The Savannah morning news., 1904-07-07
VAST CROWDS SURGED
ABOUT CONVENTION HALL.
To Get in Was the Unsatished De-
sire of Thousands.

St Louis, July 6.-The Democratic
Long before the doors were swung open
vast crowds thronged the streets in
the vicinity of the main entrance to
the Exposition Building, where the
convention met. In the surging line
were men and women, and visiting po-
litical organizations, eagerly seeking
entrance. Those who have charge of
the distribution of the tickets of adj
mission have been deluged with re-
quests for them, but as cards have
been provided only to the extent of the
seating capacity of the hall many per-
sons we're disappointed.
The decora lions of the convention
hall we're undertaken on a most elab-
crate scale, and the pleasing and eff
fective general scheme has been car
ried out to the minutest detail The
great dome ceiling, which rises high
above the floor, is covered with a IA
brio of solid yellow with here and
there Aounces of a white material car
Tying out the architectural design.
Within each of the sections of the cell
ing is the seal of one of the states and
a stand of 'colors while in front of the
gallery spaces are festoons of white
cloth. The walls are adorned with the
national emblems, forming a frame for
the colossal color picture overhead.
The splendor of the vari-colored
gowns worn by the large number of
ladies occupying seats in the galleries
and the ever-moving fans gave the
finishing touch and completed a scene
both spectacular and picturesque. Flow
ers were eliminated from the scheme.
With the exception of the bouquets
on the tables on the chairmans plat
form, plants and blossoms were not in
evidence, preference having been given
by the designers to more enduring dec
orative materials.
The hall is an immense amphi-
theatre admirably arranged for a ma
tional convention, and especially ar
ranged so that all available room may
be utilized to the greatest possible ad
vantage. Those charged with the pre-
paration evidently grasped the situa-
ton. The accommodations for the gen
eral public, and especially for the
press are much more complete than
they were at the Chicago Convention,
and the best for the latter that have
ever been provided at a national con-
vention, every facility for the report
ing of the proceedings and the prompt
dispatch of the news to the world at
large being afforded.
A stream of visitors and q drizzle of
delegates and alternates were pouring
into the hall an hour before the time
set for the opening of the convention.
The big men, the directors of political
strategy were not as prompt in arriv-
ing. Beside the novelty of viewing a
great convention many of them are
constantly haunted by the dread that
a conspiracy is afoot to deprive them
Of their seats. and, fearful of catas-
trophe in the great demand for tickets
which has existed for the last few
days, the anxious ones hurried to plant
themselves in their seats before any
other person should pre-empt them.
The hall itself is not well lighted by
the sun, there being windows on but
three sides. and these are close to other
buildings
There is no opening in the roof to
permit the esca Pc of the heated air and
even before one-tenth of the delegates
had arrived it had become uncomfort
ably warm. The windows open but
half way and are on the level of the
top row of seats in the gallery.