Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-02


probability be plenty of room. The Great
Ncrthern Hotel. which was considered a
folly in the way of magnitude at the time of
the worlds fair, and of which it was
prophesied that it would so to pieces soon
as the fair closed. is now building an i'm
mense addition, adding 800 rooms to it's
capacity. This will be ready by the time
the convention meets. Chicago has also
scores of other hotels and quarters can
be gotten either in the heart of the city or
close to the convention hall. The center of
the convention work will be at the Palmer
House. Here the leading men of the demo-
cratic party from every state will have
quarters. Chairman Harr.ty has engaged
sixty rooms for distinguished democrats.
and he is experiencing these among the
states The New York delegation, the IL
Inois delegation, and, in fact, nearly every
state delegation, has quarters at the Pal
ner and in its LOBBY will lie the loudest
shouting ard the chief elec;ioneering which
goes On between the sessions of the con-
VeHtiOn. TanIuany has also secured IL
rooms at the Auditorium, and the indi-
cation IS that New YORK will be here in
force. There is prospect that the conven-
ton will be we'll attended. There is sure
TO be a fight on the money question, and
the silver men VIII be very much in evil
dence. Governor Altged is today practical
ly the boss of the Illinois democracy. He
is a pronounced silver man, and he Will
have a number of his shouters at the con-
ventiOn.
The Worlds biggest Convention Hall.
The building in which the national demo-
cratic convention is to be held will be the
biggest permanent convention hall ever
erected. 1t will he one-third larger than
the Capito. at Washington. Its ground
floor will cover more than five and one-half
acres. and, with its gallery, it will have
mere than seven acres of floor space. Think
of building a wall about g. fve-acre field
and then roofing it with an immense iron
framework, so made that there are per-
haps four acres in the center unobstructed
by posts Let this four acres be entirely
free from pillars or walls, and you get some
idea of the Immense building which is now
being put up for the great conventions of
the future at Chicago. l went out to see it
lSSt Sunday The walls are already in
place The iron network has been fasten-
ed and riveted together, and the roof is
row being put on The roof is supported
by Immense trusses of iron, which extend
from the sides of the building in the shape
OF great arms, meeting in the center 100
feet above the floor. The span is more
tnan 100 feet, and these pieces of steel are
all that support the roof. They look fraiI
but they are really very strong. They have
been tested by the engineers and it is said
there is no danger whatever of the roof
falling. The building is to be made of
the floor, and it is as nearly fire-proof as
modern science can make it. Its outer
walls are Of a Milwaukee brick. They are
ABOUT sixteen inches thick. and the light
comes in through immense windows each
OF which is about as large as the floor of an
average parlor. The building is Won know
10 be used for circuses, horse shows and
Sucn immense public gatherings as cannot
De crowded into a small hall Ii will he
opened by Buffalo Bill and his Wild West
9 Iii''N on the ISt of June. On the 18th of
June there Will be a bicycle exhibition in
1t. and after this it will be put i'm thorough
shape Tor the national democratic conyen-
ton After the convention is over there
VII! De another bicycle show, and later on
IN the summer there will be an exposition
showing the industries of the southern
states There will be foot ball match In
the building on Thanksgiving day. when
II is expected that there will be 25'OOO neo-
pie present. NV
The Convention Arrangements,
I have gone over the plans of the hall
and 1t will be, it seems to me, admirably
adapted for the democratic convention II
will, in some respects give the best facil-
tues ever furnished 10 a convention AT one
end of the building there will be
a space covering about three acres,
Wnlch VIII constitute the convention
hall proper. This will contain TX OOO
seats, arranged somewhat in the form
OF an amphitheater, the seats of the pubIic
running about those of the delegates and
IN 'front.' OF stage, upon which are the re-
porters, the speakers of the convention
ana the national committee The REPORTERS
are bit below the desk of the SNEAK
ers, out high enough to look over the heads
OF the people below. There are LOO seats
set apart for the delegates These seats r1,n
very much like the orchestra chairs
OF a theater in front of the stage. Rack
OF them are 1000 seats for the alternates
ana back of these, as / have said. are the
seats Tor the public. AT the opposite end
OF the building from the convention baII
proper Is public reception hall covering
nearly two acres. This will be filed at the
uine OF the convention with the crowd
Hnlch cannot get inside, and it will prob
ABLY be free to ALL Running clear around
the DulLdlng there is tier of offices and
EooHls Tor committees, the officers of the
convention and others About one-nuartar
OF tnese rooms are given up to the ofticss
LOT tne daily papers. In these there win
De tables and all facilities for writing dis
patches rms part of the building is csIIad
newspaper Row, and from it will 90 ont
Ine news OF the convention to more than
'UWo,OOO OF people. The telegraph Offices
VIII De under the speakers platform a
large number of wires will be run into tho
building, and dispatches will be sent G,ir
ing the day direct from the building in
order that the wires may rot be over
crowded down town.
Ihere are large number of exits from