The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-18
What the Alternate Dele
gate Sees of Interest
In the Hotel Corridors and
About Town.
How the Rhode Island Train Came
Near Going to Chicago.
Especial Correspondence Of THE Nrws.)


Headquarters Rhode Island Delegation,
St. Louis. June To-
The communication received this morn
ing signed "F. p. Little, Secretary" and
addressed to the chairman of the Rhode
Island delegation to the Democratic Con-
vention at ST. Louis" reminds the writer
that there is an engineer on the Nickel
Plate who was in the same state OF doubt
as Mr.. Little as to what kind Of con-
venticu the Rhode Island party
were going to. When the special train
with the Massachusetts and Rhode Island
parties aboard had "watered p,"-the
train, not the delegations-at Buffalo,
the big locomotive was coupled on and
with snort the long special got under
way. Halt mile ont from Buffalo the
train pulled up with jerk. There was
moment of suspense and then the dele
gates poured out of the cars. The engi-
neer was leaning out OF the window OF
his cab and was engaged In an animted
discussion with the conductor.
"You are on the wrong track, the con-
"No. Pm not declared the engineer.
"Yes you be too" vowed the conduc-
tor. "Ihere's your track over there"
pointing back and TO the left.
"Where's this train a-goin' TOT" de-
manded the engineer.
"To st. Louis, OF course" said the
conductor.
"Gosh! You don't say" said the en-
gineer. 81 thought she was bound for
Chicago"
SO every body got back aboard the cars
and the engineer hacked them to Buffalo
for another start to the Republic con-
vention city.
The Rhode Island delegation is small
in number and modest in individual
k.,I haA aIA q k.o
fidebce and respect of the parlor car
porter coming out and since arriving in
st. Louis have captured the town with
their badges. The badge OF white satin
Is em abolished by perfectly correct
shield bearing the State anchor and is
pinned on with a solid silver safety pin
and solid silver clam pendant there
from. The clam is curiosity out here,
where the only clans that the natives see
are canned clans. The badge IS the
work of Livermore and knight, and not
only did 1t cost 81 .25, but 1t is the pref
tiest thing out mere and is admired not
only by the walters who are looking for
tips, but by those In more humbl cir
cumstance, from all over the country.
A gold bug pin is other sensation,
and the newspapers have pictured II. IL
Is the invention OF man named Ballew
in Providence. lie had few of them
finished when the party left home and
he presented them to some of the dele
gates. The gold bug Is OF the style of
beetle, and by touching spring ut the
business end of 1t the wings fly open, ex-
posing the portrait OF the candidate on
one wing and sour choice, on the
other. IL Is clever thing, and IL Bal
lew could only get them out here he
could sell couple OF thousand before
the convention non mates its candidate.
Every bocy Is ealing for them, but up to
this writing there are none available,
except on the lappels OF the coats worn
by some OF the home delegates
The signs that HeBerDan, Roger and
Kempton painted to be hung about the
hotel corridors directing visitors to the
headquarters are also worth mentioning.
Each of the half dozen cards is different
from the others and they ere beauties. In
every artistic way the Rhode Island dele
cation is In the lead.
Ex-Goveror Browns headquarters in
the Southern Hotel are also fine. They
are hung with fiags and bunting and over
the door is big sign that reads:
ID. RUSSELL BROWN,
FOR vIcE-PREsIDENT
Providence, r. I.
The Brown headquarters are right In
the center of events as they transpire In
the great ground floor hall of the South
ern. The ex-Govefnor did not open them
on sunday as matter OF principle, but
received interviewers and other visitors in
his room. All over the Southern are litho-
graphs OF the Ex-Governor. The likeness
Is fine. A good many OF the candidates
have their portraits hung about the hotel
corridors, the columns being covered
with autographs from frescocd ceiling to
marble floor. Mckinley, Reed, Quay
and Allison have tremendous big crayou
portraits hanging In the hotel and these
are Admirable as works of art. A man
named Herthrong OF Massachusetts, pro-
duced these portraits. They have been seen
at two or three previous national con-
ventlons of botn parties. They are
colossal in size but they stand close in
spection and are immensely effective.
The hotel corridors are net the only
places where portraits and delegation
cards are avishly displayed. Some OF the
store windows and many of the saloons
fronts are so decorated. The sign "Penn-
sylvania Headquarters" adorns cne brill
iantly decorated saloon. "khode Island
ers Welcome" is the assurance iven in big
letters on the window pane OF a modest
beer garden.
Governor Lippitt Is comfortably in
stalled at the st. Nicholas.
Work for Reed received big push Sun
day evening. Ii appears that the two
colored delegates from Massc husetts Sc
cured the attendance OF couple of hun
dred of their bretnren from the South
and Southwest at prayer meeting In the
First Baptist Church. Before the prayer
meeting was over IL was skllfully trans