other famous poems, each with the signature
of the author. It will be, we understand, for
sale at the Book Stand, Union Avenue, close
by the corner of New Jersey. Apropos to
these autographs we are reminded that lately
while examining a valuable collection of
papei's belonging to Mas. William Biddle, of
this city, we found among them the original
MS. of Hail Columbia, with a full autographic
account of the circumstances under which it
was written, and with the signature of the
author “Come and see at the Delaware
table, the splendid Afghan which is to be pre
sented to Commodore DuroNT ?” said a young
lady to her cousin. “ You should pronounce
it llav-gonc,” was the travelled gentleman's
reply. “ But you hac'nt gone yet,” was the
answer We are happy to learn that in con
tributing to the Fair, Doylestown, Pennsylva
nia, has not been backward. From a list
published in the Doylestown Democrat
we should imagine that there are but few
gentlemen in that thriving little town who
have not given money, and certainly very few
ladies who have not worked for the Great
Central We venture to speak a word in
favor of the table devoted to Our Daily Fare.
On it may be found the celebrated dagger of
Garibaldi, borne by him in all his battles—
depicted in all his portraits, and berhymed by
all the poets of Young Italy. With it we have
photo and autographs of Gauibaliii —for sale
—-with the original of his letter to the Ladies
of America; the value of which, according to
Mr. Marsh, our Minister at Turin, is worth
twenty double eagles. The dagger will be
awarded to any one who receives the most
votes; each voter paying one dollar to the
Fair. At the same table we have the Book of
Honor, in which any person, paying one dol
lar, may inscribe the name of any soldier who
has served in the great War of Emancipation.
We are requested to find a corner for the
following:
“The Poet’s Album, prepared for the Fair, has
already been sold to Mrs. Adams, of Boston,
for five hundred dollars. This valuable and
interesting book consists of autograph manu
script poems from twenty-five different authors,
illustrated with portraits and an illuminated
title page. Each sheet is inlaid on tinted
paper, and the whole is splendidly bound in
Pawson & Nicholson’s best style.
“ As some dissatisfaction has been expressed
that the volume was actually sold before the
opening of the Fair, so that Philadelphians
had not an opportunity to compete for its pur
chase, Mrs. Thomas P. James, the Chairman
of the Autograph department, is ready to re
ceive, from any one willing to give the same,
or a higher sum, an order for another, which
she pledges herself shall be superior to this,
as she obtained from England, too late for
insertion, several manuscripts from distin
guished poets, as well as duplicates of those
TTiEa Daily Pabe.
actually sold. Mrs. James will reserve these
until the last week of the Fair, hoping that the
persons who have felt themselves forestalled
by a sister city, will come forward and add
another five hundred to the receipts of the
autograph table. The second Poets Album
can be ready for the purchasers in six weeks
from the time of the order as the above named
firm required a month to bind a similar
volume.”
The drop curtain of the Soldiers Reading
Room, during the recent entertainments for
the Central Fair, was a beautiful painting by
Russell Smith, representing the Sanitary
Commission's work at Chattanooga. A friend
of ours stood gazing at it when it was first
put up, and turned away with a sigh and a
shake of the head, saying, “ Its very pretty,
but there will never be any conversation here
when that curtain is down.” Somewhat
alarmed at the dull prospect, we inquired the
reason, “ Why don’t you see what a Chat
ternugatory effect it will produce on the
ladies?” There was nothing to be said.
A HIGH FLYER.
The following correspondence, which we
print from the original documents, requires
no comment. It speaks for itself:
SiHRAALENBUROH, Bergen Co., j
New Jersey, May 5, 18fi4. /
Dear Sir: My father, viz., Peter Beucler,
has received your letter concerning the Great
Central Fair, andl answer for him, as I controll
the business myself since the first of April, ’O3.
I will exert all my influence in this locality in
behalf of your Fair as long as I am in this
place, but I cannot do anything for you in the
wagon line, as I am about closing up business
to engage in a new enterprise, an invention of
my own, to which I intend to devote all my
time and energy. This invention is a flying
machine, the production of six years study
and six months labor. It is just about six
years ago when I first conceived the idea of
making a machine that would ascend into the
elements and wend its way over towns and
citties, rivers and oceans, fearing neither beg
gar nor king. Two years ago I constructed a
small machine, simply a model, four feet high,
propelled by springs. It ascended to the
height of about four hundred feet; the springs
being then run down, it consequently came
down, just as I expected, on a stack of hay,
thereby not damaging it. I then saw where
improvements could be made, and destroyed
the machine, lest some person should discover
it and claim the invention. Last December I
commenced the construction of a machine on
a larger scale, and it will be completed in the
course of two or three weeks. It contains a
room with four windows, six feet square on
the bottom, five feet six by four feet six on top,
and six feet high, and has a tail to steer any
direction I may choose, and is provided with
forty wings, and will measure twenty-six feet
between the tips of the wings, and about
twenty-eight feet from the mouth to end of the
tail, and will carry twelve hundred pounds, an
equivalent to a little more than eight persons ;
to be propelled and managed by a single man.
Last week I had it so far advanced as to be
able to give it a trial witli twenty wings. I
went about seven hundred feet high, and came
down again without the least apparent danger,
but I found it neccessary to duble the number
of wings. It will all be completed in two or
three weeks. Its practical use is as follows :
In time it will be used as a means of convey
ing passengers from one part of the world to
another. Instead of going around Cape Horn
or through the Isthmus of Panama to go to
California, a short cut can be taken directly
over the Rocky Mountains, and in one-tenth the
time, and the machine will be well adapted for
taking a correct map of countries, and it
might also be used for viewing the fortifica
tions of the South, thereby discovering all
their schemes and plans, and other uses it
might be applied to. My intentions were to
have it on exibition for a few weeks in New
York, and then take a trip with it to Washing
ton ; but since you sent that letter about the
Fair, it struck me that the Fair would be just
the place to exhibit my machine, as 1 will have
it finished in time. 1 would propose to you to
have the machine enclosed by itself in the
Fair, and charge so much admission, and I
would give you one-quarter of the profits.
You can let me know by letter, as quick as
possible, your opinion of this proposition ; or
if you have any other propositions to make I
would be happy to hear them.
Yours, most respectively,
Georue Beucler.
Office of the Great Central Fair, 1
for the Sanitary Commission, L
Phil'a., 1307 Chestnut St., May C>ih, ’O4. J
Mr. George Beucler:—Dear Sir:— Your
favor of the sth inst., to Mr. C. J. Stjlle, is
received, and contents carefully noted.
We started with the rule that all articles
sent to the Fair should be retained or sold for
the benefit of the Sanitary Commission, except
articles of curiosity or art, meaning thereby
relics and pictures.
Now this rule, for the sake of consistency, we
ought to apply to your invention of a flying
machine, and very much to our regret, for an
invention so wondrous and long sought for
would excite universal attention and admira
tion, and thousands would throng to behold
the marvellous contrivance which has been the
dream of every inventor since the dawn of
history.
But should we make an exception in favor
of your Flying Machine, and admit it to the
Fair Buildings only for exhibition, the popu
lace would require more than a mere assurance