The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-06-20

seen without an effort, and an audience of
less than 10000 appears to be an almost
countless multitude. The magnificent
sweep OF the great gallery alone, which
seats nearly 5000 persons, is O picture
which lmpresses even those familiar with
the great audience, and the whole scene,
bathed in flood of electric light shed by
25,OOO incandescent lamps, thrills even the
most sluggish heart The auditorium is 200
feet long and 120 feet wide, with two side
balconies and great gallery seats, which
rise tier on tier at an anglesof forty de-
grees. The stage, which, but slightly raised
above the floor of the hall. commands a
view not only of the great audience in front,
but OF the large balcony in the rear and
the tier of boxes at either side.
THE STAGE.
This stage stretches from side to side of
the hall, and accommodates, in addition to
the presidents platform. which is in the
center, several hundred newspaper repre-
sentatives. There are just s, 100 seats in the
hall, and as the convention Is called to or
der, probably 5000 people are within the
glance of Chairman Jones eve. The deco
rations appear a trife pewildering at first,
and the walls, ceiling and every post,
pillar and panel Is covered with
flags, bunting and streamers in various
artistic designs and colors, and portraits
and paintings of historic scenes meet the
eye everywhere. Red, white and blue is
conspicuous, of course, everywhere. But a
great sheet of terra Gotta bunting hangs as
roof, between which the light pours
through 1t from the great open space Just
above the great gallery, and relieves the
otherwise monotony of so prodigal display
of national colors. But even the sunlight
shines but dimly in the great hall, the cleo
trio illumination being depended upon be-
cause of the imposSbility of protecting the
audience in the present unfinished state of
the building and letting in the day at the
same time.
THE ELECTRIC LIGHTS.
Arrangements of electric lamps in great
stars suspend from the roof, and the walls
are one of the most effective and beautiful
features Of the scene which greets Chair
man Jones as he stands-himself a striking
figure, tall, erect, with the appearance and
air of patriarch-with suspended gavel to
hush the great stir and hustle before him to
present the clergyman who is to ask the
divine benediction upon the deliberations of
the convention. Some of the details of the
auditorium decorations are worth special
mention. At the apex in front of the
chairman's desk is gilded American, -
and beneath it the portrait of Washington
On the right of the chairman's
ucohHio bidCtu a. Duob VI bl0 ldDo Oou. OOu1
A. Logan in heroic size, draped with the
American flag. Hanging from one of the
boxes at the right is large painting of
LOgan's charge at the battle of Atlanta.
On the face of the north and south walls of
the auditorium, framed in festoOns of large
American flags and surrounded by circle
of electric stars are the portraits of Lincoln
and Grant, the designs being mammoth in
proportion and form. Two of the most
stringent details of decoration, flashing its
parti-colored brllliancy full into the face of
the audience and delegates, is the suspended
AMERICAN SHIELD
formed of different colored electric lamps
This sheld-itS horizon of stars, its stripes
of union-are all pictured out and put in q
bas relief of light by grasping the jets
through red, white and blue globes. At the
point of exit and entrance to the hall, which
dip like great walls into the auditorium,
are the nations standards planted at either
side and draped SO as to hide the boards
which form the staircases of these
avenues to the convention, OF
which there are sufficient to empty the
place, in case Of accident, in three minutes.
| The Boston club has planted its magnifi-
cent banner, five feet long, just behind the
stage, and it proudly floats, bearing in let
ters of gold upon field of blue the sentiments
| which appear to be uppermost in the minds
of the delegates The banner is inscribed
| 'Home Market Club of Boston," "Ameri-
can Wages for American Workingmen,
American Markets for the American Peo-
| ple,n Protection for American Homes >
| This banner is marked by the delegates as
| they come into the hall and by the specta.
! tors as they gather in the galleries and bal
| comics 1t is cheered time after time.