Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-06-10
BUSY PREPARING
CONVENTION HALL
Democratic National Gathering
Will Be Held in Balti-
more Armory.

cratic candidate for President OF tie
United States will be nominated in a
huge National Guard armory situated in
the residence portion of Baltimore.
When this city sent its representatives
before the Democratic National Com
nittee to bring tbe national convention
here the possession of an ideal eonyen-
tion hall was one of the strongest adj
vantages Baltimore had TO offer. Since
that time. Mt the expense of many thou
sand dollars, the hall has been mace to
answer every requirement of the dele
gates who assemble here on June rs ami
the throngs that gather to watch their
deliberations.
Tho Democratic national convention
will meet in the Fifth Regiment Armory,
which occupies nearly a whole city
square In tho Mt. Royal district, front
ing on Hoffman street, anu founded by
Preston street in the rear. At the W.
ends of the block are Park and Linoeb
avenues, both OF which carry trones
lines connecting with the business cen
tire. Two squares distant is the main
station Of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road and only "a little further, barely
five minutes walk, is the Union Station,
where passengers arrive on the other
railroads entering the city. Close at
hand, within easy walking distance, is
the city's largest hotel.
To adapt this building further to COLI
~ventlon purposes the State appropriated
$35, coo. The greater part of this sum
has been spent 10 increase the seating
capacity by putting in temporary bal
comics at the two ends OF the drill ball.
Decorations which include the construc-
lion of a false ceiling to improve the
acoustic properties, cost $1,000. Several
thousand dollars has been spent in the
construction of the speakers platform,
on seats aud on remodeling the military
company quarters ut 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 eye first
is impressed by the magnificent distances
and the seemingly endless yistas of seats.
Under the hands of the decorators the
place has lost it's military, unitarian
look, transformed by the more than
10000 yards of bunting that hides the
roof beams, Grapes the walls and covers
practically every foot of the interior ex-
cept the windows and floor spaces. The
background Is n soft effect of cream, gold
and white. which makes an effective set
ting for the national colors displayed in
countless arrangements. and the insignia
and colors of the various States.
The seating arrangements here are the
result of long study on the architects
part, aided by the practical experience
of men versed In the practical problems
of great conventions. This hall will seat
comfortably more than 5000 persons.
and those in charge of its preparation
believe they hay worked out their prob
lem so that every member of this great
audience can command a view of the
speakers stand and understand what is
being said. To bring this about the loca-
ton of the speakers platform was the
matter Of first Importance.
In the Baltimore hall the speakers will
stand we'll out TOWARD the middle of the
auditorium, directly opposite the main
central entrance. midway between the
ends of the hail and about sixty feet,
or more than one-third the distance, from
the rear wall of the interior. This ros-
trum, the heart OF the convention hall,
IS not large enough TO permit much
pacing about on the orators part. 1t
measures about fifteen feet long by ten
feet deep. IT is elevated six feet above
the main floor.
For convenience in handling the
crowds the convention hall seats have
been divided into 10 sections, of which
40 are on the floor and the rest In the
/ -ILx.sA MI. s4.A, ..s1I .nnt m tI nt,f
the balconies 4,40S. Deducting the seats
on the floor reserved for officials, dele
gates and alternates and the press
leaves 1920 for the public. These. with
the balconies, make room for 11.G2S seats
for the accommodation of Baltimoreans
and visitors who are expected by the
ten thousands from all parts of the
country.
The public seats on the main floor oc-
cupy the two ends of the hall and run
at right angles to the delegates seats,
SO that when a speaker on the rostrum
is facing the delegates the greater part
of the audience will get side views OF
him. The great balconies that have
been added temporarily to the armory
project from the ends and overhang
nearly half these end seats on the floor
These two balconies are 200 feet long
by 80 feet deep. At the front aud bach
of the hall the narrow permanent bal
comics have been equipped with three
rows of seats that will accommodate
between 400 aud 500. The balconies are
II feet above the ground floor in from
and securely supported by beams Of
wood and steel. The two at the ends OF
the hall are banke so that the view
from the rear seats will be unobstructed
To facilitate quick empt wing of tn,
building thirteen new doors have beer
cut in the granite walls, making a tota
OF eighteen. Twelve of these are FOR th'
use of those who hold tickets to the bal
comics, and enable the balconies TO con
meet directly with the street. The extr;
doors on the ground floor are for us
mainly as exits, since no difficulty is an
ticipated in handling all who ente
through the wide entrance in the iron
and centre of the building.
Seats for the public are reserved onl,
by sections. which are designated b,
numbers and letters. Tn larger block
\ of seats are numbered and each num
bered block is divided into three sub-sec
1 lions. lettered. respectively. IA" "B
I and &c" A ticketholder who finds hi
piece of pasteboard stamped. for instance
A Ssh will ind his seat among the 10
\ chairs grouped under that subdivision
4 These subdivisions include from ~ TO 2t
.anto ZACH and tho most desirable chair