The Irish standard., 1896-03-21

duy llSIt 10 HCtGiu TIE COHFeuIOR, duN
presents as we'll all necessary facilities fo1
| conducting business in proper way.
I The Cincinnati halls, Smith & Nixon's
! and the exposition. We're sufficient TO ac-
commodate the crowds That assembled at
conventions in the days when conventions
were held there
New York has had but one national con-
vention Of either Of the great political
parties, the Democratic in 1868, Which
nominated Seymour and Blair. and that
was held in Tarnmauy Hall. Even then
an effort was made to stampede the con-
vention for Pendleton. of New York, and
both parties have been wary of New York
! ever since.
Baltimore, in the early days Of the pres
! ent great parties, was the great political
convention city. 1t had the convention
| that nominated Van Buren and Johnson
and the next four that succeeded n the
Democratic party, that of 1S40, when Van
Buren was nominated the second time
and without a vice president; that Of 1874
named Polk and Dallas; 1913, which
named Lewis Cass and Butler, and 1852
which named Pierce and King. Those
! conventions were easily accommodated in
ordinary sized halls, for the crowds that
attended them were as nothing compared
to the throngs that flow into convention
cities nowadays.
| The Democratic convention of 1856
which nominated Pierce and King, wa:
held in Cincinnati. the first one in the
west. That of 1860 first met at Charles
ton, $. c., but adjourned without accom-
plishing much, to Baltimore, where Doug
las and Johnson were placed in the field
| against Lincoln and Hamlin, who were
I fn1 ftn :o4~
Republicans moved their next convention
to Baltimore, where Lincoln was renom-
mated, and johnson succeeded Ham,in in
the second place on the ticket. That year
the Democrats held their first convention
in Chicago, and nominated Mcclellan and
Pendleton. In 1868 they went to New
York for the only national convention
ever held in that city, and named Seymour
and Blair as their leaders. In the same
year Grant got his first nomination in Chi
cago, with Colfax in the second place on
| the ticket s..
! In 1872 Grant was ranominated at Phil
adeiphia. with Wilson, their Democratic
opponents, Greeley and Brown, being
nominated at BalIinlore--the last national
political convention held in that city. In
| 1876 Tilden and Hendricks were nomin-
ated at ST. Louis, and Hayes and Wheeler
at Cincinnati. The latter city also held
| the next Democratic convention, that of
1880, which placed Hancock and English
| in the field. their opponents, Garfield and
! Arthur, being nominated in the Exposi-
ton building in Chicago.
In 1884 the Democrats came back to
| Chicago, and, by naming Cleveland and
| Hendricks, ended long line OF Repub.i-
| can victories, those nominees defeating
Blaine and Logan, who were also named
in Chicago. In 1888 the Democrats nom
mated Cleveland and Thurman at St.
Louis and were defeated, because Ssthe
Republicans remained in Chicago and
| named Harrison and Morton In
1892 the Republicans took their
Harrison and Reid convention away
from Chicago up to Minneapolis and they
were defeated, the Democrats naming
Cleveland and Stephenson in the lake
front wigwaln.
| On more accounts than that of it's abil-
ity to handle the crowds, therefore, Chi
cago seems to be a favoTite convention
city. 1t has named the successful tickets
for the last four presidential elections,
and the Democrats at least believe in
sticking to a good thing when they find
it.
The new auditorium which St. Louis
will build to accommodate the Republi-
can convention will cover an area of 49,
500 square feet, with frontage Of 1S0
feet. In spite Of the fact that it will re-
main standing only few months, it will
be built with an eye to exterior beauty.
as we'll as interior comfort and conven-
ience. 1t will be Renaissance" in style
and graceful in every line. The space
tn tho 6n1Duatoc nd oil +oc
will cover an area Of $4,000 square feet in
the center of the auditorium. The seats
will be on level, and not in tiers I'M
mediateLy in front of the speakers stand
will be 924 seats for the accommodation
of delegates. There will be two inclos-
ures for alternates. Each Of these in
closures will have accommodations for
426 alternates. The space allotted to the
delegates and alternates Will be open.
with no pillars to obstruct the view. The
speakers platform will occupy central
position on the north side Of the hall, in
front Of the delegates and opposite the
main entrance. Directly back of the
platform wiE be seats for the national
committee. and still further back accom-
modations for invited guests Extending
from the speakers platform to the right
and left will be seats for 450 newspap per
representatives and 200 telegraph operat-
ors. Surrounding the immense open area
on three sides will rise tiers of seats for
spectators. forming an amphitheater,
from which the general public will be af-
forded splendid view. The total seat
ing capacity of the ground floor will be
5000.
Overlooking the convention hall proper
will be a gallery forty feet wide for spec
tators, with seating capacity Of 6000.
In the center OF the northern section of
the gallery a stand large enougt to ac-
ccmmodate band Of $50 pieces will be
erected The total seating capacity Of
the immense structure will be l4OO0
There will be four main entrances, one
ON each side OF the building. IN addi-
ton to these there will be five entrances
and five exists on each side leading to
and from the ground floor. In all, there
will be twenty-four entrances to the
ground floor and rs many exits. There
will be separate entrance and exit to and
from each section of the auditorium. maxi
inc. is possible, according to Architect
Taylor, for 5000 people to pass into the
building and secure seats in the lower
portion of the building in less than ten
minutes. The gallery Will be reached by
twelve separate entrances and six fights
of stairs.
The building Will be built Of wood.
heavy timbers being used throughout.
The interior will be in hard wood finish.
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