The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1908-07-16
DOINGS OUT AT DENVER
Editor Hull Gives Description of
His Trip to the Big Democrat
Convention at Denver.
DENVER, COLORADO, July 10. 1908.

Convention d. UenVcr.
DENVER, COLORADO, July 10. 1908.
DEAR REPORTER READERS:-When we
last wrote home we were speeding
through Nebraska, having been fortu-
nate enough to be on train which was
just ahead of the big washouts in Ne
braska which delayed SO many of the
trains from the east. When we left
Charlton Sunday morning at 10 o'clock
the Iowa special train was the third
section of No. 3, but after leaving Omaha
we were the seventh section with two
sections behind us, and on account Of
the Rock Island tracks being washed
out west of Lincoln sixteen of their
trains we're behind ours and all freight
traffic was suspended in the effort to
get the passenger trains to Denver, but
we kept getting later and later. The
commissary car on our train came in
good play for the eating houses had
been cleaned out by the trains ahead of
us. The ladies were well taken care of
first and then the gentlemen we're fed.
The ride through western Nebraska
was interesting, the towns being miles
apart, and aside from the sage brush
and herds of cattle and horses, all that
few prairie dogs and two or three
Jack rabbits.
We reached Denver at o'clock Mon
day afternoon, our train being seven
hours late. The first person we saw on
alighting from the train was Newt
Sankey, Of Newmine, Colorado, who was
there to meet his father, e. j. Sankey
and Misses Ora Sankey and Freda
Teale. He has been running an air drill
in mine there, working eight hours a
day at $4.00 per day. His health is
greatly improved.
We boarded car and went to our
rooms on South Pearl street at the home
of our old friend, George w. Gunnison,
former Iowa editor, having published
the Herald at Sidney, Iowa, for many
years He is now running a big job
office in Denver and doing big busi-
ness.
Denver is big city, the business
center of the state. Contrary to gener
al expections it is not located in the
mountains, but on plain twenty miles
from the foothills and twice as far to
the mountains. 1t is an up-to-date city,
the stores being right up with those of
eastern cities. A peculiar feature is
that all the residences are brick or
stone, city ordinance passed eighteen
years ago prohibiting the building Of
any frame buildings within the city
limits, and they tell me that brick is
cheaper than lumber.
We have met number of former Leon
people here, Mr.. and Mrs. j. T. Hail,
Mrs. Emma Clark and daug hter Eta,
Mrs. Amanda McClelland, Mrs. C. P.
Finley, Mrs. J. P. Waring, Orval Duval
and Edgar McClelland, who is at the
home of his sister, Mrs. ]. P. Hall, and
is in very poor health.
We also met George Howell, of Omaha,
a member of the Dalhman Club Of Omaha,
and Frank Horton, another Davis City
boy, now living at Goodland, Kas., Oscar
Judd and Carter Scott, of Davis City,
and Mrs. Marion Stookey we're on the
special train on which we travelled.
We cannot attempt to describe the
great convention. The hall is thing
Of beauty, the finest and largest con-
vention hall in the United States, the
acoustics being perfect. We have had
the privilege of the hall, having seats
in every part from the press gallery and
platform to the top gallery and in every
part of the great hall the speaker can
be heard plainly. On Wednesday we
were present when the great demon
stration was started by Senator Gore,
the blind orator from Oklahoma, and the
scene beggars description. After he
had spoken not to exceed two minutes
the convention went wild when he said
Oklahoma rejected the advice of Roose-
velt and accepted that Of Bryan. For
one hour and twenty-eight minutes bed
lam reigned. The enthusiasm had been
corked up and Gore pulled the cork.
After a few minutes of cheering ban
ner with Bryan's picture was started
through the hall and one by one the
state delegations joined in, then bands
galore, and finally the people in the
galleries joined in and took possession.
1t was sight never to be forgotten and
will probably never be witnessed again.
We have heard many of the greatest
speakers and have not missed session
of the great convention.
The report of the committee on plat
form was delayed and was not present
ed to the convention until near o'clock
Friday morning but the rules were sus-
pended and the nominating speeches
we're made Thursday evening. The
great convention hall was packed and
while there were seats for 1880 people
there were nearly 10000 persons in the
hall, the aisles and entrances being
packed. Every person was given flag
and when Mayor Dunno, of Omaha, made
the speech nominating William Jennings
Bryan, there was a beautiful sight to
see twenty. thousand flags waving and
keeping time to the music. The cheer
ing lasted more than an hour and was
then stopped only by strenuous efforts
on the part Of Chairman Clayton, who
finally ordered the lights turned off and
only then did the people take their
seats. Hon. Jerry Sullivan, of Des
Moines, on behalf of Iowa made speech
seconding the nomination and it was
one of the best of the convention.
The nomination Of vice-president will
take place this Friday afternoon and
the final adjournment will be this even
inp