Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-16
THE PHILADELPHIA CONVENTION.
How the Republican National Dele
gates VIII BE Accommodated.

How the Republican National Dele
gates Will Be Accommodated.
From the Philadelphia Press
The plans for the alteration Of the ex-
port exposition auditorium for the purposes
Of the republican national convention pro-
vide In a most liberal way for delegates
alternates and visitors. Just 14,99S seats
will be arranged This will be the largest
number of seats ever provided at national
convention. At the ST. Louis convention,
the largest up to that time, only 1900 seats
were provided, and from many of these the
stage could not be seen
Things are arranged differently in Phila-
delphia however and every occupant of a
seat in Convention Hall will have a full
view of not only what is happening on the
stage, but also of the rest OF the hall. In
describing the plan Chairman Manley said
ION the main floor of the hall are the
seats for the delegates. and Immediately
behind them come the alternates. Each
one is allowed a floor space of one foot and
ten inches by two feet and six inches, which
Is more room than delegates ever enjoyed
before.
Then. going toward the stage, comes the
space reserved for the press. This Is on
vast platform raised four feet above the
level of the main floor. There will be seats
for 500 reporters. Each reporter will have
a floor space Of two feet four and half
inches by four feet one and half inches,
ana CQlS, ike tnS QeleSaleS IS more
than any other convention has allowed.
Each reporter will have a desk to himself
and there will be nothing in the whole hall
that he can't see, and nothing on the stage
which he can't hear.
Leading back from the press section will
be wide aisles, going under the stage to the
telegraph and telephone rooms at the rear
of the building. Out there will be scores of
operators. clicking out the news to a wait
ing nation, and between the press section
and the telegraphers there will be steady
stream Of hustling messenger boys rushing
with copy.
newspaper men only. The old practice of
letting a representative of the Tombstone
Weekly interrogation secure one of the best
seats in the press reserve will jbe done away
with this time. If a reporter isn't there to
report the convention he will not get a
ticket to the reporters stand, to be in the
way of or keep out a man who is sent there
for business. Five hundreds seats may
press, but there will be no seats vacant and
every occupant will be hustling for dear
life. The Philadelphia papers will have
large staff and the big New York and Chi
the time and fresh relay always waiting
to take the places of those who get utterly
tagged out.
Next beyond the reporters comes the
stage. This Is raised four feet from the
press stand, which brings it eight feet
above the main floor of the hall This will
be given over to the national committee
and distinguished guests from all over the
country: back of this again are special
guest seats.
$50 much for the main hall Now we'll
go back to the main entrance, which is at
the opposite end Of the building from the
stage. Between the doors and the audi
forum Is a spacious lobby where hundreds
may cluster and chat without disturbing
proceedings within. Connected with this
are ample rooms and places where the
weary sightseer may snatch a few mo-
ments' rest At the back Of the hall, in the
rear of the stage, is a space almost as
large. Here, as has been been mentioned,
are the telegraph and telephone Offices, and
also rooms for the national committee and
any special committee which may have oc-
casion to retire and confer. Beside these
rooms there will be one large room In
each corner for the press, where reporters
may get away from the crowds and work
out their copy at their leisure. Back of
the gallery on the second floor are more
rooms and further space for those who do
not care to stay within the hail..
The collection of the hundred thousand
dollar fund proceeds slowly.
The Western Union Is busily engaged in
making arrangements for the handling Of
convention news. The greater part of the
fourth floor of their building will be de-
voted especially to the work, and more
than a thousand operators will be sent to
this city for the etxra work.