The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-07-08
zon 11xr 70 zrnA17


~ ENVEK. COL. July when
the delegates TO the Demo-
cratic National Convention be-
~ gan to arrive at the scene of,
the activities or the next four
days strong GORDON OF police was
stretched about the auditorium. The
sidewalks were roped off to assist
the officers In handling the curious
throngs that began to gather about
the hall early in the day, and mounted
police kept the streets clear as pas
sageway for those holding tickets.
On two OF the streets fronting the
auditorium great banks OF snow gavaj
a cool greeting to the visitors. From
the mountain heights the snow has
been brought down to this mile-high
level on special train and hauled
through the city In carts of various
descriptions. The day was by no
means hot. however. and the only ef-
feet OF the snow was the novelty OF
an icy street scene In July.
Arrival OF Delegates.
The doors Of the hall were unbarred
at 1870 o'clock. nearly one hour be-
fore the savel OF the national chair
man. Tom" Taggart. was scheduled
to fall as the signal for the beginning
OF the initial session.
The apparent conveniences. facilities
auditorium for convention purposes
were remarked upon by practically
every delegate who filed In.
AS befitted its prominence in the
convention house. Nebraska was placed
directly in front OF the speakers
stand. On It's left was Alabama. and
on it's right Indiana Immediately
behind Nebraska was the State which
either negatively or positively seems
- nEx.t.
come--New York. Georgia, that nest
OF Bryans opponents. who from the
first have longed for an opposition
standard, was close behind New York,
and somewhat to its left. Down the
centre behind Nebraska and Michigan
md across from them and in the rear
of Indiana, Kentucky and Pennsyl-
vania. Colorado was properly placed
for a convention host. being far off to
the left, where the seeing was moor
and the hearing no better With,
Colorado along the outer edge. were
Mississippi. Wisconsin and Idaho Min
nesota was less advantageously placed
than Nebraska. the Johnson boomers
being located far In the rear of the left
centre OF the group of States. The
Gray men from Delaware were on the
Ieft OF New York. with friends from
New Jersey, who to-day announced
their intention to fight for GRAY when
the presidential struggle is on. close
by them. :
Novel Arrangements.
Far In the rear of all the States
with It's little blue standard nailed an
inc outside OF the railing dividing tho
seats OF the delegates from those az
the alternates. was the delegati fror,,
me philippines. the one body OF mon
IN the convention with a designed abid.
ang pace and no part IN the nrocaa,1.
lngs. 80 y =.
A feature of the seating nrron-e-
ments. new In political conventions
was the labelling Of all seats Every
chair carried on Its back small Whit,
placard. bearing thesname of the State
In large capitals. with the word .De,e-
gate" beneath It, This small detail did
away with much of the confusion III
cldentss TO former conventions, as IL
showed where the territory Of every
state ended and3where that Of its
notghbors' began. and there was 10
good -natured "scrappin; over bounu-
airy lines. as is@usuall2 tl:e case
The days session was looked for
ward to as one of preliminary
tormality, the address of Temporary
: Chairman Theodore a. Bell being tho
feature. The announcement of c3n,
mittees and an early adjournment ont
of respect to the memory of the late
Mr.. Cleveland completed The prdgranl.
Cheering Begins.
Judge Alton B. Park er, OF New y orli,
came to the hall with a sharply res
vsed Cleveland resol to be Of
fered in case lie could secure recog-a
milton by the chairman AS the ses-
sion began, however. 1t was under
stood that closerEfri to Mr.. Bryan
would introduce any resolution that
was to be adopted, No contestgo OF any
sort was to be made. That much
was settled.
Anot her novel feature OF he $convell-
ton arrangements was battery Of
four automatic adding machines, such
as are used In banks and large bust
ness establishments, They were pros,
yided for the tallySclerks and a speedy
and accurate announcement of ballot
results. 4sgisssj &
An oil painting of Mr.. Cleveland
honor second only to that Of Thomas
I Jcffers on. ;s
At 1880 o'clock, when the hell was
less than one-thlrd full, the first music,
of the convention crashed from the
upper balcony. a splendid band OF
sixty or more persons, Informed III
costumes Of the Western n lains-blue
flannel shirts. neaked hats and red
bandanna handkerchiefs nung about
their necks--played Il series Of pa.
trlotic selections to the applause Of,
the Incoming crowd, tn I9ls
VirEininns Smoked.
The usual precautions ngainst fire
Z observed In large 8 convent ion halls
We're q isreg arded BY many OF tho dele
Entes, notably in the Virginia sectinn.s
where ',lh half a. dozen men pufied pipes
and sent up whirllnE clouds Of smoke,
from theirsct gsrs, One or two on the
! North CarollEa men lndulged Them
i Selves In smoke 4, Which they inter-
1rrupte,d only when the bands, after
4 play IN IS q II nledley ~ OF sollt hern airs
swung into 81 III e,',, and thenf trey,3
\ lnb c0rnmol ~ It'll Il lie Offenders from
ytrgt " forget their tpbace ri ls
they nose all chez red IA hi GcVa the
! ditln1e