New-York tribune., 1869-03-08
TIE INAUGURAL RECEPTION.
SCENES At THE BALL--A SERIES OF MISHAPS-
WASHlNGTOEIAN MIsMANAGEMENls.
trp,v ~ aCC,S ,SfpytI COEuyEpOSDENTI

SCENES At THE BALL-A SERIES OF NlSllAfo-
WASHINGTOEIAN msMANAGEMRN1s.
IFROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON, ID. c., March 5.-The brief de-
tails sent by telegraph about the Inauguration Bail we're
IN most cases dispatched before the entertainment was
fairly begun Crowds Of people IN gay attire were seen
docking into the Treasury Department building. and the
success Of tho ball was taken FOR granted.
AS means Of getting money It certainly wGs n sue
cess There IS 10 doubt that at least two thousand
tickets were sold dollars each There was no rent
to pay; the decorations trnug and inexpensive and
the chief items OF expense the supper and stationery
The supper u was said would cost $1,000 The arrange
mens were wTctciodly bad that would be impos'
sIbe TO imagine worse. Hungry and weary their souls
tainted within them" might have been said Of the unfor
tunate gtendantsof Ls unfortunate reception Of the
Israees OF old.
The part Of the Treasury Building was devoted to
the purposes Of the bail II included several large rooms
one really elegant apartment faced with varOuScolored
marbles ana known as the Marble Han, and variety
OF long, dusty corridors, about as cheer
ful as series Of vaulted tUmbs. Tho
lights IN the Marble Ha refused TO burn clearly, and
the apartment was therefore dim, gloomy and myster-
ous There seats at ALL and. rs the evening pro-
efcssed tho tired ladies sUbsdCd In ungncefu groups on
the noor About the corridor at the north entrance
there wore few benches but altogether they could not
accommodate more than 80 persons As thote was no
one large which could be deemed echtral point
le
seemed TO know what do or whore togo As 70 aanSns
10 was as great failure as the Barmecjos supper very
few attempted to dance. and the low unnyiiing apart
ments In which they ludulGed IN thell icebio tl
reaH forts seemed quite inadequate To the OCCASION
Gen. arrived al about 10 o'clock lie entered Dy
The north door nud passing through the lobby, disap
peared In the rst room at the right Here he received
him including fine usirous emil assadOr from Saratoga
Major Leland. a few moments were spent mere, anu
he received" the more miscellaneous public lie was
accompanied by Mrs. Grant Who wore Wlnte satln @
alrhyed I'm PLAIN evening dr. S. which, by the way, uocs
not become lin well as the characteristic mIIIAy
The s Of euosts at this inaugural reception was long
ana distinguished ono. Among The more PROMINENT may
Mrs. McCu0ch, ana Mrs Myra Clarke Gaines. inns
lady attracted much attention She wore q - nre,s OF
black barege trimmed with golden fringe, and interWo
ven with gold thread while her head sparked dis
play Of diamonds which had but one rival at ms eh
and that in the tiara OF another lady Of about Mrs
Gainess age Although there was great deal OF crowd
ing s,d 4gS and rbf from 6 5enn,s to the
end Of the entertainment there were no symptoms oI III
But there was ample cause for both The mismanage-
meut IN the matterO supper could be treated as joke
excepting perhaps by t0se who had without their
dinner relying on the chance of getting liberal supper
nj the ball-the with several EOrgeOusy dressed
ladies' But 1t was joke OU starting TO go home to
discover that IL was Impossible to procure hats coats
These articles the guests, on arriving, ad gwen INTO thc
charge OF an unseen individual ut hole In the door OF
room the fourth floor. receiving ny return a mum
bored check. 1t appears that tho clothes were thrown
any regard TO order sequence and tho result was that
at midnight, when about 1900 men were clalnoring
for their coats the attendant obliged to look through
pile Of over 1900 articles for each garment 10 would
often take Is 20 20 minutes TO find single article and
I'm The mean time line Of hundreds Of men were waiting
and grumbling Those who had ladies 70 escort nome
were In many instances unable to wait longer ana
started for their hotels, bareheaded ana oyercohess
A. n was "A bitter cold night rendered stu more un-
ncasant by chill March wind, this cxperonco was by
no means nm agreeable iae 10 tho Ball Ii was much
the same With the lady guests many OF whom were quito
unable 20 find their vrappngs. -, .,o,,
The Inauguration Ball took place on Ihursday nIgn, ,
On Friday morning, at 10 o'clock, the Treasury depart
ment was bescged by crowd OF angry men ~ very
shabby hats who unable TO get their garments the pre-
yous night had come for them now. They were tolu
that committee" would arrive soon 10 take inc mat
and ways they knew managed TO get TO the upper
story Here The scenes OF the previous night were re
neafed long line was formed, Mr. Greeley enjoyed
lie bliss of being one Of its ingredients and was late IN
tr,hutcd Not a few were lost altogether, aud many
trangers I'm recovering their property, were delayed m
too ae 10 take either the morning or noon Trains AO-
Setber the Inaugural Reception will bo remembered by
e narcipants moro for its annoy than for It's