The age-herald., 1900-06-11

scape gardeners have been at work beauti- flying the grounds surrounding the hall. The main entrance to the building stands back six hundred feet from the fence which sur rounds the grounds. The approach to the hall, known locally as the esplanade, is well covered with fine shrubbery and young trees
 Cit,zens' Committee
 The committee of citizens who have charge of the arrangements has raised nearly $130,000 for the convention. One hundred thousand of this amount was for the national committee, and the remaining $30,0O0 for the expenses of altering the hall. Mayor Ashbridge is the chairman of the committee. Of the 16,0OO seats in the hall Philadelphia will get 1000. The mayor will turn the tickets over to a committee of five persons to be divided pro rata among sub scribers of the $13OOOO fund. Absolutely not one ticket will be given to a Philadelphian by this committee who did not subscribe. More than 2OOO applications were received for press seats, and the work of cutting this number to 800 with the least possible fric- tion was difficult.
 The busiest man for the next two weeks will be Sergeant-at-Arms Wiswell His headquarters are located in the old court house in Independence square. The quar- ters are crowded with clerks, stenogra- phers and typewriters, and every one about the place is hustling. The sergeant-at-arms is now wrestling with the task of dstrib- uting tickets. Everybody wants one, and most applicants want enough for all their 1 friends. Each delegate will receive two , tickets besides his own, and each alternate will receive only his own ticket Each na tional committeeman is to receive twenty five seats. Four thousand go to the city of 1 Philadelphia, and the remainder will be distributed among invited guests by the i national committee. President Mckinley l will receive a certain number for his priv ate distribution.
 1 The national committee will hold its first i session in this city on Wednesday. At this meeting the organization of the convention will, in all liklihood, be taken up and fin l ally passed upon.
 Many Contests
 | The greatest task assigned to the nation 1 al committee will be the matter of con- l tests. The committee is expected to take | such action will make the work of the l credentials committee easier. With the ex- l cepton of the eleventh Pennsylvania con- gressional district every delegate to the 1 convention in the United States has been elected. As far known here notice of 1 contests have been given as follows: 1 Alabama, two entire delegations; Della l ware, two entire delegations; Georgia, first i and eighth districts; Louisiana, second and l fifth districts; Pennsylvania, nineteenth 1 district; Texas, delegates at large, and I first fourth, fifth. sixth seventh and ninth districts; Tennessee, delegates at large The social programme for convention week will be about as complete as it can be made. All the republican clubs in the city have formed a general organization and are working as unit Saturday, Sum day and Monday reception committees will be at all the railroad stations and ferries to welcome the visiting club men, On Mon day night there will be monster torch light parade, in which 25,0OO men are ex- pected to march. Visiting clubs will be given the right of line except where it is the desire to march with the particular local organization assigned to entertain it during the week.
 Excursions have been arranged for every day to points of interest up and down the Delaware river, and then historical places
 in and around the city. The nights will be given up to banquets smokers, concerts and other forms of entertainments.
 On Tuesday, June 19, in the evening, there will be a monster mass meeting in the Academy of Music. The best orators among the leaders in the party will be the speak CTS. Prominent senators will be rendered dinners, the most elaborate of them being the one rendered Chairman Hanna on Sat urday night, June 16.
 l The vanguard of the convention crowd is | already here. Among todas arrivals was Ambassador to Mexico Powell Clayton, who represents Arkansas on the national committee. Ambassador Clayton will go to | Washington tomorrow, and will return in time to attend the meeting of the national committee on Wednesday.
 Chairman Hanna and Secretary Dick are expected tomorrow.