Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-10-07
A GREAT SPEECH,
The Greatest Mr.. COnkling
Has Made in Many
Years.
SPEECH OF THE DISTINGUISHED
SENATOR IN NEW YORK
Before an Enthusiastic Audi
ence Of Ten Thousand
People.
Twenty five Thousand Others
Unable to Gain Adj
mittance.

New YORK, Sept. 1.-THE meeting at
the Academy of Music this evening to
hear the address of Roscoe Conkling
was an immense gathering. The hall
was packed and the galleries were filed.
There were 500 people on the stage,
and $4,000 people in the streets were
unable to gain admittance. The
speaking was advertised to commence
at Z 30 o'clock, but Mr.. Conkling did
not appear until o'clock. The doors
of the Academy of Music were thrown
open at o'clock. A large number of
policemen had been stationed in front
of the building in Irving Place to con-
troll the crowd and assist in the
collection of tickets. There were at
this hour at least $4,000 people wait
ing to rush in. As soon as the doors
were open the scramble commenced.
THE CRUSH WAS TERRIFIC.
The police were borne down by the
weight of the crowd, and were COM
pletely powerIess. The doorkeepers
were entirely unable to collect the
tickets, and were pushed aside or
trampled on. They were glad to save
themselves from bodily harm by getting
themselves out of the way, and allow
ing the mass of humanity to rush by.
They might as well have tried to stop
n herd of buffaloes on a western
prairie when in full flight. People
were carried from She street into the
hall without touching their feet to the
ground. The immense building was
filled from roof to basement in fifteen
minutes, and those outside struggled
yainly to get through the doors, until
Ii seemed as if the walls would burst.
Men shouted and cursed, women
screamed, the police alternately mem
aced the mob with their clubs and
expostulated with them. A scene was
enacted which it is impossible ade-
quately to describe, and the like of
which will not occur again in this city.
Once inside,
TIE UTMOST GOOD HUAOR
prevailed. A voice in the auditorium
struck up "John Browns Body" and
it was Immediately joined by a
a thousand other voices in the audience,
which sang the verse through. The
singing was excellent, and the effect
prodigious, arouslng enthusiastic cheers
on the part OF the waiting multitude,
After a brief interval, America
was sung by the same chorus of thou
sand voices. Then followed the Star
SpapgIed Banner" Abort this time
some patriot discovered Gov. Cornell
IN a private box with some of the ladies
of his family. He was greeted with
three rousing cheers, and would not be
left alone until he arose and bowed his
acknowledgement to the audience
Then some one proposed three cheers
for Grant, which brought the whole
audience to their feet in response to
the cali. The cheers were given with
a will.
For few minutes the audience had
nothing to occupy its attention. Then
agentleman in the parIuet arose and
appealed to the gallantry of those near
him on behalf OF lady who wanted q
seat. After a considerable delay,
during which the attention of the
audience had been attracted that way,
a colored citizen arose and politely
gave his seat to the lady. The i'm
mense audience recognized the gracious
act, and broke into prolonged shout
OF approval.
ENTER SENATOR CONKLING.
Promptly at o'clock Mr.. Conklng,
accompanied by Hamilton Fish and
several other prominent gentlemen, APP
peared on the side entrance of the plat
form. Instantly every man and woman
in the building arose to their feet, and
swinging hats and handkerchiefs in the
air, shouted until the building trembled
MIR. Conkling walked upon the platform