Evening star., 1896-07-04

The Official Badge.
estimate of the size of delegations. So
many considerations influence intending
delegates at the last moment, he said, and
many persons are unable to tell whether
they can go or whether they must remain
at home until too late to send word to the
convention city. AS showing how Uncertain
any preliminary estimate Of the size Of
delegations must be, Mr.. Smith cited the
case Of the Districts excursion party TO
Boston last year. Only day two before
that not more than 25O wasningtonians
would visit the Hub, yet when the train
started 1t carried 800 delegates. and in Bos
ton over 700 registered from the District,
that which carried the official party. To
the Montreal convention, however, not more
than one-half many delegates went, as
lad been anticipated.
Estimated Attendance.
Mr.. Smith has received revised estimates
from excursion managers from all parts of
The country, giving, as accurately pos
sible, rockbottom figures to the size of
delegations and from these he has made
the calculation that there will come from
outside of the District of Columbia be-
tween thirty-five and forty thousand dele
gates, besides other visitors who are not
connected with the society, and will not be
The high-water mark of attendance at
Christian Eudeavor conventions was
reached last year at Boston. when 5000
delegates registered OF this number 10000
were from New England alone. and 2s.OOO
from the state Of Massac husetts: that is
from outside of the immediate section of
the convention city 5000 delegates visited
Boston. This year, however, from outside
the Immediate vicinity Of the District of
Columbia. 1t is expected that about twice
that number VIII register. making the If
teenth international convention by far the
most generally attended of any previously
held.
A good deal depends on the weather,
however, said Mr.. Smith. If next week
should be as cool and pleasant as the last
and this one have been, it is believed that
delegates will swarm to the capital while
an intense hot wave or a season Of sultry
muggy weather will have depressing eff
feet upon the attendance.
Arkansas the Last to Arrive.
Only one Of the many state delegations
that will begin to arrive In a few days has
planned its trip SO that its members reach
the city after the preliminary Wednesday
gates will come in Wednesday afternoon
and before o'clock, but Arkansas Will
bring UP the rear of tho procession by ar
irving Thursday morning next at O'Clock.
The delegation that will be first on hand,
according to the schedule at Headquarters,
will be portion Of Massachusetts, party
that is coming all the way by rail, and is
expected Monlay night at half-past 9. Sew
on delegations will come in Tuesday and
all the rest, but Arkansas, Wednesday,
Assignments have been made of local
Endeavorers to meet trains outside the
city, and members Of the station section of
ceived their schedules, showing the hours
they will be on duty at the depots.
Working on the Tents.
Tho three tents on the White Lot were
the attraction that brought crowds of peo-
pie all day long to the place where the
principal meetings of the convention will
be held. Workmen were busy putting them
gates. Much in this direction has already
been accomplished. The platform in Tent
Endeavor Is completed, and the platform
chairs ready to be placed in position. Car
form in Tent Washington The first tfnges
of color were to be today in Tent En-
deavor, where start has been made by
the force Of decorators and clusters of na-
tional flags have been suspended from the
top of the tent, while over the speakers
| rostrum a large red and blue banner has
been stretched ss an5h nsaTing the inscripton
almost finished stringing wires and plac-
ing arc lights in position, and after the
seats have been put In electric buzz bells
will be provided refreshment tent has
| been erected south Of the treasury. about
opposite the Light Infantry Armory, and
hospital tents will be stretched without de-
| lay. stream of interested observers
kept passing through the tents all day
| long examining the canvas and watching
| the workmen building platforms and dec
Grating.
Distributing the Official Badge.
Todey was a Lusy one for Chairman
| Stowell and his associates on the resistra-
| ton committee, as we'll as for the host of
other workers. preparing for next weeks
| gathering. It was especially busy for Mr.
| Stowell because the work of registering
| the locar societies and distributing to them
| the official badge and copies Of the Off
| cial program was commenced. The regis
tration Of societies in the local union will
| be completed Monday or Tuesday, certainly
| before the bulk OF the delegates arrive
| from other cities and states
About three weeks ago the registration
I committee called on the presidents Of the
| various societies for a statement of the
| total membership in each local organiza-
| ticn, minus the number enrolled in the con-
| vention chorus. These returns have been
tabulated and show the number of local
| Christian Endeavorers who will register as
delegates to the convention to be about six
! thousand, to which must be added more
than 1900 who will receive chorus badges
| The official badge will be necessary in or
| der to gain admission to the meetings In
| the tents and churches. except those where
| citizens have equal rights with delegates
| or in cases where meetings are held ex-
| the chorus, however, will not receive the
| convention badge, but the special chorus
| badge and while the regular badge Is
| equivalent to ticket Of admission to all
| convention services, the chorus emblem In