Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-07
BELL ESCAPES
FROM LINCOLN
ON A HANDCAR
NARROWED, ALMOST MISSES
CONVENTION
cALlFoRNIAN's HEADQUARTERS
SCENE OF GOOD CHEER
Fruit, Wine, Music and Good Fellow
ship Make Golden State Wig
wan the Center of
Attraction
BY FRANK THOMPSON sEARIeHr

LIN Eth July Os-1 HeOQOE6 "A.
Bells race against time has given the
convention crowds something exciting
to talk about, and they talked in rag
time when it was rumored that the
opening session of the convention
would begin at 10 o'clock tomorrow
morning instead of IL noon.
The rumor was untrue, of course, but
the prospects it presented as against
the ability of the temporary chairman
to arrive in time to deliver his speech
were enough to arouse an army of
people who, to tell the truth, are
trihe footsore from having walked
around the hotel corridors anywhere
from three days to a week.
The 10 o'clock rumor by the way,
seems to have originated at California
headquarters-at least the announce
ment was made there publicly, and
delegates were requested to meet at
9:45 to march to the auditorium. That
fact did not make 1t the easier to dis
prove.
The way everything has been spell
ing unanimity for Bryan, especially in
the last twenty-four hours, caused the
facetious to remark that even the ele-
ments were in accord, considering that
the big storm at Lincoln was simulta-
neous with a heavy storm here, but
when 1t was evident that Bell had
self-and that he had to take a car
riage to the nearest railroad and even
utilize a handcar to reach point on
the Rock Island where a special train
was in waiting for him, the outlook
became serious.
viii Arrive on Time
However, all Denver advices are to
the effect that the Californian will be
on the job at the stroke of IL with the
historic gavel presented to him by
Bryan, and that the oratory OF the
Golden State speaker will not be dam
aged in his fight against storm and
flood to get here, however much he
may have suffered physically to keep
his appointment
| Meanwhile scenes on the Denver
streets and in the hotel Hobbies have
no precedent in local history. What
melody the eight brass bands provided
| by the Denver people and a score OF
| visiting bands did not use up on in
coming delegations today was used to-
night, and they ran the list from Hot
Time" to "Holy City" including Tam
many with variations, and Dixie" in
six keys at one time.
Thousands of visitors clubs and
boosting delegations are parading the
streets with the bands, cheering for
their favorite candidates-all of said
candidates being William j. Bryan
and in the hotels vast crowds are
packed in like sardines, listening to
first one then another orator whose
state delegation feels called upon to
speak.
In the Brown Palace one such scene
included some fervid speaking by
Judge Brooks of Texas and was eulo-
CYSTIC Of Senator Bailey.
Galleries Packed
The crowd on the floor grew to jam
proportions, the galleries were packed
and for seven floors above the ratings
were lined with spectators.
New street decorations in flags,
bunting and electrical effects had been
added to the city during the day as
the final touch for the big meeting of
tomorrow and, even as the speeches of
men indoors stirred people, so the
grandeur of the city outside got into
the blood and time was lost track of
while the gayety of the INCREASING
crowds spread and grew in tone and
volume of sound.
OF all the scenes, however, none was
more beautiful or animated than the
constant ebb and flow of humanity at
California headquarters. where hospi-
tality knew no limit and appreciation
of 1t was the only thing that equaled
it. If the territory representation there
tonight was not from Greenlands icy
mountains to India'S coral strand" then
1t was because the Greenland overland
was late or the India express was de-
layed by washouts somewhere along
the line. New York to Honolulu
showed on the badges of visitors, at
any rate, and Kentucky recognized
such simon-pure. home brand of good
fellowship that she stayed in dozens
and scores and made speeches and even
gladly consented to get in the photo
graph taken of the throng.
The addition of an orchestra to the
California equipment was merely an
assistance to the Colonial quartet of
Oakland, whose members made the hit
of the evening, and naturally the Ken
tuckians went wild over Kentucky
Home" "Suwanee River" and the like.
Fruit and Wine
The display and distribution of fruits
and wines and other products of Call
fornfa needed no advertising. When
one heard the question in the hotel lob
bies or in the streets: Haven't you
been there?" 1t didn't mean grand
opera, or the broncho- busting shows,
or anything like that 1t meant Cali
fornia headquarters in the Hotel Law,
and thither, muy pronto, went the en-
lightened ones to shed all the dull care
they. may have had on hand at the
time.
During the day and evening every
thing went smoothly at California head
quarters with one exception. 1t was a
mere accident in the eyes of Los An
geles but real tragedy to the Denver
crowds. From some unknown cause
probably something in the law of grav-
ity that compares with spontaneous
combustion" thousands who are samp-
ling the port and sherry and the claret
punch and oranges and figs-and fifty
seven other varieties-succeeded for
some mysterious reason, in forgetting
what had happened. They stood not
upon the order of forgetting, but early
and often and like natural born irriga-
tionists they forgot.
oe4
George M. Read Dead