The evening times., 1896-07-01

The work of erecting the big tents on the
White Lot. where meetings OF the Chris
tian Endeavor convention are to be held.
is in progress today and being rapidly
pushed forward toward completion. Each
or tile three mammoth Enclosures Is sup
ported by large center-poles fifty-siX feet
high. In addition to these are twelve long
quarter-poles forty feet high and twenty
short quarter-poles each thirty feet, and
100 side-poles, twelve feet high, which
join the canvass OH the sides OF the tent
to the roof adjoining.
The stake poles are driven into the solid
earth at intervals OF a few feet and TO them
are attached strong ropes, SO that nothing
short of st. Louis cyclone or a tornado
can possibly upset the big canvass. Tile
stake drivers have found that notwith-
standing the recent heavy rains the ground
is very dry and hard, and considerable
difficulty has been experienced in sink
ing the poles to the proper depth.
The size of the tents, which are con-
structed in the form OF an ellipse, is 262
feet at the greatest length by 1s2 feet in
diameter at the greatest width, or what is
called the round top.
TENTS CAPACITY.
Each tent will have a seating capacity OF
about 8 900 people, beside those belonging
to the chorus who will occupy the plat
form in the rear OF the speakers.
The platforms will be erected on the inner
side of the tents toward the center of the
White Lot eilipse. In ALL there will be seats
for over 20 900 EndeavOrers. The benches
will be built in tiers, with aislcs running
from in front of the platform to the rear end
of the inclosure.
The main entrances to the tents for the
delegates and the public will be from the
borders OF the ellipse, instead of from the
center, which will divide the throng 'ADto
three divisions instead OF massing the
enormous crowds at one point In the center.
The members of the chorus and those who
will occupy the platform will. however. be
allowed to gain entrance from the center
in order to avoid the crowds.
THE NAMES.
or the three tents being erected the one
on the west side OF the ellipse Will be
named tile .'Willison.' in honor of the little
hamletint the state of Maine W here. a decade
ago, the Young Peoples Society Of Chris
tian EnGeavor. which now numbers several
millions of Christians. had its birth. The
Maine delegation will be one which will
hold forth in this tent.
The he'd at the south ent - ice
to the White Lot will be christened Wash
Tie tent to the east will be called En-
deavor." Midway between each OF the
tents and in the center of the ellipse is
the big flag pole from which the Stars
and Stripes will float.
The flag to fly from this pole will be
thirty by twenty feet On each of the
tents will be three flagstaffs fifteen feet
high. On the center one OF these will wave
the American emblem, on the inner one
the flag bearing the colors of the society,
while from the center pole will float the
hurgee inscribed with the name of the
tent.
The work is being done by James Morten
& Son OF Boston. the tents being the prop
erty OF the International society, and We're
purchased last year by fund raised for
that specific purpose.
His expected that two of the big tents
will be up tonight. so that the work of
building the seats and platforms can he com
menced tomorrow. Everything will surely
be in readiness by the end Of the week. SO
that there will be no hitch In the pro
ceedings.
A special guard OF policemen will soon
be placed on the grounds. A smaller tent
will also be erected for headquarters for
the arrangements committee and others
in charge.