The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1899-04-16
Bryan Thinks II the Best Man
aged Thing Of the Kind That
Has Ever Happened.
THREE THOUSAND PRESENT
Portraits Of jefferson and Bryan Were
Plentiful and she Guests Feasied
While the Band Played.

NEW YORK. April 1.-THE collar Jef-
ferHon dinner of Chicago platform demo-
Gratis at Central Palace tonight. In point
Of numbers was one OF the bigges, affairs
ever hcld in this city. Nearly so0D men
and women sat down al the long tables
In the various rooms at the big palace.
There were all kinds Of people there.
dressed In all kinds OF clothes White
men clbowed with colored men. and white
women with c0lored women There wero
four japanese and three Chinese present
but the Chinese we're merely spectators
and sat up In the second gallery. They
said that they had come 10 see Mr. Bryan.
The main hail presented dlneren,
aspect from that OF the Metropolitan
opera house at the ,en-dolar dinner OF
tho Democratic club. There were no
Hover embellishments. but just great
long aycuuev OF tables covered with pain
white plates The only ornaments were
lunches OF celery and granlteware coffee
pots.
The boxes about the hall were fesiooned
with nags. with siiksn banners suspended
between the nags. Al the back OF the
stage were two American flags draped
one bearing the portal, Of Jefferson ans
the other n portrait Of Bryan Small
portraits OF Bryan were lnterspersed be
tween the fags on the balconies on the
stage was an immense horseshoe OF car
nations. roses and hellotrope. II had
worked In flowers the words. "women's
Bryan League" and below In red carna-
tious 'on white roses was The name
Bryan"
Surrounding all were the numerals. 'i6
TO l." Back on one Of the cane bottom
chairs was a magnificent boquet OF roses
American beauties; but not even on the
guests table was there n single flower.
Looking up from the top tier the hall
presented a scene such as Is seen at
western barbecues or Rhode Island clam
hakes. \ brass band OF S pieces on the
balcony disCoursed music throughout the
evening The diners began TO arrive al
the Grand Central Palace at o'clock.
There were 40 policemen In and about the
place,
The women. to the number OF as, dincd
in long hall just on the second gallery.
They sat down to the tables at $50
O'clock
There was no concerted attempt to
seat the SNO diners simultaneously. All
were told to 20 In and sit down. About
Z o'clock nearly every seat Of the mems
table was occupied and the service be-
gan. over GO walters started out into the
main hall with soup few minutes be-
fore Z o'clock The menu included soup
fish. roast beef turkey, ice cream, conee
and cigars. Three thousand bottles OF
wine were gratultously served by a wine
company.
w. ]. Bryan did not arrive until shortly
after Z o'clock. The crowd ON the out
side signalled his appearance by tremen-
dous cheering. He came In can ana
was escorted through the tremendous
crowd to the waitlng-room outside the
main hall Then he was escorted to the
guests table.
Among those who sat at the guests
table were: James r. Brown, presiding:
on his right, W. ]. Bryan; on his lett' !
Charles A. Towne. Of Minnesota; O. II.
T.. Belmont, William s McNary. secre-
tary OF the democratic state committee,
OF Minneapolis Mayor ]. L. Rhimoohs,
OF Covington, Ky; Bolton Hall, George !
Fred Williams ex-Congressman William
F. Ryan. of Rochester; A. s. Townson, Of |
Virginia; Colonel Thomas Smith, of Vir-
gnla, and John Clark Rldpath.
Bryan spoke for an hour and nine min
utes. When Mr., Bryan had finished there |
was great rush to him on the plat |
form, He was almost suffocated In the |
crush, 1t required five policemen to force |
away the crowd from him. He shook |
hands on all sides, OF the dinner Bryan
said:
This is the greatest dinner I ever at
tended-I think the greatest ever held In
the United States. The hearts OF the |
people are all right"