New-York tribune., 1896-07-08
THE MONSTER COLISEUM.
CHICAGO BOASTS THAT THE CONVENTION sTRUcT-
URE IS THE LARGEST BUILDING IN
THE WORLD


URE IS THE LARGEST BUILDING IN
THE WORLD.
Chicago. July About nine miles directly south
from the hotel section OF the city. at the terminus
Of an elevated line Of railroad. starting and run
ming for miles in the alley between Wabash-ave.
and Safest tand hence known colloqually as the
ALLEY L. stands the Coliseum. building which
was completed only months ago. Ii Is reached
also by the suburban trains OF the Illinois Central
Railroad and by cablecar lines from the city with
trolley extensions 1t lies two miles south Of the
Worlds Fair grounds and further back from Lake
Michigan. There is much land In sight teat is still
in It's primitive prairie condition and many acres
Of dead woodland crossed. The building Itself
is By no imposing externally. The heisnt OF
its walls does not exceed thirty or forty feet. but
from them truss rises in three gradations OF
about ten feet each.
The total length Of the Coliseum is 700 feet and
its width 3cO 1t is the boast OF Chicago that the
Coliseum is the largest building in the world, and
perhaps that boast is justified. 1t has no perma-
upon tiers OF galleries, its old Roman prototype
had; nothing but level floor. Too monsrously
ab6u oHehrG of its engh had to be partioned
off leaving the other twothiris to be utilized Tor
ADEQUATE. Provision was made for seating 1850
about the same number as were provided tor al @ the
there were rows OF deep galleries oyeropplns eses
nues giving access to all sections and there are no
galleries The spaces assigned 10 spectators CONSIST
of fftv or more tiers OF seats rising In easy gra-
dation from far out on the floor TO the four walls OF
the building . ,,.s. &c.
The Internal arrangement is little different from
that Of the ST. Louis Convention The Platform
for the presiding officer secretaries and clerks IS In
the centre Of the building looking TO the west II is
elevated about six feet from the hoorns with some
hundreds Of chairs ged back OF 1t for distin-
gulshed visitors and with desks for reporters and
ne ewspaper correspondents stretching IN iour ter
races on either hand In front The seats, nearly
a thousand in number for the delegates. and flank
ing them on three sides equal number o.
seats for the alteTnaies. Back OF these rise the
i3 600 seats for spectators.
The interior OF the building IS respondent with
bunting. The high partition whlch cuts II on from
the res; Of the building is covered with cloth OF rel
white nd blue. The glriers which support the roof
and all objects that lend themselves to that style
OF adornment, also covered with bunting. The
National flag Is nung. many editions. from the
roof centre the whole length from north 10 south
over the platform is displayed. on large canvas
the American eagle. with his talons resting on tle
Goa; OF arms % the United States. To the right
and LEFT are hung the OF OF the States OF
New-York. Pennsylvania and Ohio, and these are
carried at intervals all along the four sides OF the
square Everywhere are flags, banners and draper
les of red. white and blue. which give general air
Of splendor the ragnifcen; hall.