Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-06-30
CHICAGO A FLAT FAILURE.
The Most Miserable Arrangements
for the Convention.

With a i.eaky NOof--The Antir u DIS
grace to ChicaAs and u Shame to the
Country.
Chicago special, June %.
1t is probable that never in the history
of American National Conventions have
the press arrangements been so wretchcd
and the accommodations to the active
workers so inadequate as on tho present
occasion. A cry of disappointment went
up all along the line when the news
paper men were shown their seats and
narrow desks in the convention hall
oday, and comparisons made between
the accommodations OF the National Re
publican Convention of two weeks ago
and those Of today were not 10 the favor
of the Democratic Convention.
During all this time, when there were
5000 vacant gallery seats in the wigwam,
there We're over AGO representatives Of
the press, 200 Of whom were representa-
tives of daily papers, standing on the
outside and unable to get an Ambulance
to the hail. Most of these gentlemen
were from western and southern states,
and had failed to secure the usual
couriesies because Of the matter being
referred to the Washington press COM
mittce, which distributed the seats before
these newspaper men had made their
application
Only $50 working seats were accorded
to the press, and instead Of Il local com
mittec being appointed to manage the
press arrangements the whole affair was
referred to the press committee of the
national convention. This committee,
quite naturally, gave the first prefer
ence to these papers which have repre-
sentatives at the National Capital, as
these gentlemen were on hand and in
position vigorously 20 make known
their wants. All the great metropolitan
papers, therefore, and all other papers
which are within such convenient dis
lance of Washington as to find it ncces-
sary to have representative at the
capital were well provided for, but by
that time the $50 tickets were ex-
hausted.
The apportionment was made three or
four weeks ago, and since that time
hundreds of applications have been
pillng into Chicago from papers all over
the west and south, which did not
understand nat the press arrangements
had been rclegated 10 Il committee
thousand miles away from the conven-
| ton city. The Congressional Press
Committee, of which Mr.. H. A. G.
Handy is chairman, maintain that as
only $50 seats were allotted them for
distribution, they could certainly not
| give accommodations for 1000 news
| paper workers, and that they should not
be blamed for the lack of facilities, when
that question was determined solely by
| the national committee.
VIGOROUS PROTESTS.
And so 1t is the national committee
which Is tonight the object of the gem
efal protest from the newspaper fratern-
| ity, and this protest finds vigorous
utterance in the dispatches that are
| going over the wires to all portions Of
the Union Several vain attempts were
made during the day to open the vacant
| galleries to the outsiders, and par
ticularly TO the Union veterans of the
late war. But it WAS felt that this
matter should be disposed of the Com
mittce on Resolutions, ard when a
southern delegate inquired, "What is
the matter with the eX.Confederates?" a
discreet delegate from northern state
promptly moved TO refer the whole
| question TO the Committee on Resolu-
tions.
The big hall itself certainly presented
no attraction to the multitude |! is a
huge and hideous box Of giqantic size,
all made of Imprinted pine boards II
had one thing in its favor though, and
that was big one on this sultry day; il
was perfectly ventilated. In the place
OF the canvas roof, which had been
blown off by the cyclone the other day,
Il gravel covering had been erected with
an opening for air all round.
GATHERING N i STORM.
| The opening was provided with can
vass curtains that could be closed in the
event Of q storm. They had to be used
the first thing. For, while the audience
was gathering and the officers of the
national committee We're busy with tho
preliminaries, one of those wild thunder
storms which are Il terror 10 the stranger
in Chicago, suddenly blow up from the
lake, bringing great sheets Of rain and
binding flashes Of lightning III its train
Men rushed out to drop the curtains
Clouds of inky blackness massed them,
selves in the sky and the interior Of III
hall grew as dark as night The rait
burst upon the building and tile stream,
of water poured through chinks IN III,
roof down upon the heads of III,
auditors. In the galleries hundreds q
umbrellas were quickly hoisted to keor
off the rain, and while few of the dele
gates were smiling at the plight of Thu
galleries the piercing rain found n new
entrance and poured in right on III,
heads OF the rammany delegation. Gov
Flower, of New York, hoisted lis blacl
silk umbrella and two OF three Of III,
delegates near BY crowded in with him
So much had been written on IN
question Of the safety If the wicwan
that vague fear swept over the crow,
as the storm grew liercer, and tn
collapse OF Il few seats in tic CALLER
was enough TO create a momentar
panic in The section roundabout Ia
, place of accident. In less than te
minutes the storm passed over, and til
sun bursting forth and filling the whol
place with light, was received with tn
heartiness of applause that might hay
: been given to an old friend But III
! ram continued 70 come in through III
! roof in little streams, ana Govoruo
Flower hung on to tho safety Of II;
umbrella until the meeting was formal
g called to order.
RoPED II LIKE A rRlzE RING.
/ The convention hall has been rope
! in like a gigantic prize ring and gimrele
I, hya strong force ofpoiice. 1t was inuac
sticky, swelteTing Chicago day. M
= air was SO thicl. with SMOKE that re plrq
! ton was difficult. Occasionally the IN
: struggled through tile gloom, only /
4 make more plainly visible tie pcrpe,r
1 ally descending SCOT flakes. 'fhruut