The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-03
A 5 IL ACRE HALL,
SPLENDID ACCOMMODATIONS FOR
THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.
CHICAGO'S VAST COLISEUM.
In Addition to an Auditorium At
fOrding $4,000 Seats. the Demo-
cratic Hosts VIII Have a ReceD-
81 t4On Hail for 1000 ShOuters.

When the nine hundred and odd delegates
and the same number Of alternates to the
National Democratic Convention strike chi
caEO they will hEd that they are gong 70
meet IN the biggest structure the world
over. Chicago Is famous for talking about
the greatness Of itself and its various IN
stitutions but If it blows a little about it's
Coliseum there will be few to claim that
the praise is undessrved-
All the arrangements for the convention
have now been made, and when the Demo
cratic hosts reach the metropolis of Illinois
they viii find everything ready for them
The convention will be called to order on
Tuesday. July z, and if it adJourns before
Tuesday, the 14th it will be a huge sur
prise to the old political war horses, VINO
are looking for one of the stifest gather
1ngs in the history Of the party Win
nearly a score OF Presidential posi- Utilities
IN the field. and with the war between sill
yer and gold to be fought to the last ditch,
the outlook for a vitriOlic convention Is
promising. That is what the leaders of the
party expect anyway, and they usually
base their expectations upon knowledge
st. Louis surpassed all of the previous
convention cities rearing an edlhce which
gave seats to a. 600 shOuters and workers
Not to be OUtd0ne by the Missouri metrOp-
oils, Chicago has reared structure that VIII
not only seat close to is, 900 persons, but will
give them all promenading space and other
facilities undreamed Of by the delegates to
national political gatherings of the past.
THE COLISEUM.
The Coliseum occupies five and half
acres of ground between Stxty-second and
Sixty-third streets, and is bounded on the
east by Grace avenue and on the west by
the tracks OF the Illinois Central Railroad
The Illinois Central has a station at Sixty
third street and has built a special COlise-
I'm station at Stxty-second street. with
steps leading directly into one OF the main
entrances.
Between the building and the railroad
tracks are two and one-half acres CT ground
which will be used during the convention
as a carriage WaV
Every foot Of the 2s5. 900 square feet of
the Coliseum will be devoted to the uses
of the Democratic National Convention, and
those experts who have examined the plans
pronounce them perfect, and predict that
they will stand the model for all coming
conventions. The convention hall proper
occupies space of 45O by 500 feet at the
north end of the Coliseum. The speaker 8
stand and platform for members of the
National Committee and 400 guests is To-
Gated to the east, and Immediately in front
will be desks for $50 reporters.
Directly back Of the speaker is the tele-
graph room, with tables for hundreds of
instruments. Extending entirely around
the building is a gallery, forty feet wide
toward which rise the rows of seats in the
great amphitheater.
AN ABUNDANCE OF ROOM
Two thousand seats are reserved for the
delegates and alternates. These seats slow
" rise as they stretch back from the speak
er's platform, and will be separated from
the public sections by a substantial rail-
ing. Thirteen thousand seats have been al
lotted to the public.
Back of the platform are commodious
rooms which will be fitted up for the ON
GERS and various committees of the con-
vention. On both sides of the platform are
located telegraph Offices for the general use
Of the members Of the convention.
While the main entrance is On Sixty
third street, leading into the grand receP-
ton hall, private entrances have been pro-
yided for members OF the committees, ana
for the small army Of Newspaper men who
will be present.