The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-07-04
THE NEW CONVENTION HALL,
KANSAS CITY.

few weeks have been steering course
for the hustling metropolis on the Mis-
souri,. They have in most instances
brought along their families, have load
cd down the old wagons with sides of
bacon, cornmeal and sweetening, and
the cost of the trip will be comparative
ly nil. Assuming that they and their
families have to live even at home OH
something or other and their animals
have to be fed. travelling or standing still,
It is about the same to them whether
they stay on the farm or jog along over
the plains Against the So head
charged by the Kansas City hotels they
will probably be able to make show
ing of less than 20 cents per diem for
each member of the caravan party. The
trip will be something in the nature or
what the boy on the towpath gets when
he essays n voyage ON the canal--on
foot all the way-but these tough pro-
| auctions of a sterile soil and hard
work don't mind that "a little bit"
IF is the first time in it's history that
| Kansas City has been chosen as ma
| tional convention town.. but its citizens
do not intend it shall be the last by any
| means for they expect to make IL so
| comfortable and homelike Tor the dele
gates and visitors generally that they
will want not only to come again, put
to stav here all the time. Although the
! hotels cannot furnish accommodations
| for more than one-third the expected
arrivals. or, say, 10000, there will be
boarding house accommodations for all
| the rest, estimated at 10000 more
MIGHTY efforts have been put forth by
| tho local committees and bureau or
n,hIic comfort. in charge Of Mr.. A. d.
T Hamilton. to provide for the visitors,
| tho advance guards of whom have al
ready begun to flow in like a tidal
wave Though many of the delegates
will he obliged to BOARD around" the
| big hotels, some of them among the
finest in the country, will contain the
bulk of the distinguished guests.
The national committee, at the head
| of which is Senator Jones, Will occupy
the palatial quarters of the Kansas
City club, which, with its reading, re-
| ception and sleeping rooms, has been
| turned over for their unrestricted use.
1t is quite near and in close commune
cation with the vast Convention hall,
which is on the northeast corner or
Thirteenth and Central streets. The
| three largest hotels are from three 10
nine blocks away. 1t is estimated they
can room" $500 people and provide for
a. 900 more as ''mealers." But, While
the attendance at the time will be vast,
it is calculated that at least 60 per cent
of the visitors will come from adjacent
states and be in q measure independent
of the public hostelries, finding this
good occasion for claiming the hospital
ity of friends. What this means only
one who has enjoyed the whole hearted
entertainment afforded by the true
westerner can appreciate. The efficient
sergeant AT arms, Colonel John /. Mar
tin is on the ground perfecting his
plans and trying to placate the appli-
cants for seats and other favors.
1t does not require prophetic vision
to foretell the nomination, unless the
figures deceive one, as they sometimes
do, for, while the total number of dele
gates to the convention is set at $50.
more than the $40 necessary to nomi-
nate are already instructed for Mr.
Bryan. 1t will, then, be Bryan again
this time, and not some dark horse"
that shall leap like lightning out or
comparative obscurity into sudden
! prominence and fame.
! Mr.. Bryan's sponsor will be the dep
uty attorney general of Nebraska, VIII
/ lis ID. Oldham, who is well known as
| campaign orator and devoted disciple
! of the late Mr.. Bland.
j. JOHNSON WATROUS.
Kansas City.