534 
Varieties. 
f  Am.  .Toub.  Phab:? 
t    Nov.  1, 1874. 
It  appears  somewhat  strange  that,  although  industrial  exhibitions  were  in 
this  country  originated  by  the  Franklin  Institute,  our  city  has  not  for  a  number 
of  years  been  the  scene  of  one  of  these.  It  is  stated  that  it  was  not  previously 
possible  to  obtain  suitable  buildings  in  accessible  localities,  the  present  display 
being  held  in  the  old  freight  depot  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company, 
which  has  been  but  recently  vacated. 
Without  wishiug  in  the  least  to  disparage  the  merits  of  the  numerous  similar 
exhibitions,  which  have  recently  been  held,  we  are  of  necessity  forced  to 
concede  the  average  superiority  of  the  goods  displayed  in  our  city.  A  large 
amount  of  space  was  taken  up  in  the  Western  exposition  by  objects  that  are 
so  common  place  in  their  nature,  that  they  failed  to  excite  either  admiration  or 
curiosity,  their  undeserved  prominence  being  evidently  only  a  trade  advertise- 
ment and  nothing  beyond.  At  the  present  Exhibition  a  vast  majority  of  the 
goods  possess  intrinsic  merit,  either  on  account  of  their  novelty,  superiority  or 
rarity.  Another  feature,  which  is  highly  appreciated  by  visitors,  is  the  great 
beauty  manifested  in  the  artistic  arrangement  of  many  otherwise  incongruous 
articles.  In  the  evening,  the  building  is  brilliantly  illuminated  by  twenty-eight 
hundred  gas  lights,  many  of  them  issuing  from  the  magnificent  chandeliers 
contributed  by  our  renowned  Philadelphia  manufacturers. 
About  one-half  of  the  entire  space  is  taken  up  by  machinery  of  the  most 
varied  kinds,  most  of  it  being  in  active  operation.  The  display  in  this  depart- 
ment is  stated  by  competent  authorities  as  being  not  only  the  most  extensive,  but 
also,  by  far  the  finest  that  has  ever  yet  been  exhibited  on  this  continent. 
Without  attempting  to  enumerate  all  the  multitudinous  articles  of  pharma- 
ceutical interest,  we  will  merely  endeavor  to  present  an  epitome  of  those 
characterized  by  prominent  features. 
Powers  &  Weightman  present  the  most  elaborate  display  of  their  manu 
factures  which  we  have  so  far  examined.  Considerable  labor  and  patience  has 
evidently  been  bestowed  on  the  preparation  and  arrangement  of  these 
specimens.  About  $2000  worth  of  sulphate  of  morphia  is  exhibited  in  large 
blocks,  which,  when  illuminated  by  the  reflection  of  McAllister's  calcium  light, 
present  an  appearance  of  snowy  whiteness  and  dazzling  brilliancy.  The 
sulphates  of  cinchonidia  and  quinidia,  which  are  beginning  to  be  largely 
consumed  in  the  South  as  substitutes  for  quinia,  are  exhibited  in  enormous  bell 
glasses.  The  quinidia  consists  entirely  of  very  beautiful  long,  silky  crystals, 
which  are  frequently  mistaken  by  visitors  for  asbestos.  Citric  and  tartaric 
acids  made  by  the  firm  are  shown  in  unusually  large  and  handsome  crystals. 
Gallic  acid  is  modelled  into  the  shape  of  Cleopatra's  Needle,  forming  a  huge 
obelisk.  Large  masses  of  copper  sulphate  and  of  alum  are  effectively  disposed. 
Silver  nitrate  is  exhibited  in  plates  of  remarkable  size.  The  cadmium  iodide 
is  peculiarly  beautiful,  resembling  in  lustre  the  mother-of-pearl,  or  nacreous 
layer  of  certain  shells.  Two  large  vessels  of  ammonium  nitrate  have  been 
specially  admired  ;  some  of  these  numerous  prismatic  crystals  measure  fully 
fifteen  to  sixteen  inches  in  length,  while  they  are  barely  three  to  five  lines  in 
thickness. 
Rosengarten  &  Sons  also  exhibited  an  extensive  assortment  of  their  chem- 
icals. 
