Omaha daily bee., 1896-08-24
MEETING IN The BIG TENT
Christian Endeavor Union Initiates Its New
Canvas Cathedral.
HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM FOR THOUSANDS
Seating Capacity IL All that Had
Been ENpcctcd-some of the
Delegates Have Already
Reached the City.

The first services were held last evening
in the big tent that is to house the dele
gates to the Iowa state convention of the
Young Peoples Society of Christian En-
deavor, which begins tomorrow. The tent
was erected Saturday on the corner of
Seventh street and First avenue. The work
was hastened for the purpose Of permitting
the meeting last evening to be held and a
good deal necessarily yet remains to be
done to make the big canvas temple com
Portable and convenient for the multitudes
it will shelter during the week. Seven
hundred chairs were placed in the tent for
temporary use. Two hundred Of these were
placed on the big stage that Is to be occu-
pied by the chorus. Pine planks were used
to extend the seating capacity OF the
others and seats were provided for nearly
1000 people There were about 700 present
last evening and the small portion of the
space they occupied demonstrated the TACT
that $500 people can be seated without
crowding. The chorus platform Is located
at the east side and will seat 200 people.
In front of 1t and a step beneath is To-
Gated the platform for the leaders of the
convention In the event of the attend
ance being greater than the seating ca
pacity of the tent nearly 100 can be seated
on this platform and still leave room for
entrances on Seventh street and First ave-
nue.. The seating arrangements will be such
that all of the seats can be filled quickly
and without confusion. 1t is estimated
that 900 people can pass in and be seated,
il they move with ordinary speed, in hve
minutes.
The meeting last night was the regular
Christian Endeavor union gathering. 1t
was led by G. S. Lawson and consisted or
devotional exercises and singing selections
from the Christian Endeavor hymns. About
500 members of the association were pres
cnt. The meeting lasted from Z until s
o'clock. The next hour was devoted TO
chorus rehearsal under the leadership OF
| Prof. Torrens of Omaha. The chorus num-
| bers 100 and all were present last night. a
| concert grand piano, located on the leaders
| platform furnished the accompaniment.
The instrument will be used during the
convention. Miss Sylvia Snyder is the ac-
| companist. In addition to the chorus OF
| 100 voices, the music will be strengthened
| by the Weber quartet of this city ana
| Messrs. d. II. Wheeler l.. b. Copeland,
| Russell Wilbur, l.. Hazelton, tenors OF
| Omaha and Prof. ]. II. Smms of Council
| Bluffs Prof. Torrens has been drilling the
! chorus faithfully for two weeks and he an
| nounces himself as being proud of the
progress the singers have made. The chorus
| will meet for practice in the tent at .
| O'Clock tonight. The first meeting OF the
| convention will occur tomorrow evening at
| S o'clock.
| Many of the delegates are expected to ar
| rive today. From the advices received by
| the secretary it seems probable that the
| 500 delegates originally expected will be
| here. The entertainment committee is
| still greatly perpexed to know what to dc
with them and is still begging the citizens
| to come to it's relief. AS the delegates ar
rive they will be met at the trains by COM
mttees and escorted to the quarters as
! signed them.
| The officers of the state association, and
| who will be present here and have charge
| of the convention are: President, KEY. a.
| ID. Kinzer, Perry; secretary, Miss Nellie z.
| Goodell Spencer; treasurer, Z. Z. McNelll,
Burlington; superintendent of junior work,
| Olive NJ Hoover, West Branch, superintend-
ent of Christian citizenship, c. H. Judson,
| Council Bluffs superintendent OF prison
work. Belle e. Powers, New Hampton su-
| perintendent of flower work, IA. Il. ROD
| erts Postville superintendent of correspond
ence bureau, Fred F. Pease, Des Moines.
| Vice Presidents-Rev. NJ. Kolyn, Orange
| City; f. A. Garrison, Fort Dodge; +. A.
| Thomas. Charles City; G. NJ. Orvis, Dubuque;
| Albert Healy. Denison; c. H. Judson, Coun-
! Gil Bluffs; r. E. Towle, Grinnell; Malcolm
Smith. Cedar Rapids; Charles h. Shalto, Bur
| lington Justus Refs, lndianola; william
| Orr. Clarinda.
| has fallen upon the officers OF the local
union of Christian Endeavor societies and
the various committees The officers OF
the Council Bluffs union are: President
! w. E. Mcconnell; vice president, John
| Canoyer; recording secretary, Miss Emma
Morehouse corresponding secretary, Miss
Marie Ferguson: treasurer, w. ]. Leverett.
The committees among whom the bulk OF
the work has been divided are as follows:
| Finance C. H. Judson; entertainment, Miss
| Harriet Blood reception, T. e. Lefferts;
printing, w. j. Leverett street decoration,
Il. E. Mack; building and tent decoration,
| Miss Bessie Rich; juniors, Miss Myrtle
| BRYANT: restaurant, Charles Crum ushers,
| A n Walker: railroad secretary, f. b. War