The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-07

gency the auditorium could be emptied
and every person be on the street
within two minutes. Fire apparatus is
located at convenient places and fif-
teen streams of water are Immediately
available. AS a matter of fact the
building is practically fireproof; the
floors are of concrete and the only
material of an inflammable sort is in
erected for this convention and the
immense amount of bunting used in
the elaborate decorations.
These decorations are more profuse
than at Chicago. Masses of flags are
placed at appropriate points while the
ceiling is covered with red, blue and
white stars, each bearing the name of
a state.
over the rostrum is an immense por-
trait of Washington, with Jefferson az
very large number of incandescent
electric lights is used in lighting the
hall, the number being considerably
over 3,400, representing a total candle
power above $4,000. These are in addi-
tion to a system of ceiling sunbursts"
fourteen in number, and each contain
ing eighty sixteen candle lamps.
red light indicates the location of each
exit.
Seats for 1888.
The exact number of seats in the
auditorium under present arrangement
is IL ,53S. but in a pinch more than H.
600 people can be accommodated. On
the first floor alone there are 6,072 reg
ular seats. Upon the platform there
are 445 seats reserved for members OF
the national committee and for guests
of honor. The number of seats on the
rostrum is 101. Directly in front are
six tables for noiseless telegraph in
struments of the Associated Press and
other press associations and the tele-
graph and telephone companies, and all
these have additional space in the
basement.
Desks and seats for newspaper cor
respondents and special writers are
arranged in a half circle about the ros-
trum in such manner as to give each
writer an unobstructed view of the
speakers and within easy hearing dis
tance. There are 303 seats in this sec
tion, each seat having space two
feet wide, but arrangements are made
to add from as to 100 more press seats
if necessary. The desk of Colonel John
1. Martin, sergeant-at-arms, and the
desk of his private secretary, are in
this section near the rostrum.
There are 1O72 seats for delegates.
This is accounted for by the fact that
several states have selected twice their
number of delegates, giving each a half
vote. The section for alternateS has
1O02 seats, new additions having been
made by states that double their dele
cations.
Underground Passage.
To the right and left of the
rostrum a flight of stairs leads down
to the basement where the telegraph
and private telephone booths are To-
Gated. Beneath the rostrum is a tun-
mel connecting the two divisions of
the press section so that If cores
pondents have occasion to cross from
one side to the other they need not
pass between the speaker and the
audience. This passage will be used
also by messengers and pages.
Admission to the auditorium can be
had only by ticket. officers and at
paper correspondents must wear
badges and present tickets. Tickets
admit only at entrance designated
Upon each is printed the letter of
entrance and for the public the num-
ber of the section where the holder
must sit. Seats for the public are
| is divided into sections numbered con-
! secutively and the holder of a ticket
| is entitled to occupy a vacant seat in
| the section numbered on the ticket.
! All that a guest has to do is to find
the proper entrance and the ushers
| will do the rest.
BY this system the public can be
seated quickly and delay in opening
| the session of the convention is
| avoided.
| In the locations of the delegates.
Nebraska the state of w. J. Bryan,
| is suuarely in front of the rostrum
with Indiana and Texas in front at