Omaha daily bee., 1916-06-04
.REAT COLISEUM is
READY FOR DEMOS
bats Arranged For Ten Thousand
Persons in Big octagonal Build
ing at st, Louis,

AAb ~ ~
Isl Louis, Mo. June 3 The demo-
attic national convention which as
mbles here on juno IA, will be the
rst political convention TO be held
the ST. Louis Coliseum. The tirst
iblic meeting in this building was N
e presidential campaign OF l9O6,
hen William III Taft, republican
ominee, spoke there At that time
c Coliseum was not completed. mi
ten thousand persons crowded into
be structure for this opening
The Coliseum was Duilt in l907-l908
a cost Of $4,000. As arranged for
Y democratic national convention It
III seat approximately 10000 per
bns. This seating capacity IS obtain
as follows.
"A On the platform arc 5l2 seats. In
" ie section for daily newspaper cor
spondents and press associations
& c Az seats.
Sections set apart for the editors
democratic weekly papers in Mis-
&buri and Illinois will accommodate
NE more persons.
Seats viii be provided for 1913 del
&gates and the same number Of alter
hates, though there may be some
4 ight change IN these figures IN case
Some states send extra delegates with
N fractional vote.
n In the boxes are seating accom-
<iodations for $40, in the arena bal
<ony 2,494 and in the balcony 3,400,
\ This makes a totaf Of 9,8l8. Extra
Meats placed wherever possible
throughout the building bring the
$otal seating capacity 10 about 10000.
4 The building IS so designed that
here is room on the arena floor only
Sor the delegates, a1tcrnates and the
$sily and weekly newspaper men.
Building is an octagon.
4 The Coliseum is an octagon. con
& iderably narrowed at one end by a
n diagonal side wall. The greatest
cngth Of the building is from north
10 south, and its narrowest dimension
( rom east 10 west has been rallied off
Z or the platform and press sections.
he platform is forty feet wide, and
Immediately back Of the speakers
Hand and the tables for tellers and
Slerks, platform extension rises to
\ he rear OF the upper balcony. This
Extension contains seats for Sl2 per
ions. These seats were distributed
By the national committee, and the
members OF the committee and their
Immediate parties are 10 occupy most
hi them.
Around the arena floor on three
sides are the boxes, which are re-
kerved for specially invited guests
Bbarty leaders Of prominence, diplo.
mats, etc.
That part Of the public which is
bot fortunate enough TO have plat
form box seats is to be accommodated
n the arena balcony, which rises inn
|ncdiately from the boxes, and in the
balcony. which corresponds 10 the
second gallery in most public halls.
The total number OF seats available
\ or the public therefore is 1894, and
|he distribution OF part OF these is
allotted to the ST Louis committee
which raised the 100000 convention
Eund.
On the west side OF the Coliseum
back OF the speakers platform, are the
work rooms for the press associations
hnd the telegraph companies. As this
|space. as originally planned, proved
hoo narrow TO accommodate the press
associations, an eight foot passage
|way through this section was aban.
|doned. and by order Of the mayor ar
ALLEY in the rear Of the Coliseum was
and covered with and awning
This serves as a passageway. A pas.
|sageway under the platform lead,
from the press sections on the arena
floor to the work and telegraph
|fooms in the rear.
On the north side Of the building
the Washington avenue side-is 4
large emergency hospital; on the
south side are the rooms OF the dem
acratic national committee, and OF
the castor Jefferson avenue sidt
Is the room of the ergeant-at-arms
and the convention postoffice,
Walls Painted White.
The decorations OF the Coliseum
were designed by Edward G. Dillmat
OF ST. Louis. In order to obtain a,
much daylight as possible, the wall
OF the Coliseum have been nainte,
white. To get the full benefit OF Thu
reflection II was necessary TO eN
clude decorations from the walls nh,
decorations, accordingly. have beer
placed around the front Of the bal
cony and boxes and on the support
ing columns that run around thu
building.
Plaster relief medallions Of Wash
ington. Jefferson, Jackson, Clevelau,
and Wilson, each 4 by ; feet, are plac
cd on the supporting columns cIea
around the building, and each medal
lion Is surrounded BY American flags
The columns are covered with hunt
Ing. ard the boxes are hung with th
national colors To improve the ligh
reflection. 1000 yards oi white muslu
cover the ceiling except Tor a stril
down the center which IS hung IL th
national cQlofs Altogether 1000
yards u bunting used II the derora
ton AZ the convention hall and 6t
10 700 American flags The platform
81 course, Is draped with bunting am
flags
The Western finlon Teieprapl