The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-04
REVIEW oF THE DAY.
decorations of the HalI-Seating the Dele
gates-The Scene.

gates-The Scene.
CHICAGO. June 3.-The Republican national
convention, the eighth in the history of the par
ty, convened at noon to-day The spectacle
presented at the opening notable one in
many ways, and description would he worthy
OF high flight of the imagination. The work
ing body Of the convention, the greatest in point
of numbers of any national political assem-
blage, occupied only a small portion of the vast
auditorium. The remaining body Of the hall
was filed by audience which occupied every
point of vantage, and made up picture as
viewed from the press stand, of an almost un
ending sea of faces, of solid black, and uncovered
heads relieved by the rich colors and hutterine
toilets of the ladies. who were present in great
force
The hall is the largest and has been termed
the most complete ever thrown open for the
work of a vast deliberative body 1t is in one
sense temporary, having been constructed with
in the walls of the Exposition building situated
on the east line of the city, on the shores of
Lake Michigan. Its seating capacity approx
mates $4,000. Springing from the east and
west sides of the hall are vast arches, which rise
POO feet in the air, and relieve the view through
tho entire expanse of fhe auditorium The
chairmans desk rests on a platform twelve feet
above the seats of the delegates, and the press
occupies an intermediate space midway between
in height, or about on level with the heads of
the delegates as they occupy their
chairs. Back of the chair, ranged
in a semi-circle and on level space, are seated
the remaining officers of the eonver ton, mem
bers of the national committee and their ina
mediate friends. Back of this circle, on a sharp
ly rising incline, are one thousand seats, occu-
pied by great many persons of national repute
whose presence is by the grace of the national
committeeman. Swinging over the desk of the
chairman and fairly touching the arches is a
wide spreading sounding board; and embracing
the side extremes of the building the delegates
and alternates occupy deadlevel space bounded
by square lines. They hemmed in on
two sides by tiers of boxes occupied
mainly by guests of the delegates The section
of the hall occupied by the working body of the
convention is broken by four wide aisles, from
the edges of which rise Roman standards, pend
ant with blue silk banners imprinted in gold
with the names of the States and Territories
THE ASSIGNMENT OF SEATS
Beginning on the left, facing the stage, is the
State of Alabama, and back through the first
tier OF seats follow Arkansas, California, Con-
necticut, and down through the line of States in
alphabetical turn to Maine. Beginning again on
the right and rear is Maryland, with Massachu-
setts Immediately in her front, and end
ing with the District of Columbia in
the front row of the second tier
New York occupies the front rank in
| the third, aud Ohio holds the ranking position
| in the fourth and remaining tier. Back of the
| delegates is a similar space occupied by the
alternates, and separated from the main body by
| hardly precoptible partition
In the rear OF the aternates is a c6mmodioux
seating space. the chairs resting on an easy in
! cline and cut off from the space occupied by the
alternates by line of pickets Beginning at a
mates is another dividing wall, and from that
! rises tier upon ties of seats to a