The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1912-06-10
fBy Associaled pressl

| lHlleu states VIII DE nominated IN
a huge National Guard Armory situ-
atcd in the residence portion OF Bal
! timeore. When this city sent It's rep
! rescntatives before the democratic
national committee TO bring the ma
| tlonal convention here the posses
sion OF an ideal convention hall was
| one OF the strongest advantages
Baltimore had to offer. Since that
time, al the expense Of many thous-
and dollars the hall has been made
TO answer every requirement of the
delegates who assemble here on
June - and the throngs that gather
to watch their deliberations.
I he democratic national conyen-
ton viii meet in the Fifth Regiment
Armory. which occupies nearly a
whole city square in the Mount
Roya district, fronting on Hoffman
street, and bounded by Preston
street in the rear. Al the two ends
OF the block are Park and Lincoln
avenues both OF which carry troll
ley lines connecting with the busi-
ness center. Two squares distant IS
the main station of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad and only lttle
further, barely five minutes walk, is
the Union station. where passengers
arrive Oh the other railroads enter
img the city. Close al hand, within
easy walking distance, is the city's
largest hotel
When the state spent si500o0 for
this drill hall to house Baltimore's
0lmous regiment, the Dandy Fifth. q"
big conventions were in mind and
the building was situated and des-
lSnatcd with reference to affording
such Accommodations. Exterior en-
bellisbment was a a secondary con
slderauon Tho Fifth Regiment
Armory is surrounded bY massive
walls Of grey granite, two stories
high, from which rise twelve steel
trusscs that carry the arched roof
to height Of S5 feet It is lighted
by windows in the side walls and
by a Gky-light that runs the whole
length of the apex OF the roof
From the outside the appearance Of
tho structure is not particularly inn
prcssiye, probably because the prin-
cipal dimensions are lateral and too
extensive for the eye to appreciate
unless the heholder could look down
on the building from an elevation. Tho
armory extends 36i feet in width
on Hoffman and Preston streets and
is 2S4 feet deep. The great drill
hall inside. where the convention
will assemble is 300N20O feet.
To adapt this lbuuumg further to
convention purposes the state appro-
priatcd So, co. The greater part Of
this sum has been spent to increase
the seating capacity by putting in
temporary balconies at the two ends
OF the drill hail Decorations. which
include the construction of a false
ceiling to improve the acoustic prop
critics, cost $1,000. Several thous-
and dollars has been spent in the
construction OF the speakers plat
form on seats, and on remodelmg
the military company quarters at
the sides and ends of the building
for use as committee rooms
AS one enters the hall through
the main gateway on Hoffman
street the ele first is impressed by
the magnificent distances and the
seemingly endless yistas Of seats
Under the hands Of the decorators
the place has lost its military, utili-.
tartan look. transformed by the more
than 10000 yards OF bunting that
hides the roof beams, drapes the
walls and covers practically every
foot e.. the interior except the
windows and floor spaces The
background is soft effect of
cream, gold and white which makes
ii cHecCYe setting for the national
colors displayed in countless arrange
ments and the insignia and co,ors
OF the various states
The seating arrangements here
are the result of long study on the
rChitects part aided by the prac-
tical experience OF men versed IN
the practical problems oil great con
ventiOns This hall will seat com
f0rt2py more than 5000 persons.
and those in char-e Of its prepara-
tion believe they have worked out
their s,rQblem 80 that every mem
bel OF this great audience can com
mand a view of the speakers stand
and understand what is being said.
To bring this about the location of
the speakers platform was the mat
ter OF first Importance.
In the Baltimore hall the speakers
viii stand well out toward the mid
die Of the auditorium, directly OPP
posito the main central entrance,
midway between the ends Of thT
han and about so feet, or more than
one-third the distance, from the rear
wall of the interior. This rostrum,
the heart OF the convention hall is 1
not large enough to permit much
pacing about on the orators part |
Il measures about II feet Tong by I
ten feet deep. It is elevated six f.
feet a,}oye the main floor.
BACK OF the rostrum, two feet .
above it and communicating by (
steps. is another platform OF the /
same size Tor the use of the sccrc- (
taries of the convention. Back OF /
this are 500 seats. banked at the T
rear to a height OF l4 feet, which ,
are reserved for the officers Of the I
national organization Grouped .
about the speakers platform. at both \
sides and in front, are 80 seaE tor .
he press. These communicate .
.hrotfxh .passageways under the /
oanked-up seats behind with the l
rooms outside the drni I
lall which have been fitted up tor /
he use Of the newspapers and press I
tssociations and telegraph and teie-
t,..,... ,,,r,nonins From these Off