The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-07-05

1t is raised about FIVE feet from the
floor.
Back of this platform is a tier OF
seats for the members OF the ma
tional committee and distinguished
quests. A row OF boxes extends all
the way around the hall. like those
in Madison Square garden. New
York. at the horse show, and these,
too. will be reserved for distinguished
people.
Immediately to the right and left
of the platform are the desks tor
the working newspapermen-those
representing daily newspapers whose
reports must be dashed off at once
to the telegraph wire. These desks
number 176 on each side. Just back
of them are railed-off sections con-
tanning 800 chairs on each side tor the
use of the representatives OF the
weekly papers and the magazines
Altogether there will be over 700
seats on the floor reserved for the
press.
Stairways in front of the cores
pondents and by the side OF the plat
form lead down directly to the tele-
graph Offices of the Western Union on
one side and the Postal Telegraph Co.
on the other, so that copy" may be
rushed to the wires without delay.
Back of the correspondents on
each side-ari here is where the new
idea comes in-are the seats for the
alternates. Heretofore in all national
conventions the alternates have been
stretched in long lines from end to
end of the hall back OF the delegates.
The delegates themselves, in
wide-pointed wedge formation, will
occupy the exact center OF the tioor'
stretching from directly in front OF
the speakers platform to the rear OF
the hall. They will be seated on
each side OF wide aisle leading
straight to the platform, and there
will be an aisle on each side OF them,
so that a delegate who is called to
the platform to speak, or who desires
to send a telegraph message, can. do
so without disturbing his colleagues.
The drawing Of seats for the dele
cations, which is done by a blind
folded boy who draws the name OF
each state from a box previously
well-shaken. will occur in the
Office OF sergeant-at-arns. lhe
first names ont OF the box
get the front seats. and the lot
terry frequently has peculiar results.
Just how it will trun out this year
will not be made known until the
day before the convention when the
standards, bearing the name OF each
state, will be placed in position.
These standards, by the way, will
be fastened securely to the floor so
that delegates in moment of en-
thusiasm may not snatch them up
and bear them in triumph around the
hall. That is favorite stunt" OF the
delegate and frequently results in
much confusion because of his inabili-
ty to find the place from which he
took the standard when he wants to
replace it.
At the east end of the hall COM
plete postoaice is being fitted up
with letter boxes for each delegate
and alternate. This will be under the
charge of Assistant Postmaster
Henry P. Wyman of St. Louis; VIM.
NJ. Drumm, the efficient secretary to
the sergeant-at-arms, and McDon-
aid Martin, custodian. A corps OF
carriers will be in attendance to
carry the mail to the delegates in
their seats, thus making the mail
delivery as nearly as rapid as tele-
graphy as it is possible to make it.
Eight or ten long-distance tele-
phone boxes are ranged on the north
side in close proximity to the stairs
leading to the telegraph rooms.
In the southeast corner OF the
building an emergency hospital has