Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-06-01
The Immense Amphitheatre at
Minneapolis
WILL H0LDALL The DELEGATES
And Vast Throng OF Outsiders Besides.
Every Facility Provided for the En-
tertainment Of Guests.

him. rising tier on tier IN great quad
rangular smphltheater. many thou
sands Of people gathered in what
promises to be known in years to come
AS one OF the historic halls of the Gen.
tury. 1t is magnificent room in size
and splendid one in its adaptation 70
the needs of the occasion. 1t IS built
inside the Industrial Exposition build
ing somewhat as the great opera audi
forum was built IN the Chicago expo
sltion several years ago. The room is
nearly square, 2S5 by POS feet in size,
and about seventy-five feet high. There
is but one balcony running around
the whole building. When the
eye of the orator rests on this
balcony he will find ample incentive
for republican enthusiasm. for it bears
upon its facade the glitteripg shields of
the states fashioned from native tin
and decked about with the flag of the
republic. Each shield besrs the name
OF the state it represents wrought in
raised letters across the field, and In
some cases embossed in gold. About
the upper part OF the room. where the
immense skylignt joins the pine-tim-
bered ceiling, runs narrow-fringed fes-
toons of gold-coIored drapery.
with Flags and Eagles.
At the four sides are draped flags of
large size, with decorative eagles be.
tween them. The speakers stand is
below two of these flags. To the right
and left, on slightly rising terraces,
are the places for the newspaper corre-
spondents. and the wide tables of the
Associated and United Press seats have
been assigned to 298 correspondents.
Immediately in front of the speaker
will he the 800 delegate, the delega-
tons being distinguished by cards sus-
pended from the ceiling. Back of
them sit the alternates, and back Uf
the speaker the distinguished guests.
The people will pack the sides and the
balcony. In all, there will be seats for
ii 500 people. The skylight over the
delegate floor is painted. with the great
umbers supporting 1t, a mazzarine
blue. The light was SO intense on
clear summer day that it was found
imperative to soften it. The pillars
which support the roof are pale
gold at the top running down
into umber at the base. Rest
ing upon them about midway are
sheaves OF wheat, typical of the north.
west. All the decorations are modest.
II there are evening sessions there will
be over sixty arc lights, while novel
effects will be produced in incaudes-
cent lights half concealed by the decor
atiOns.
Provisions for the Press.
In the rear of the speakers stand
are commodious rooms for the West
ern Union and North American Tele-
graph companies and for the two press
associations. The auditorium will be
found worthy of the high praise which
has been bestowed upon it. The ar
rangements for the convention are
progressing we'll. The seat question
will De settled on the arrival of Ser
gcaut-at-Arms Meek tomorrow. The
delegates will then be allotted places.
The accommodations committee
has quarters ready for manv thousands
of unassigned people. Every train,
special and regular, coming to Min
neapolis will be boarded miles out of
the city and each unassigned person
will be carefully directed TO the head
quarters Of the committee where he
will he at once assigned quarters with
full Instructions how to reach them.
The delegations and newspaper men
we're long ago assigned their quarters.
The citizens are opening their homes
and their purses. and they propoee that
every man, woman and child coming
| 70 the convention shall be comfortably
fed and housed. Arrangements are
being made for q monster mass meet
IN of colored people some evening dur
ing the convention with prominent
speakers. A concert on m elaborate
scale will be given on Monday evening
preceding the convention. Governor
Mckinley, OF Ohio, will deliver An ad.
dress. Over 5000 seats have already
been cold.
Entertainments Provided.
| On Saturday evening. June 6, Chauu-
cey NJ. Depew will deliver an address
! under the auspices of the Minneapolis
| Press club IN the Swedish tabernacle, q
building seating 5000 people. Arrange
| ments have been made whereby nalf
| hourly trains will ne run between Min
| n~Apolis and 81 Paul over two roade
dr.ing the convention week, while the
| electric trains between the two cities
| will run every two minutes. The peo-
| pie of ST. Paul are ioiping heartily with
the Minneapolis convention committee
| in providing all facilities 10 take care OF
the overflow. The hotels OF ST. Paul
will be largely utilised and the homes
| of private citizens in that city have
been generously offered. Al Lake Min.
netonKa the hotels are rapidly filling
| up. Many prominent people from the
| east trinc already auartered there
| Chairman Brockett. of the local com.
| mlttee. will entertain Sergeant-at-Arms
| Meek. Sloat Fassett. John Dwight and
III. o. Armour. of New York, and Sen.
ator Washburne will have an,ong hi,
| euest. Chauncey NJ. Depew. Governor
| Mckinley. Senator Piatt, Senator His
cock, Charles Emory smith and Sena
tor Mcmillan.
Barrtson's 8eadquarters
The Harrison headquarters win no
~ sestied upon until The ARRIVAL o
Mr. New. tat they will probably he In
West hotel. The ladies of the city sr'
making elaborate preparations Il
! entertain the visiting ladies'.
Fine quarters have been given no to
! them IN the finest store IN the city
I where they viii give out Information a
/ 90 the ssgrt of the city and vicinity
and IN dIffereat ways make the visit
ing iads~. at home Sab-commssfee
Of sonse of the most prominent iadi~s
of tue CITY wfli be on duty from s . m
~ 2. ~. each dav of tho convention
the ladies hassaz slsesdy s.een ssssgoe.
20 the. individual dsys. Ever,
noffhern state has nov = perfecfe1
lcrgspnstioa with headquarters 70 soD