The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-11-03

SPEAKER REED IN ST. PAUL.
A Great Gathering Of Republicans In
His Honor.

[From the St. Paul Pioneer Press of October 20 ]
Republican eloquence reached climax in
st. Paul last evening when Thomas 3. Reed,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
addressed the people on the issues involved
in the present political campaign. All day
long the public waited impatiently for the
evening. 1t needed no fiaring handbills to
make known the fact that Speaker Reed was
In the city; the word was passed from lip to
lip, and everywhere was signal to evoke
Republican enthusiasm. The public recep-
tion at the Ryan served only to whet the ap-
petiteS of those who wis he'd to hear from the
man from Maine, and, although it was an
nounced that Speaker Reed was to appear in
the Grand Opera House at O'Clock, it was a
few minutes before o'clock when the first
enthusiastic Republican presented himself
at the Opera House to wait for the doors to
be thrown open.
For the next two hours the crowd in front
of the Opera House grew into perfect jam,
extending far out on both Sixth and st. Pc
ter streets. The side doors were thrown
open only to those who were to occupy seats
on the stage, but somebody made bad
blunder, ami the front doors of the Opera
House were kept shut until o'clock, while
mob buffeted ahd surged against the door
through which only the vice presidents and
press representatives, who held tickets of
who came to this door, unable to gain admit
tanee, declared that the scheme was fraud.
but quieted down little when told to go to
the front door, where tickets of admission
were not required, and wait for the opening
of the doors.
The Minneapolis FIambeau club, which
had been invited over for the evening, pre-
Sented fine appearance as they marched up
to the theatre from the Union depot, and
awakened still greater enthusiasm. Gov.
Merriam and Speaker Reed drove up in a
carriage and quietly took seats on the stage
before the crowd had assembled. Gov. Mer-
riam occupied the centre Of the stage, behind
a small table, Speaker Reed holding posi-
tion of honor on his right. A few moments
later they were Joined by Congressman Sni-
der, and then the stage was filed by such
Republican notabes as State Treasurer Bob
Letter, Senator d. M. Clough, Tams Bixby,
John Goodow, F. Driscoll, Sr., Assistant At
J. Blethen. p. W. Wildt, John Ii. Norrisn,
Gen. W. g. LeDuc, j. A. Wheelock, W. w.
Rich, M. d. Taylor, w. j. Freaney, Col.
Newport, eX-Gov. William r. Marshall and
a host of others.
After much tedious delay the doors of the
opera house were thrown open, and in about
seven minutes the place was filled from pit
to dome. In the boxes were several ladies
of loyal Republican tendencies, and the
Flambeau Club occupied front seats in the
parquet. On the outside were several hun
dred unable to gain admittance, although
the aisles from the parquet to the top gallery
were all Occupied, and the foyer was crowd
ed full, making over 5000 people in the builG-
ing. The sight was a dazzling one, every
the house being packed, and the crowd on
the outside. now swelled to nearly 1000,
marched over to the Newmarket and patient
ly awaited Speaker Reeds arrival.