New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-23
THE CROWDS AT THE GARDEN.
POLITICAL MEETINGS STAND NEXT TO THE
CIRCUS IN DIFFICULTY OF HANDLING

POLITICAL. MEETINGS STAND NEXT TO THE
CIRCUS IN DIFFICULTY OF HANDLING
In connection with the great political meetings
that have been held recently in the Madison Square
Garden a point of interest to anybody who thlnhs
about such things must be the handling Of such
big crowds of people, who are not always inclined
10 be altogether traetabe. There was great DIFF
ference between the two meetings in respect to tho
system preserved and the order maintained, as
everybody knows but the best Of political meetings
Of that size Is not easy to deal with from an
usher's point of view an entertainment OF an
ordinary sort that occupies the same space
II takes about twice many ushers for the
Madison Square Garden on such an occasion as thnt
of Bourke Cockran's speech IT does for big per-
formance of the regular season. say the Horse
SHOW This is partly because In the case OF the
Horse Show the whole of the floor is occupied by
the show itself while at the meeting it is hlled
with seats but it is largely because Of the great
principle that the man who pays for anything is
content with the best he afford to buy. while
the man who has something given to him always
insists on having the best. And so. when ticket
for the balcony is presented at the Horse Snow inc
holder Of goes where he is sent, without resist
ancc but the holder of a balcony ticket for po-
tical meeting tries 10 dodge the usher ana get INTO
the arena or the lower platform seats
Sometimes when the Garden is hired the ushcrs
are furnished with it. and sometimes they are not
That Is according to the arrangement made IN each
case In either case the ushers are experienced
men furnished by a firm In town that makes a
business of supplying ushers where they are want
ed OF course the managers of meeting or
performance are obliged to get their ushers
from this If they prefer not 10. but they almost
always do Barnums circus is about the only
regular attraction at the Garden that does not
Some of the persons regularly employed about
tho Garden are interested i'm this firm and so. when
the building is engaged without the services Of
ushers being specified in the contract, the supply
companv quickly knows 1t and sends word to the
managers giving its terms and saying that IL should
Ike TO furnish the ushers for the occasion. The
hooks Of the firm contain the names Of several
hundred persons who sometimes act as ushers and
II never has any difficulty in filling an order. At
this time Of the year it can draw from those who
are ordinarily employed at the Metropolitan Opera
House the Carnegie Music Hail. the races 0or an
evening performance) and many OF the theatres.
Then there are others who have no regular engage
mcnts but are usually ready for occasional ones.
rhe most of the men have other employments for
the day and act as ushers in the evening as
means of adding to rather small incomes. The
regular price paid 10 usher Is 81 Tor an AFTER
noon or evening. The Horse Show pays 81 day
II takes bout thirty five ushers for the Horse
Show and the political meetings called for some
seventy-fve eighty Even then, with the police
TO lend hand. it pretty hard work For
Rarntm's circus eghty-fve ushers are needed.
though there seats on the floor OF the house.
That Is because many people who go 10 the
circus utterly refuse to understand where their
iiticaI meeting. because the of the people
who have TO be pilOted women and children.