Omaha daily bee., 1896-07-09
OMAHA'S BID IS HANDED IN
Formal Invitation Forcibly Presented the
Christian Endeavorers for 1898.
WARE AND WALLACE MAKE THE OFFERS
Logical Presentation of the claims of
the Gate city Followed ny IAN
Eloquent showing OF Its
Facilities.

gram)-Omaha stands among the top
notchers tonight, as a result Of the clever
presentation OF its desire to entertain the
international convention OF Christian En-
dcavorors in '9S. Instead Of waiting until
tomorrow to hear presentation addresses, the
board OF trustees decided this morning to
hear representatives OF the cities inviting
the convention in 1898 this evening at the
Ebbitt house. Fifteen minutes was al
lowed to Omaha, and the speeches made
were of a kind to command attention.. The
attractions of Louisville and Nashville were
first heard. Then Omaha came on. Rev.
DR.. Ware and George Wallace were selected
to outline what Omaha would do for the con-
%vention, should that place be selected, and
it is not too much to say that the trustees
were greatly impressed with the manner
in which the representatives of the Gate
City went about their work.
DIR. Ware consumed eleven Of the fifteen
minutes in a logical presentation of Omaha
as the convention city of 1898, reviewing
the different organizations which had united
in invitation. including the letter from Gov
ernor Holcomb, the mayor and city council
of Omaha. the Commercial club and the
Transmississippi Exposition association. the
Epworth league and the Baptist Young
Peoples union, together with the pastors.
mayor and many leading citizens of Council
Bluffs and South Omaha. He spoke of
the spiritual needs of the west and how the
convention would quicken religious thought.
and then turned to 1898, as the great ex-
position year, stating that while Omaha
might not stand on historic ground, 1t stood
on sacred ground, sacred to many an east
ern and southern home, by being trod by
their own sons and daughters, who con.
/ Stitntn thp strength pf NnhroSLo ,it;,n,
ship.
DR.. Ware was followed by Mr.. Wallace.
and for once the graybeards on the board
of trustees were compelled to applaud this
last speaker. He had but four minutes.
but there never was more said and to the
point in four minutes than George Wallace
said on this occasion.
WALLACE WAKES EN- UP.
There was snap and go about him, and he
carried the trustees off their feet. The mo-
ment he began talking a map of the United
States was unrolled, upon which had been
ruled in red lines half an inch wide the
railroads entering Omaha, and he showed
why the convention should go to the central
west in 1898. He spoke OF the facilities for
carrying vast crowds, which this convention
would bring, and then in a graphic manner
told of the ability of the Gate City to ac-
commodate SO 900 people. He pledged Omaha
to raise the necessary amount to care for
the convention, one-half Of the amount hay
Ing already been guaranteed. Mr.. Wallace
followed this up with a recital of what the
location of the Transmississippi Exposition
meant for the central west, and reviewed
what congress had done for the great en-
terprise.
Eighteen ninety-eight,' he said. will be
the great transmississippi year, and all eyes
VIII be turned toward our city and all roads
lead to Omaha. Omaha will be upon every
tongue, and we will be known the world
over. We invite you to come to the garden
spot OF our country, to the homes of your
children, the land where your sons and
daughters, the Johns, Henrys, Joes and
Marys OF your fresides in days of yore, have
gone to make history of the great new
country, the central west
Mr.. Wallace was frequently interrupted
by the applause of the trustees, and the
hearty enthusiasm of his brief address has
seldom, II ever, been equaled by the pres
e%ntation of the claims of any city inviting
a convention. Many members of the board
personally congratulated the speaker upon
his presentation of Omaha's claims, and
stated that he was on the right line. Phil
adelphia, also a candidate, will have a hear
ing on Friday, not having arrived up to
this time.
1t is now thought the fight is between
Louisville and Omaha, Nashville being out
OF the question on account of lack of rail
road facilities. The Nebraska delegation Is
enthusiastic over present conditions, and
believes the convention will come to Omaha
for '9S.
DELEGATES DELAYED IN ARRIVING.
Owing to a washout at Wheeling the train
conveying the Nebraska delegation to Wash
ington has been compelled to go around by
the way OF Pittsburg, over the Baltimore &
Ohio, which will probably delay the arrival
of the Nebraska Endeayorers until midnight,
The church at Ninth and Grant Place, as
signed to Nebraska, is beautifully decorated
and provided with every convenience that
might add to the comfort of the delegates.
The church is well provided with attendants.
On the whole Nebraska is to be congratu-
lated on being assigned to so central a lOca-
ton, to say nothing of the hospitality being
shown. Already the following Nebraskans
are registered: May Taylor, Jeanette Tay-
Tor, ID. A. Patterson, Rev. S. NJ. Ware, Arthur
Chase and wife, George Wallace, Mrs. Alta
Westlake, Mr.. and Mrs. George w. Jones,
Mary Byles, G. +. Clark. D.. w. Morrow, Jay
Burns. Omaha: Eva b. Agnew, Central City
H.. e. Burns, Waverly; f. o.. Robinson, Hunt
ington; Lizzie Mosterd, Linda Mosterd, Beat
rice; S. A. Maxwell, Mrs. s. c.. Harvey, Bue-
lah; E. Lyman, Lincoln; Grace M. Clark,
Columbus; f. Hama, York; George Ark
wright, Beatrice; E.. l.. Naucet and wife,
York; George b. Maloney, Mrs. S. e. Ora
ham, Miss Luen Hughes. Miss Ruth Atkin-
son, Miss Lottie Phillips, Mrs, John Gordon,
Miss Thine Poff, G.. NJ. Graham, Howard
Bruner. Emma j. Boose, II. G.. Langley. Miss
| N. Smell, Miss Bertha S. Green, Rev. C.
| Clarke, J. A. Stahl.
Three hundred members of the Iowa dele
! CATION arrived this morning, having left Chi
cago in time to escape the washout at Wheel
H., w va