The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-03-10
DECENTRALIZATION BALL.

WAsurNaroX, D. O., March 5, 1873.
Ever since | returned home this morn
in, in n halEfrozen condition, have been
eDdesvorlng to make up my mind as 10
wbe,her l should call the grand Inaugural
lion Ball, o! which so much was expected
.uccess, or not. The papers this
morning say 1t tOaS a success but candor
c,mpels me to say that l .doubtit it was
nav am almost sure it was not. hate
TO say it, but tits the fact the grand In
,,gura!ion Ball was no! u success, aud
could not possibly have been under the
circumstances.
Nov have told you the truth, and the
whole truth; perhaps your readers are
disappointed, after having read all about
the magnificent preparation that had
been made; but they arc no moro disap-
pointed than l was myself, and good
many others besides Inc.
The reason Is obvious; it was too cold.
Bills Of all kinds depend too much upon
the spirit dressing and "get up" OF the
ladies' Of the company TO be attractive, tol
even approach success when it becomes
necessary for the lair ones to promenade
IN their iurs and wraps, and for the gen
lemen to wear their hats and overcoats
In the lanCers, or amidst the may
whirls" OF the waltz And that was
precisely what was the matter last night.
4 coId-nay, icy-ball room, gaudily dec
GRATED though it may be, is among the
las. OF places 10 enjoy oneself in, in the
world. Fancy yourself trying to make
love with the teeth Chattering IN your
mouth with cold, and your lair partners
delicate frame shivering with IL chill.
Dd.dclight.t.ful.is,n'tt.ti it: No, thank
you; tho "Blue Danube" aud "Wine, wo-
man aud Song" lose their charms under
such circumstances (unless the former Is
hot and spiccd), and next to lecture on
comedy before An empty auditorium.
| know of no more cherries or comfort
less eight in the world than a hall'empty
ballroom, with the temperature some de-
grecs below zero.
ills, however, but just TO say, that for
this deplorable state OF affairs, no one was
To blame, except, perhaps the weather
bureau Itisrue that II the price Of
tickets had been less exorbitant than II
was, there might have been u better at
tendance, Notwithstanding the weather;
Tor tho splendid supper, and the opportu'
nity TO get close view Of the President
and his family, would have attracted
many who yesterday stayed away. But
few people can afford to pay twenty dol.
lars for Au evenings pleasure Of this
character; and 1t Is believed that II the
price oil admission had been only half Of
that, the attendance would have been al
most trebled, without detracting from the
exclusivencss o: the affair in any material
degree. Upon this point, only, the COM
mulcc made, perhaps, mistake-as no
one could possibly lOrOsec, or would have
made preparations for the intense cold on
tue DAY and evening Of March 4th,-one
oIthe coolest days and nights Of the en-
tire season II not the coolest.
Aai,wss, half the space allotted In the
immense building would have been fully
equal 10 accommodate the guests when
the ball was at It's height, with room
To spare. There was plenty Of space,
and the dancers and promenaders GER
Iaiuly had no room 10 complain In that
respect. Nor was there any cause ior
complaint Us far as the supper was con-
cerned-on the contrary, it was the most
Beautiful and best managed supper | re-
member ever to have seen on an occasion
VI such character. Champagne OF the
choicest brands, and claret punch, flowed
freely, and all the dcliCaCies in and out oil
season were provided in unlimited abund.
Snce, Yet, strange as 1t may appear, plain,
hot tea and coffee and chocolate, were
IN greater demand than the sparkling
c.,sHo! and tumblcrs OF punch it was the
iurrnal cold that intGrrered with every
thing,
The President arrived about hall past
eleven o'clock, accompanied by his family
and Cabinet After short stay in their
private rooms, they were escorted to the
platform erected AT one end OF tho hall;
by Governor Cooke and Mr. Alexander Il
SHEPPARD, OF the Committee, where d
lcvcc took place, quito number OF the
guests present paying their personal re-
spects 10 the President and sinking hands
with him. The foreign ministers were
represented in force; but few Of their ladies
were present, on account oil the cold and
tue delay 10 the receipt Of their invita-
lions
The Presidential party withdrew from
the platform, which, happening to be a
the north, or cold, end Of the hall, wa'
no. a plan particularly calculated to pr o.
mote comfort The ladies Of the dis
unguiShcd party nearly oil wore thei
crmiuc capes and wraps, and but littlr
could be seen OF the gorgeous dresses ant
the JcwclGd ornaments they were sup
posed 10 conceal. Happily, all the re.
firing rooms and the Presidents private
apartments were heated by steam coils
which Il was first proposed 10 extenC