturers, contained the 

 largest and richest collections of woolen fabrics ever shown in this 

 country, and, as it furnished a reliable indication of the extent of 

 this branch of domestic manufactures, it excited unusual surprise 

 and interest. 



