The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-07
Great ThrOngs Arrive Early al
the Coliseum.
Wild Rush for Admission Be-
gan at 10 O'Clock.
A HUGE U. S. FLAG.
One 100 By so Feet a Part of
the Decorations.
Pictures of Seven Democratic
Presidents AdOrn the Hall.

Chicago, July THE day opened
clear and cool. The wind had veered
to the north and came with a freshness
which covered the lake with white
caps and sent the spray dashing over
the breakwater. And this means com
fort for the Coliseum. The scene of
action took a sudden shift during the
morning.
Early in the day the down town cen
ters had repetition of the excitement
and confusion marking the last few
days. The marching clubs. with their
bands and shouters. were making
last cOnvulsiVe demonstration before
attention was directed to the serious
work within the convention hall. BY
O'Clock the crowds were begin1nn1ng 70
converge at the depot ana Dy ~
o'clock they were in full motion, tax
ing the suburban trains of the Illinois
Central and the L cars.
The ride by rail is but twelve min
utes from the heart of the city, along
stretch of the lake front. 1t is the
same complete system which accom-
plished the feat of carrying 100000 peo-
pie safely to the Worlds Fair on Chi
cagO day, so that it is not Overtaxed to-
day in handling the $1,000 who will be
within the hall and the overflow thou
sands without. The scene in front of
the convention hall was one of great
animation. A steady line OF trains
emptied their loads into the narrow
street WflCn ledQS INTO the nail.
1t is not an inviting approach as the
street is lined with small stores and
overhead the tracks of the elevated
road make a roof for half the street.
Through this narrow rooted thorough
fare the crowds pushed and struggled,
as dense in the middle of the street as
on the sidewalks, extending q quarter
of a mile from the entrance.
The clubs and shOuters, with their
bands, came early, and with them
mingled crowd Of fakirs shouting
their badges and buttons. Over all
these arose a din and confusion not un-
like Lew Wallace's picture of the mar
ket place in Jerusalem. There was but
little exterior adOrnment to the con-
vention building. Bunting was draped
above the lobby entrance and flags
We're flying at all available points, but
the structure is so vast as to defy elab-
crate adOrnment
1t covers five and one-half acres and
is said to be the largest permanent
amusement and organization building
in the world. This being it's first use
for convention purposes. it was scanned
critically by the delegates. and the YER
dict was universally favorable to the
energy of John Dickinson who had
brought it into existence.
Instead of the rough board wigwam
which greeted them many years ago.
the delegates found a substantial build
ing of graceful proportions built of Mil
waulSee buff brick with light stone
trimmings. and with all the equip
ments necessary for a great gather
ing.
Sergeant-at-arms Martin was on
hand at an early hour with his staff Of
assistants, dOOrkeepers and pages
who were admitted to the building
while the crowd clamored outside
At 10 o'clock the doors were opened
and the wild rush for admission be
gan 1t was not until within the build
Ing that its full size became apparent
Everything was on mammoth order
even in decorations. From the lobby
the crowds entered an enormous enclos-
ure, free OF seats and serving as a
common ground for delegates to greet
each other before entering the cOnven-
tiOn hall beyond. This outer enclosure
IS a third of the building which
was too large in its entirety for the
convention On one side ran rows of
offices for newspapers, and on the other
restaurant stretched 100 feet. prom
1sing refreshment in case of prOtracted
siege.
Even the details of postofice had
not been forgotten, and Postmaster
Hesing had in operation a well equip
ped branch office to handle mail for
delegates.
There was good natured raillery at
some of the signs literally distributed
TO secure deCOrum. One Of these read:
Good order and decorum is expected
OF every guest John s. Martin, ser
BeanJ-at- t-armS. In another the ser
geant-at-armS positively prohibited
smoking The mammoth decoration in
the outer nall was an American flag
which Decorator Dynes spoke of with
pride as the largest flag anr country
ever made, being loo by so feet. and re-
Quiring five men to host it.
Within the main hail the decOra tiOns
We're artistic and effective Instead Of
coffin like interior, such as former
conventions have had. the HALLS square
with the seats on all sides at the rear
and above, equi-diStant from the ura-
siding officers desk. It is twice the
size of Madison Square Garden infer
fOr. with two galleries stretching . 600
feet, or almost half a mile each and
with 2S5,000 square feet Of floor room
The huge proportions can be best I'M
derstOOd from the fact that the foot
ball gaze will be played in this han
next Tl-nksgiving day and a quarter
mile bicycle track is to be put in when
the convention is over. The most stril1-
ing feature of the decoration on enter
Ing the nail was that of the seven Dem
Ocrat1c dentS-JefferSOn Jackson
Van Buren Polk, Tyler, Buchanan and
CIeveland-dOne in heroic size and ar
ranged above the desk of the chair
man. looking down on the deIeea tes
That of Mr.. Cleveland was in the mid
die with the fathers of Democracy on
elther side 1t was taken from his ear
" pictures before the rugged lines ba n
made their appearance Above these
rose a mammoth representation of the
american eagle with the shield of the
United states in its talOnS- Further 1lr
the great steel girders which span the
Dulldtng We're wound bunting and from
them hung myriads of flags and ro-
settes.
The platform and presiding oN5cer,e
desk were tastefuIly decorated WITH
bunting and festOons of evergreen
with backing of large palm trees
F1anking the chairman on either side
ran the press seats, four deep. encfr-
cling the entire front and sides of the
area reserved for the delegates Back
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