The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-06-01
FIVE CONVENTIONS
IN CHICAGO COLISEUM
Mammouth Building, Costing Nearly a
Million, Has History Rich in
Political interest.

he NHiCdSO AOllSeulu, WHer6 lU6
Republican National Convention Of
1920 will be he'd, beginning June 8,
has history rich in political interest.
Five national political conventions
have been held within its walls, rec
ord unsurpassed by any building in the
United States.
Every four years since 1904 the Re
publican party has met in the Coliseum
to nominate its candidates for presi-
dent and vice president, and in 1912
the Progressive party also met there
to nominate Colonel Theodore Roose-
welt for president
The Coliseum was completed in 1900
It was designed as a model convention
hall and erected on the site of the old
Libby War Prison Museum, at Wa
bash Avenue and Fifteenth street less
than mile from the hotel and retail
shopping district.
The castellated walls Of the old war
prison were used for the Wabash
Avenue side Of the structure. 1t was
Ibuilt Of sone, brick, steel and glass
and is 403 feet long, 10 feet wide 1t
cost nearly $1000,O00 1t has a wide
balcony extending around three of the
walls, and this has been amplified for
this years convention by the addition
of second balcony on the north side.
As result The seating capacity,
l13,1S7, is the greatest in the buildings
history Only 12.400 were seated at
the 1916 convention
TIL main floor of the Coliseum will
seat 9,40O delegates, alternates, press
representatives and spectators. There
viii be 100 doorkeepers. 200 ushers and
1000 sergeants alarms. All the nsh-
4ers and doorkeepers will be overseas
soldiers. sailors and marines, working
4 with military discipline under the di-
lrection of former army officers. BY
4 this System the national committee
hopes 10 avert the over-crowding of
/ four years ago when hundreds of per
sons stormed the doors, forced their
way past the unframed doorkeepers
Iand preempted seats for which they
held mo tickets
I The speakers platform at the south
4 end OF the building will provide seats
for the officers of the convention and
members Of the Republican National
/ Committee. Behind this is a raised
platform with 1000 seats for the use of
presidential candidates and other dis
ltinguished guests. On either side of
the speakers Platform, extending
across the building is a press section
conta ming SIS seats for working
newspaper men.
Facing the speaker are the seats for
the 9Si delegates and an equal NUM-
Der Of alternates. This section is en-
closed by a heavy rail 10 hold back
the crowds of freuZied spectators who
frequently, during moments of intense
enthusiasm. attempt to storm the
speakers stand The rest of the main
floor and all the balconies will be Civ
on over to visitors.
Tickets for spectators have been di-
vided among The national committee.
linen from each state, in proportion to
THE state representation in the conven-
tion. with the exception OF block OF
about $500 seats, which go 20 the Chi
cago Convention committee, which
financed the convent on arrangements
With lcsa than 10000 visitors seats
Ito be Il stributed, the committeeman
had received more than $4,000 requests
4 for tickets weeks in. advance of the
sconyontion
The Chicago Convention committee,
sof which Fred W. Upham republican
national treasurer is chairman, rails
ed $4,000 to bring the convention to
IChicago. The high cost Of everything
has hit the convention Music, which
cost $500 for the entire convention in
1916, costs $1,000 a day for band of
so pieces thin year Other expenses
are IN proportion.
The Republican National Committee
moved its executive offices to the Col
liseum several weeks in advance OF
the convention. Adjoining the main
buildinu is an annex connected with
the Coliseum proper by several broad
iarches and entrances. Here are locat-
ed The executive and administrative OF
fees o temporary hospital in charge
of 100 Chicago physicians, and, in the
basement, a telegraph and telephone
room where scores Of special wires
have been installed for the use of the
news gathering associations and news
papers which viii cover the convention
The annex also boasts branch post
office to facilitate speedy collection
and distribution of mail to the colNen'
ltion officials, and numerous committee
rooms for the National committee and
various committees of the convention
In the decoration Of the convention
hell the managers have abided by the
long established custom of relying ex
clusively on profuse display of the
American flag Four years ago this
custom was departed from in the use
OF gold and white bunting, but the
cost was found excessive this year
c. X. Hall, superintendent of the Coli
scum who is in charge of the decora
lions, has used hundreds of big and