Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-05-24
AN EXPENSIVE HONOR.
Kansas City Hard Hit by Dem
ocratic Convention.
An Unpleasant Mixture OF Strikes and
Politics Advantage Taken by Labor
Unions of the Extremity Caused
by the Burning Of the Hall.

inc NatiOnal Democratic convention
July (. This is due to certain com
plcations which have arisen since the
was secured. The original sub
to the national committee, which
was given by the city to secure the gath
cring. was 5000; it was estimated at tho
time that the expenses OF the committees
in addition would be about So 0Co. 1t was
expected that $4,000 would fully cover
all the expenses. It is evident now, how
ever, that the city will have to stand an
expense OF at least $4,000 to have things
in readiness in July, and this sum only
includes direct outlay, says Kansas
city correspondent. There is no way Of
estimating how much the people OF the
city individually will be out owing to The
labor complications which have arisen
through the rebuilding of Convention
Hall.
The extra expense has come through the
destruction of the original Convention
Han by fire the necessity of having
now building completed within the short
time available, and the fact that the build
ing of this hall is being carried on in the
face of a very serious labor situation. All
% the men engaged in the building trades
in Kansas city are now idle. A very de-
termined attempt Is being made to bring
about a strike on the street car system.
The reason the latter has failed so far
is peculiar to this city and would apply
TO no other place. The men employed on
the street car system are nearly all coun-
try boys from the farms west of here
They are not accustomed to the ways of
lator ugitators and are rather apt TO
think for themselves They have had diff
iculty in the past in securing employ
ment; many of them are men with fam
lies, and they do not respond readily 10
the demands of the trades unions, espe-
cially where such demands are not for an
Increase in wages but for further recogni-
ton of unionsnI, with which they are not
familiar. The time. however is opportune
Tor strike If one can be brought on, as
numerous small conventions are in pro-
sresS. aud the street car company is max
ing extensive preparations for handling
the 100000 people who are expected here
the first week in July.
Outside agitators from St. Louis and
Chicago, experienced in these matters,
have recognized the opportunity presented
and are here at work among the Kansas
city wage earnerS trying to incite them
to general suspension OF all industries
IN the city TO secure favors which they
believe viii be granted at this time where
lhey would not be considered under or
binary circumstances. So far on very
great progress has been made in disturb
ing Industrial conditions here, but the
danger Is not yet over and the Convention
Han stands as a constant menace to en-
ployeis. for while the union made an ex-
ception to the work done on the hall, the
committee was forced to agree to pay such
wages as were demanded and make every
concession which could be thought OF
by those managing the unions affairs.
The very highest wages are being paid on
the hail. higher than have ever before
prevailed in the city. Hold carriers are
getting 30 cents an hour and everybody
else in Ike proportion. The convention
hall committee to secure the structural
steel for the hall was forced to pay about
$4,000 more than 1t cost in the original
building, owing to the fact that the mar
ket was at the highest notch Just at the
time the contract was made. 1t has gone
down considerably since then, but all
material was bought at the high figure
In addition to this bonus of 81 900 had to
be paid to the Carnegie Company to have
the roof trusses ready In time. The effect
of the high wages paid on Convention
Hail has been felt In every branch OF
trade in the city and has had tendency
TO support the most extravagant demands
and establish a scale for all work which
is considerably above the normal Even
under these conditions however. there Is
Il possibility of work being suspended on
the hail at any time, and the fear Is con-
stantly before the people that some
thing of that kind will happen. There
Is no danger that the steel work Will he
suspended, as the men employed by the
Carnegie Company are independent of To-
cal labor influences, and if necessary the
city viii furnish ample protection to those
engaged upon the building.
Kansas City has Il way, however. OF do
ing disagreeabe things as though they
We're thoroughly enjoyable, and the COM
nitteeS are working as enthusiastically
and as thoroughly to make the convention
success, so far as the host is concerned.
as though ii was not going to cost any
more than was originally planned. The
feature that is greatly regretted by those
who have taken an interest in the great
auditorium from its first building is the
diversion of so much money from the e-
climate purpose of rebuilding n tire-proof
and magnificent structure to the tempo
rary purpose of providing "A shelter for
the Democratic convention, for much of
the money which is now being spent is
practically lost. The money necessary to
pay the expenses of the CONVEX c0a Is be-
ing raised by private and public subscrip-
ton and by numberess and various kinds
or Dement'S given by public-sprtcd citi-
zens and organizations for the purpose,
and whatever is needed will be fort hcoin-
ing.
The hall as il is being rebuilt will he the
most convenient shelter for a national
convention ever devised 1t will seat about
1000 people and while there is little doubt
but that Kansas City will be able to take
care of the crowd which may be in the
. city during convention week many people
will go away disappointed at not being
able to attend single session of the con-
Nention itself As the hall was originally
built the arena was in the shape of an
oval and the stage was At one end. As il
has now been designed for convention pur-
poses. the stage has been placed on the
east side of the oval and will extend out
into the arena, which will be the deegat e
floor. ON either side of the stage will be
seated the newspaper correspondents,
three hundred in each wing From the
back of the stage and up into the arena
balcony Will be the seats for distinguished
visitors to the number of 900 Under the
arena balcony and back of the stage will
be the telegraph operators. The ASsociat-
ed Press will hold the middle place direct
ly back of the speaker. and on one side
will be the Western Union and on the
other the Postal Telegraph, The tele-
graph companies are making extensive
prepare tons to handle the business from
| the convention. and now maintain that
| they will be able to send over one hundred
! thousand words an hour from the hall,
| The lesson of the fire which consumed
| the hail in less than half an hour has been
/ thoroughly taken 70 heart, and there will
| be very little innammable material used
| in the floors or any other part of the
| building. IT viii be arranged 30 that. II
necessary, the crowd can get out from al
most any point along the sides and ends.
ana such precautions will be taken as Will
make impossible a repetition OF the dis
aster which would have been so terribly
| fatal had the hall been filed at the time
The people of Kansas city are confident
"a N q N al n