Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-06-03
Republican National COnVen.
ton To Be Held in Same
Old Building
Chicago Coliseum Has Been
the Meeting Place for Two
Other Conventions
Building is Being Rapidly
Placed in Condition for
the Big Contest

CHICAGO, June 3-For the third
time since it's erection 10 years ago.
the doors Of the Coliseum will be
thrown open June Is, for the &C
commodation of a republican nation
al convention. In 1904 the Republi.
cans nominated Theodore Roosevelt
welt for President in this building
and in 1908 under the same roof
William H. Taft was chosen as the
party's standard bearer.
The Coliseum is on Wabash Av'
enue between 18th and 18th streets,
less than a mile from the center OF
Chicago's retail shopping and hotel
district and is accessible from all
parts of the city by elevated roads
and surface lines. The Coliseum is
305 feet long, 40 feet wide and 70
feet in height built Of stone, brick,
steel and concrete and is fire proof
1t stands on the site of the old
Libby Prison, which was brought
from Richmond, Va, to Chicago, in
sections and rebuilt the year of the
Worlds Fair by Charles F. Gunther,
and used to exhibit a valuable col.
lection of civil war relics. 1t is OF
modern Romanesque combined with
the English Costellated type Of archi'
hecture and cost 100000. 1t has
been the scene Of many notable as
semblges. 1t has eleven large exits,
and can be emptied in five minutes
in an emergency.
The subcommittee On arrange
ments Of the republican national
committee under the direction of
Col. Harry S. New, has expended
$40 900 preparing the building for
this years national convention of the
republican party. The building has
11,188 seats of which 1888 are on
the main floor and 5000 in the bal
cony.
The speakers platform is built
against the south wall of the structure
and extends across the entire width
of the building. 1t is Is feet deep
and contains 1882 seats which will
be occupied by the chairmen, officers
of the convention, members of the ma
tional committee and distinguished
guests.
The seats back of the chairmans tab
lie will be slightly elevated, directly
beneath the chairman's table is q
space for four noiseless telegraph in
struments and their operators by
which news Of the conventions pro-
ceedings will be flashed to the world.
On both sides and extending in a
half circle around the front Of the
platform are seats and tables for 400
newspaper men and correspondents
from all parts Of the country.
Directly in front Of these are the
seats for the 1913 delegates arranged
by states. This space will be en-
closed by railing and closely guard
ed by a large foce of sergeantsat+
arms. Back of this are the seats for
the 1918 alternates enclosed by a
railing On both sides and in the
rear OF the space occupied by the DEL
egates and alternates are $500 ele-
waited seats for visitors. At the north
end of the building special band
stand will be erected. In the balcony
which extends around the four walls
Of the building there will be 5000
seats for visitors.
To avoid confusion in seating the
crowd each entrance will be placard-
ed showing the sections for which it
will be used and each ticket will bear
the letter of the entrance for which
it is intended. By this plan dele
gates and visitors will enter the door
nearest the seats assigned them.
The platform, aisfes and all open
spaces will be covered with mating
to insure the maximum of quiet while
the convention Ia in session. Five
hundred public telephones and large
number Of telegraph instruments are
being installed in various parts Of
the building for the accommodation
of delegates and the public. Archi.
tect Arthur G. Brown has arranged
the seats from every section etaoin
the seats in such manner that the
chai,man's platform may be seen from
every section Of the large hall. Ser.
geant at Arms William F. Stone will
be assisted by force of 800 deputy
sergeants-atarms, door-keepers. ush.
ers and attendants. A special tele'
phone system is being installed which
win enable Sergeant at Arms Stone,
from his desk on the platform, i'm
metliately to communicate with his
assistants in any part of the hall.
In the two-story annex, adjoining
the main building on the south, are
the Offices of the Republican National
Committee. private rooms for the use
Of the chairman, secretaries and ser
geant at arms, quarters for the COM
mittees on permanent organization.
credentials and resolutions, and full
ly equipped postoffce.
In addition to this, there are rooms
for the press where scores Of private
telegraph wires will be installed. on
the second floor there will be fully
equipped emergency hospital in
charge Of a score Of physicians and
Red Cross nurses. There will be mum