Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-09-19
THOUSANDS AT THE STATION
The Great Auditorium of the Exposition
Building Packed to Suffocation.
AUDIENCE PUT AT $4,000 TO 10000
Senator Daniel introduced the Nominee to
the Tumultuous Throng-He Was in
Good Voice and His Delivery
Excellent The Speech.

Richmond, Va, Sept. 1S.-In all his ca
reer William ]. Bryan never received a
greeting so enthusiastic, so wildly dem
onstrative as that given him by Rich
mond tonight. Not even the reception
at Columbus and Toledo, although they
were greater by far in attendance, could
compare in frantic excess of partisan
emotion to the manner in which the
great audience that heard him tonight
gave him welcome. Mr.. Bryans greet
ing at the railroad station when he
reached Richmond at o'clock from
Goldsboro, N. c., was flattering enough.
but it was nothing beside his other and
more formal appearance.
How many thousand people were at
the station it IS impossible to say, but
there were enough at hand to fill the sur
rounding streets. They shouted with an
energy inconsistent with the heat, and
thronged around Mr.. Bryan's carriage,
yelling franaically.
Mr.. Bryan was whrled away to the
residence of J. Taylor Ellyson, chairman
of the state democratic committee, where
they gave him something to eat and al
lowed him to recover little from the
effects of the heat Then he was whirled
away to the place where he made his
principal address. If the lights had been
better and the hall little larger no bet
ter place for demonstration such as
that which took place tonight in honor
of the democratic nominee could have
besn selected.
The great auditorium Of the state ex-
position building was the scene of the
meeting addressed by Mr.. Bryan. 1t is
said that there are 10000 seats on the
floor, several thousand more in the gal
leries and that the grand capacity, with
every seat occupied, every bit of aisle
space filled, is fully $4,000. But tonight
the basis for these estimates was not
available. 1t is true that there were no
more chairs to occupy when the candi-
date arrived at the big building. and to
move from rear door to stage along any
aisle was impossible.
The Galleries Were Jammed.
Those who perspired together in a sol
I'd mass in the floor spilled over on the
stage. Women in cool, summery dresses
crowded the boxes. Back behind the
seats in the galleries people We're packed
with uncomfortable closen sss. Around
the entrances eager throngs tried to get
q peep at what was going on inside.
Even the roof of the building had its
quota and through the ventilative tran
SONS was poked a line of faces that
showed the interest their owners felt.
Estimates as to the crowds differ wide
ly among those who see them, but to-
night there was something by which the
auditorium gathering might be measur-
say there were less than $4,000 people
present quite a few would express the
opinion that the audience numbered
more than 10000.
1t was late when. Mr. Bryan arrived.
He blinAed his eyes as he entered the
big hall from the rear of the stage, for
all but four jets of the electric light
globes had gone out and the first I'M
preston on entering was that OF semi
darkness. The reporters had to write
nf
The moon shining through the glass
ventila tors over the heads of the boys on
the roof helped somewhat, but 1t was
not the kind of light needed, and SO 1t
happened that William j. Bryan receiv-
ed his most demonstrative greeting since
his nomination from an audience of
whom half could hardly see his face and
figure.
The auditorium was packed to its ut
most when the democratic nominee ar
rived. Not another soul could push his
perspiring face within many feet of the
entrance. Mr.. Bryan came on the stage
leaning on the arm of J. Taylor Ellyson
He was known in an instant. One
mighty shout went up and then grew in
volume and kept growing until things
began to get uncomfortable with those
of sensitive ears 1t was not that sort
of shouting which rises and falls in reg
ular unduiation. 1t was the kind that
keeps steady after it reaches the pinnacle
of lung. power and seems actoaled py
the intent to
Keep Going Forever
Mr. Ellyson held up his hand for ST.
lence and the shouts came louder. 1t
WAS of no use to attempt to stem the tide
of enthusiastic feeling, and so those on
the stage waited until the shouters tired
themselves out. They did not have long
to watt. but 1t seemed long. Kisses for
silence had no effect. and the solid vol
ume of sound died out only Wnen the
emotion cf the audience mad expehded
Itself The applause lasted ten minutes.
Senator John w. Daniel rose to into
duca Mr.. Bryan, but al the sight OF his
well known countenance the crowd went
wild--wilder even than 1t had when
Bryan came upon the scene. The dark
skinned, t. gsdian-lilSe senate" waited
for the tumult to cease, but 1t kept on
Finally Just at o'clock he started to
speak AS he talked the cheeripg con-
tinued AMI very few heard his words
He ended by mentioning the name of
Mr. BRYAN and as the young Nsbraskan
stepped forward the widest enthusiasm
again broke fol tn.
At last the crowd became qG ct enough
for the presidential nomirsa to be heard,
but all through his addre~s there were
shouts of approval. partl} suppressed
cheering and much disordei that made 1t
hard for his words to reach all in the
hall. He was in good voice and his de-
livery was excellent. He said
His Speech.
"Mr. Chairman Ladies' and Gentlemen:
It gratifies me much TO find in the capital
city OF this state so marked an evidence
OF the interest which people are taking in
this campaign do not come to in
sIuct you on the subject of finance. 1t
would be useless task to add anything
t9 that which has already been said by
the distinguished senator who has
brought to the Investigation Of the
money question that ability which he
has carried into all his work, and who
adds TO ability eioquence to present and
q magnificent courage tc-defend democ-
racy as it was taught by the fathers To
such state, represented by John w