The morning times., 1896-07-15
STRIKING THE BIC TENTS
Slow Progress Made in Lower
ing EndeavOr Canvas.
WHITE LOT DEVASTATED
Grass Is Gone, Piles of Benches and
Chairs With Rope and Corda2
Litter the Once Beautiful Sward.
Canvas Too Damp to Pack as Yet.
VIII All Be Down Today.

The White Lot presents a dismantled ap-
pearance now. The once green sward is
no longer beautiful. 1t is lined In all
directions by dark brown paths, and there
are big plots of ground where the feet
of the multitude have trampled the carpet
until it looks as though fire had spread
over it. a.
Two of the great white tents remain as
reminders of the inspiring songs and ad-
dresses that echoed through them. Wooden
benches are piled high on the ground, and
where one tent had been there remains only
the wooden platform. All yesterday after
noon large wagons were engaged in carting
away the chairs used by the chorus. and
the workmen used every effort to clear
Tents Endeavor and Washington of the
benches. 1t is doubtful il either tent will
be taken down until this evening. 1t is
considered unwise to ROLL them up unless
perfectly dry lest they rot, and for that
reason the workmen will have to delay
until after the sunshine dries out the
dampneSs caused by recent rain.
A BIG UNDERTAKING.
Tent williston was in better condition
for taking down and after it had been
cleared OF chairs and benches the crew
went to work. 1t is no easy matter to
lower a tent, and particularly ones of the
size of those ON the White Lot. They be-
long to the Christian Endeavor society, but
a special crew OF three men travel with
them wherever they go and look after their
management. These come from Boston and
assisted by seven men from this city were
all engag gcd in lowering the canvas.
There is quite a contrast in the clearing
Of the field where a circus has performed
and clearing the White Lot where the
Christian Endeavor held forth. In two
hours after performance ut the former
place the men will have their tents rolled
up and in the sacks ready for shipment.
1t took the Endeavor crew just three hours
to get one tent down yesterday afternoon.
But then consider what a difference
there is in help" said one OF them. THE
circus has the assistance OF a crew OF fifty
men and an elephant is attached to n rope
leading to the top OF the principal pole and
the tent is literally pulled from the ground.
Our method is quite different. We have to
be careful OF our own lives"
Visitors to the Endaavor meetings will
remember that there are two rows OF
smaller poles with row a size larger
nearer the middle OF the tent ana an im-
mense pole just in the center. First, tile
outer row OF poles are knocked in a little
bit, lowering the canvas, then the canvas
in the Ceuter is drawn taut from tile center
pole.
This operation is repeated several times
until the entire tent is not much higher
than a man can reach. There is no danger
now OF falling poles, and with the sides
clear the men knock all the poles from under
and crawl out. Then comes the rolling up
operation, which lasts longer than the
lowering. They are rolled in proper form
and placed iD large bags. e.
If the weather continues fair today 1t is
likely the crew will go to work upon one
of the other tents and by tomorrow night
may have them ready for shipment. They
will be sent to Boston and stored until the
convention, when Messrs. George Connor,
Edward Gardner aud Earl Lance, the
travelling crew, will again assume control
and go with tile white houses 10 California