Year: 1876

FRENZY OF THE REPoRrERs-THE DECORATIONS


VETERAN POLITICIANS FROM NORTH AND


SOUTH.


Hltf IBr rELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.l


ST. LOUIS, June 27.-The arrangements Tor the
distribution OF tickets to the representatives Oh the
press were very imperfect The seats and tables
provided for reporters were not completed ana num-
bered until late last night assignments could
be made until this morning. At nine o'clock the
Secretary's Office was opened. Long before that
hour however q mob consisting of thousands Of
newspaper men and those who pretended to be were
gathered about the door in the narrow passage on
the second floor of the exchange jostlng and crowds
ing each other reeking with peTspration aud almost
fighting their way TO the door where the tickets
were given cut. Out of this struggling mass line
was finally formed like that which besieges
the box office of theater on the night
when popular attraction appears, only much
longer. Even after this the distribution OF the
tickets went forward very slowly. Hundreds OF
those in line were country editors who had made no
application for tickets in advance and reaching
the window and giving their names and those OF
their papers they found that provision had been
made for them. Such people not to be pat OFF
easily They argued and threatened and blocked up
the way preventing correspondents TO whom places
had been assigned from getting them. This con-
tinued up to within half hour Of the time Tor the
Convention TO be called to order. 1t was III marked
contrast to the perfect arrangements at Cincinnati
There the assignments were all made two days be-
fore the Convention the tickets ready for de-
livery the evening before and they were distributed
without confusion or disorder. The arrangements
for the press inside of the ball were excellent but
many of those entitled to places lost all patience be-
fore they received them.


DESCRIPTION OF THE HALL


NJ, ic focot tbar0 0f N
hall Of the Board of Trade Delegates and visitors,
correspondents and ladies flowed in by three broad
doors opening into the hail opposite TO the stage,
which is itself the aide next to the street The
Convention itself occupied great seInicircle that
swept fully around the hail. its circumference near
ing the door of entrance the side opposite TO the
stage, but leaving large irregular segment IN the
ends of the hall and in the corners for the aeconmo
datIon of spectators ard alternates. These were
seated in graduated amphitheater which rose up
both on the right and left Of the Convention and
filed the hall to its brim. More than half way up
to the lofty ceiling ran gallery all around
the hail. just wide enough for one row of seats, and
behind them for another row of people standing
This was crowded all day with an eager iine OF
humanity In front Of the platform ran four long
rows of seats for correspondents, of whom there
were nearly 200 busily plying their pencils
Out from the platform ran nine aisles, radiatlng
through the scm-circular body OF the Convention
The decorations of the ball were simple and in I'D
mirable taste The glaring light Of the double series
OF high windows was s0ftened by deep red curtains
gracefully draped. Along the narrow gallery were
bnne the escutcheons of all the States alternated
with sheaves of wheat, and surmounted by golden
stars and linked together by festoons OF evergreen
The stage, the readng-desk, and the ornamental
gallery back of il were all of handsome black wal
mt The desk was adorned with flowers, and from
the stage back of it creeping vines and spreading
plants rose nearly the hight of the gallery. On this
little gallery the band was huddled together. Some
of the musicians in easy disregard of the archItec
tural and social proprieties hung their arms or legs
over the sldes On both sides of the platform and
at greater hight than the stage itself is PLATFORM
constructed for the OCCASION which stretches along
the whole length of the hail. On this were the
corps of distinguished guests set off by thicket OF
plants aud of flowers.


ARRANGEMENT OF THE STATES.


The places of the States we're indicated by hand
some blue silk banners hanging gded spears
each bearing the name of the State, with national
eagle and fringed and tasseed with bullion. The
States seemed to have been distributed without
reference TO plan. The courtesy that Cincinnati
gave-each State with candidate having place in
the front rank-was lacking here. New-York, with
the most prominent candidate of all, was stationed
behind Maine with candidate al all, on the rgnt
hand side Of the main aisle dividing the hail. On
the other side of this aisle Kansas placed being
in 'front.' Behind Kansas was Missouri, and Illinois
in the next aisle to the left. Massachusetts was in
front and Pennsylvania, with the possible Unknown,
in the very rear In the next aisle Joel Parkers
Is delegates were at the 'front.' and commanded Ten
nessee. Wisconsin, and Iowa. Oregon was rewarded
for its recent triumphs with first place in the next
aisle, with Vermont, South Carolina, Connecticut
and North Carolina jumbled together behind. To
the right Of the main aisle Arkansas headed col
umn, with Indiana in behind and Illinois behind her
In the next aisle Kentucky, Louisiana, and Miehi-
gan formed line with the mother of Presidents at
the end. Little Nebraska commanded the next
aisle. Behind her was Delaware and Maryland,
Maine and Mississippi. Then the two extremes of
the Union were joined In New Hampshire and Texas


PROMINENT MEN PRESENT.


When the great crowd had ceased to straggle in
the whole floor was covered with compact mass
Every delegation was full, every seat occupied
The seats at the side rose without break in the
of faces. 1t was less impressive gathering than
that at Cincinnati by reason Of it's arrangement and
surroundings. There were no such distances as in
the huge Exposition building no such perspective.
You looked across the hall aud not down its length.
and the body seemed correspondiDgy near and
familiar. The Convention met in the heat OF the
day, though all days and all hours seem equally hot
here and there was prodgous rustling of fans and
universal willing Of linen The gathering was mas
ouline there was scascely bakers dozen of ladies