The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-06-06
THE BIG CONVENTION.
Seattle After the National
Christian Endeayorers.
A GUARANTEE FUND NEEDED.
It VIII Bring 5000 Visitors Who
VIII spend at Least Sf5o.oo IN the
subcommittee at Work.

Encouraged By their success in the man
age1nent or The recent convention Of the
State Christian Endeavor Union. the En-
5eavorevs Of Seattle have now set to work
with their accus toned energy 10 secure
the holding in this city Of the interaa-
toni convention Of the organization IN
1897. These international Christian En-
deayor conventions have for several years
been famous as being. next 10 the .. A.
Z. encampments. the largest annual con-
yentions held in the country. They are
remarkably cosmopolitan In -heir repre-
seutatioc, delegates being present not
only from every state in the Union, but
from every country in the world.
The Christian Endeavor Union Of Seat
tie believes it can secure this convention.
and a careful canvass OF the city shows
that the city can accommodate I5,g19 dele
gates But TO DO this the entire city must
cooperate. citizens. business men and all
business Men Needed.
The Endeavorers therefore turn 10 the
business men. They first consulted MIR.
". u. Wood. Al first he was little
dubious at so large an undertaking, hut
soon grasped its great advantages and
vas not long in being convinced OF It's
feasibility. lie Is enthusiastically urging
and helping the Endeayorers TO present
the proposition TO the business men,
In speaking Of the project 10 a Post-in-
telligencer reporter yesterday. he said the
question must be decided ~ the people
and decided promptly.
Benefits OF the Convention.
He mentioned he great benefits received
- cities VIII n have entertained the con-
venficns " tie past This year conser-
vative estimates place the number OF DEL
egates 70 the convention in Boston I'm
july az Joeo. while a much larger num-
her Ia IT, n
city next summer. The conventions have
been for several years so large and the
necessity 81 time for preparation so great
that the places OF meeting are assigned
two years in advance. AT the Montreal
convention. Ia ls3 the iss5 meeting was
awarded 20 San Francisco. bur IL was
upon condition that the city secure from
the railroads rate sufficiently low 10
warrant the convention in going there.
But through the inability OF the Cslifor-
MA people 10 bring the Southern Pacific
and other roads TO terms the condition
vas not fulfilled. and Boston was called
upon 20 take the convention at nine
months notice. Probably no other city
In the country coIif have done mis-.
Other cities AfterIt.
But now san francisco is again in the
field for the 1870 meeting. and since the
officers Of the United Society have signi-
fed their intention OF going TO he Pacific
coast. Los Angeles and Portland are also
in the field. Mr.. Wood stated with much
emphasis that no city on the Coast had
tile advantages In the way of railroad ia
cilities enjoyed by Seattle, with her four
direct. distinct lines between mere and the
East And If II came 10 d question of
rates. the northern reads. with the long
haul from ST. Paul TO Seattle and no di-
vision OF earnings. ought 10. as the gen
eral passenger agent of the Great North
ern has already said. name a rate that
viii make your head swim"
The benefits of such a convention to
Seattle cannot be overestimated And
from a business standpoint, they viii
bring TO the city not less than s200,0Oo
which will every cent be spent here. He
quoted the chairman OF the convention
committee In Cleveland last summer, who
says:
The Money There l. I'm 1t.
The convention has paid abundantly.
from whatever point We consider II. IL
cost a little more than S9.ot0. and the del
esatcs left behind at least $3.50 600" If
they stay In hotels, they pay ali the way
from $3.50 10 s. per day. while in board
ing houses and private homes they will
pay smaller sums, but no one is enter
tanned free at these gatherings
Dr Clark said i'm an interview while In
Seattle that when the convention should
come 10 Pacific coast city l0,ea0 people
a the very least could be expected from
east of the Rocky mountains. while the
plOuntan and Coast states could he
counted for al least 5000 more, making
total of 1500.
The Cleveland convention cost that city
about $4,000. but Seattle will have greater
expense on account of the necessity of
a temporary building and other struc-
lures. but IL is estimated ny Mr. Wood
IN
deed, the committee Will not ask for the
convention unless the entire fund needed
is guaranteed.
Entertainment and Meeting Place.
one great difficulty in the way of the
local workers was the question of enter
tainment Of the Immense number of del
egates. The result of a careful canvass
shows that If the people of the city az
is usual I'm such cases. throw open their
homes 10 the delegates (the delegates OF
course paying for their board and rooms)
f3oe0 can he accommodated In addition
to this, ngcmeuts will be made 10 fl
up temporarily some of the vacant no.
tells. like the Rainier. Arlington and 9th
erS. In this way accommodating 1900 or
a0o0 more. Three OF the leading restaur-
ant mon OF tho city have made careful
estimate and say they can handle The ex-
ira number With but little discomfort
with the notice that they viii have.
Regarding he prospective place of meet
ing the plan wv is 10 erect an immense
temporary building. or il may he a tent.
in the large open space in the center Of
the old university grounds. securing a
seating capacity of 12@a or i5.e0. This
could be made the main hall Then there
would be the Armory hail Only few feet
away with a seating capacity Of 2l0.
Cor use ia overflow meetings. as we'll As
Tlvnoutb chu~eh and the First Preshy-
terrain church. The university buildings
could be used as offices and committee
rooms. This would give a large space
with plentiful accommodations, centrally
located and yet removed from the noise
and hustle Of a business street.
Tho decision as 10 where the conven-
ton Of lS,7 will 80 is 20 he made by the
trustees OF the United Society OF CARTS
tan En5aayor when they meet ~ the
Boston convention. There are thirty of
these trustees ana they are selected from
use leading pastors and laymea Of the
country.
The Three Requisites.
The committee orga a{z-i . secure the
convention is merely preliminary and its
work viii end AZ the presentation of the
Seattle invitation ia Rost0n. July r.. L
* NOT known Yer just who will present
Saa-t1e'e claims 20 the trustees. hut il
Is rrohap le q large delegation viii ba
sent or from here. TT. r =. hUhoucre
wen. East last evening, and during his
stay VIII v.Sit Boston ami make an infor-
NAL statement 70 fhe officers 81 Tho
r-ni-ea society. Mr.. Wood saws: This
Seattle Enasavorers are able 10 get full
Information as 20 just what Is needed ~
order 20 cpr the convention from hay.1E
among their workers Mr.. William ~.
n - T.