The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-05-30
THE BIG HALL A

To Receive It's Decorations for the st
Louis Conventional Is the Most Com.
plete Ever Erected for the
Two Car Loads of the Finest Material
Will be Used in Adjoining the Interior
Precautions Against Fire.
ST. LOUIS, May 93.-The big conven-
ton hall is practically complete. Only
the finishing touches remain TO be
added to the great auditorium in which
the republican party in convention as
sembled will name its candidates Tor
president and vice-president of the
United States. The contractor viii
turn it over to the local committee OF
the Business Mems league on June l.
BY that committee it will be formally
turned Owe to the Republican national
committee, or a subcommittee repre-
Senting that body, on the day before
the convention opens.
1t is believed to be the most com.
plete convention building ever erected.
1t will have an actual seating capacity
OF -, $50 people, besides the chairman
and other officers of the convention.
The most interesting part of the whole
thing is the way in which the audi
torium will be decorated, which will
be on the most elaborate and costly
scale that has ever been seer in this
city
1t will require two car loads of
flags, bunting, fringes, pictures, etc,
to cover the interior walls of the build
ing. The material will be of the finest
quality. There will be none of the
gaudy, cheap material so commonly
used. The entire paraphernalia is
composed of the finest silks, plush,
gold bullion fringe, hand-painted
scrolls on silk for the ornamentation
of the speakers stand, and national
flags of every description, done
in the most elaborate style. All
the flags in use in the army
and navy will be brought into
play, and every kind of banner
authorized by congress, from the
presidents flag, which must be saluted
by American ships wherever unfurled,
and by foreign vessels as an act of
courtesy, down to Old Glory in his
everyday bunting clothes of Stripes
and Stars.
The estimated value of all the dec
orative material required in carrying
out the contract is between SIS, coo and
S2O,0OO. and if it We're bought outright
in the market it is probable that these
figures would be doubled. 1t is not
likely hat the entire assortment could
be duplicated on short notice, as many
of the flags hat will be displayed are
not in common use, and not Il few of
them will be seen here for the first
time when the convention hall is dedi-
Gated.
In all 1900 yards of bunting will be
used liz trimming the hall and cover
ing the bare spaces. 1t will take $500
yards for the cross beams. 1,4O0 yards
in the top of building, and 1000 yards
between the windows. Not a square
inch of BARE wood will be allowed to
show. The speakers stand will be
fairly buried under silk flags and ban
ners o: crimson plush and hand-painted
white satin banners. From the roof,
As flags will fly from as many flag
STATS, and the entrances will almost
be hidden from view under bunting
and flags.
The building is well protected from
fire. Assistant Chief Haynes has
opened an engine house under the
seats in the south end of the building,
with six firemen in charge, and there
are four boxes in the hall, from which
an alarm can DE turned in that viii
call out the entire department. There
Are also 1000 feet of hose in the hall,
eight Babcock fire extinguishers, and
a chemical engine. which is stationed
in the north side, under the seats,
where it can be quickly used in case
of emergency.