The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1906-10-19
Mr.. BRYAN At FLAT RIVER
An Immense Crowd Greets the
Great American Commoner.
Between 1000 and 5000 People
Patiently Await His Coming for
Over Two Hours

Mr.. Bryan was scheduled to ar
rive at Flat River last Friday night
at $40 o'clock, but the people be-
gan at six o'clock to fill the base
ball park, where he was to speak,
and where arrangements had been
made to seat between 1900 and
1000 people. The grounds were
well lighted by a number of elec-
tric are lamps, kindly furnished by
the s.. Francois County Electric
Railway Company, and the speak
er's stand, arranged to seat POO or
more, was decorated with bunting
and flags aud large portrait of
Mr., Bryan.
BY $ O'Clock every available
seat was filled, the people being
pressed Us closely together as it
was possible for them to be, while
outside Of the seated portion Of the
grounds fully as many more were
standing, crowded together and
eIbowiug each other, in an en-.
deavor to get AS near the speaker ;
stand as possible In estimating
crowds guesserS sometimes differ
widely and almost ludiCrously.
We have heard of one or two Re
publlcuns who estimated the crowd
gathered to hear Bryan at >. 500,
when the grand stand or amptheatcr
alone comfortably seats 200, aud
it was packed and crowded so that
there were not less than 300 in
it. Some enthulastic Democrats
placed the number at 10000. We
made Il pretty careful estimate,
having been on the ground when
the people began to arrive at 6
O'Clock, and noted the seating ca
paciIy, which, wedged in us the
people We're, accommodated prob.
ably $500, then there was nearly
aS large Il space occupied by people
standing, packed even closer to-
gether than was possible on the
seats, so that 1000 would be a
conservative estimate.
But whatever the number. it was
an immense crowd, and the euger-
ness aud enthusiasm to hear Mr..
Bryan could have been emphasized
in no more emphatic way than in
the patient manner in which they
awaited his coming. The special
train bearing him and his party
was nearly an hour late, aud it was
nine O'Clock besore he arrived; but
the vast throng of people held their
places, several thousand of them
standing all the time for over two
hours. Two bands and two glee
clubs, one each from Flat River
and Bonne Terre, were on hand,
and entertained the crowd with
song and music.
When MIR. Bryan arrived tire.
mendous cheer went up from the
crowd. Walter l.. Hensley, Esq. -,
presided as chairman of the meet
ing, and Hon. NJ. X. Smith, the
Democratic nominee for Congress,
introduced Mr.. Bryan with few
well chosen words. simply saying
that 1T affords me great pleasure
to have the honor of introducing
to you the Great American Com.
moner and Democrat, the next
President Of the United States,
Hon. William Jennings Bryan. !"
At the mention of Mr.. Bryan's
name another wave of applause
swept over the vast assenblage.
Mr.. Bryan started off with a
clean and concise statement of the
fundamental principles that have
divided the two great political par
ties since the institution of our
government. The one drew its in =
spiration from Alexander Hamil-
ton, who had no faith in and