Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-10-15
COLUMBIAN NOTES.
A Little Difficulty About Dedi-
cation Eloquence.
BRECKENRIDGE REFUSES TO TALK.

Chicago Newspaper Criticisms Too Much
for Him-Editor watterson Steps Into
the Breach-The Grand Dedication Hall
Seats for sc, 900 People and Standing
Room for 100, 900 NIore-The President
Not To BE Present-CIeveIand, Wife
and Baby Coming Illinois National
Guard to March.
CHICAGO, Oct 15-Two weeks ago Thurs
day the Worlds fair directors gave the or
der TO begin preparing the manufactures
and liberal arts building for the dedication
ceremonies of Friday next. This meant
the providing of seats in amphitheatrical
arrangement for 10000 persons. 1t goes
without saying that there was great deal
of work to be done, an immense amount of
lumber TO be secured and transported to
the grounds. No time was lost by the con-
tractors, and by Sunday they had $50 men
at work. This number has been steadily
Increasing till at the end some $50 men
were at work, and Thursday night every
thing was practically completed as far as
the carpentry work was concerned and
ready for the decorators to take hold.
How's This for an Orchestra stand?
The dimensions of the floor on which the
exercises will take place are ,300x400 feet,
being the whole of the space under the
immense trusses, the naves being left for
promenading. At the extreme south end
is the large orchestra stand, and in the
center of the east side the speakers plat
form and the stand for distinguished
guests. The orchestra stand is 115 feet
wide and $50 feet deep The height of the
lowest tier from the floor is nine feet, ris-
ing back TO a height of thirty-eight feet.
81 l. L. t.
Will hold 1850 persons, and the entrances
for the performers will be by the rear and
sides. In this structure there are 5000
feet of lumber.
For NotabIes, Speakers and the Press.
The stand for distinguished guests is 222
feet long and 100 feet deep. 1t is five feet
above the ground, and there are twenty
eight tiers in it, each step being raised
eight inches. The speakers stand is in the
center, semi-circular in form, 1Sx32 feet. 1t
Is the same height as the rest of the struc-
ture, five feet above the floor. The press
stand runs along the whole front, under
meath the speakers stand, and is 222 feet
long by 80 feet wide There are De, 600 feet
of lumber in this structure. In the center
of the floor, Immediately in front of the
speakers stand, is space AS feet by 275
partitioned off by a wire fence, in which
will be placed Il, 600 chairs for holders of
reserved seat tickets. a large number of
these chairs are IN position.
viii Take ~, 900 Chairs.
From the center of the speakers stand
to the wire fence broad aisle eighteen feet
wide runs. Six smaller aisles run east and
west, parallel with the main aisle, and
three north and south. Outside the fence
for a distance of 116 feet on the north side,
us feet on the west side and 100 feet on the
south side, chairs are placed, and the toCal
number of chairs in use is Al 900. The
IL.
have to thread their way through the
labyrinth of seats, but will enter the build
ing by the east door, and reach their places
in the stand by the rear. Immediately be-
hind the distinguished guests are the tele-
graph, telephone and district messenger
offices.
Benches for Over Nine Thousand.
Behind the chairs on the floor of the
building are benches. These are made in
sections of twelve feet each and are nine
teen inches a3ove the floor. They will each
seat eight persons, and there some 1890
benches to 90 into position. In the gallery
are four rows of benches running entirely
around the building, with n raise of two
feet six inche, from the front to the rear
benches. As at present arranged there is
seating capacity for more than 10000 per
sons, and not much more than a third of
the building is occupied, so that in the
naves and elsewhere there will be standing
room for nearly 100000 more.
Arrangements for Lighting.
The lightin,, of the huge building will be
brilliant. There are to be 25O electric lights
of 1000 candle power each. Most of these
are in position one being suspended from
each of the bays and one every 100 feet in
the naves. hanging from the roof will be
clusters of lights four and six in number,
and some of these will be over the orches-
ira and distinguished guests stand. The
light is-furhished from the special power
plant placed i'll machinery hall.
TROUBLE OVER AN ORATOR.