Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-22

token. The people We're thoroughly
aroused to the undertaking, and it be-
came a necessity to the peaceful pur-
suit of life to wear button.
Restaurants induced their sale by
setting aside day when the wearers
of buttons would be dined free. BARRIERS
took turns one week shaving free any
man wearing the emblem Of his stock
in convention hall. Business men had
placards printed and fastened them
above their desks-"You can't talk to
me unless you wear button" Travel
ing statesmen found it necessary to
wear button in order to do business.
The saleswomen in large establish
ments were provided with buttons and
every customer who did not wear a
button was reminded that one was nee
essary to make purchases.
The streets soon glistened with the
white celluloids, and the bearer Of the
dinner pail and the occupant Of the
brougham were equal In this-they
owned stock in convention hall and
wore buttons to prove it.
BY this and many other schemes the
money was raised and the hall built.
On the night of Feb. %, 1899, it was
opened. Fully 10000 stockholders in
band from the giant sounding board il
the north end of the hall. When the
concert was ended, the chairs and can
vas covering were removed from the
| arena floor in IA minutes, and 1000
| couples danced far into the early morn
ing to Sousa's inspiriting music. Thus
in eight months after the inception Of
the idea the hall was built by the peo-
pie Of Kansas City and in use by them.
Their struggle to build something that
would be an ornament and an advan-
tage to the city, a monument that
would give the town a good name and
! wide fame, was indeed crowned with
success.
The first hall cost $25O,OOO. The
building fronted 200 feet on Thirteenth
street and 314 feet on Central street.
1t was constructed Of natural stone,
cream brick and terra Gotta. The first
story was of stone in the style of the
renaissance. The second story was in
peristyle form. Of brick and terra Gotta.
The roof was Of copper and compost
ton. The lower or arena floor was oc-
cupied by polished floor 213 by 125
feet, lined with boxes. Between the
boxes and the outer walls was space
| so arranged that horses, cattle or the
| menagerie of circus could be com
fortably stored. The main entrance was
wide enough SO that any sort of con-
veyance could drive from the street di-
rectly to the arena floor, as in the case
Of horse shows. Above and encircling
the sides Of the building was the arena
balcony. Above this was yet anoth er
balcony. Sill beneath the roof was q
promenade allowing a fine view of the
proceedings on the arena floor.
| The acoustics of the hall were tested
In every possible manner and found to
be perfect. There was not single
stairway in the building, and the as
cent from floor to floor was made by
means Of inclined planes. The building
seated 10000 people and by reason of
many exits could be emptied at the
rate of 5000 minute
In the IL months Of the halls exist
ence many kinds of public entertain
ments We're held in it. There were
balls, fairs, horse shows, dog shows,
concerts and lectures. Dwight Moody
held revivals there. Maurice Grau's
grand opera company sang to it's lar
gest audiences in the building. and Pa
dereWski filed the hall with his admir-
ers.
But the one ambition of the thou
sands Of stockholders was to nominate
a presidential candidate within its
walls. They were just preparing to