The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-09
GRAND BALL AND BANQUET.
Bewildering Scenes in the Four
teenth Street Wigwam.
SACHEMS IN ALL THEIR GLORY.
Patriotic Toasts and Distinguished
Speakers.

than realized last evening from every point of view
social. aesthetic, personal and pecuniary. Mindful
of the recorded memories of celebrations in the
patriotic past, when Presidents degned to tread
measure the floor. when Governors escorted Sem
aors' wives and chief magistrates smiled approval
from the platform the dgnitaries Of Tammany Society
omitted effort. spared expense. but enlisted
pers to prepare for the occasion all that taste could
suggest or money procure.
FESTIVE SCENE.
In the upper story OF the present Wigwam.
Fourteenth street. next door to the Academy Of
Music is the finest permanent ballroom in the city
Its dimensions 125 feet by 100 feet Its ceiling is
lofty, it's galleries ample. its retiring rooms
spacious. 1t will be remembered by thousands
the hall in which the famous Democratic Convention
met 1868 and forced upon the protesting Seymour
nomination he would fain decline. Yesterday
morning it was but the hall; last night
it had been transformed into fairy scene
Under the competent guidance of Theodore
Gunsel the Tammany braves had completely dis
guised their favorite haunt. 1t absolutely I'M
recognizable. At the outer entrance. where two
stalwart Columbians demanded ticket-tributs
great, vigorous palms and gorgeous camcllis. from
which long long series of steps led to the entrance
of the hall itself. There. guarding the door, it
WERE were vast filled with exotics and
iuisite plants, beautifully arranged. The fifteen
garlanded in smlax and evergreen. At the side
centre of the hail. where Seymour spoke in 1868,
where the 'Iong talks" made by statesmen
each succeeding glorious Fourth" stands plat
form the edge of which fringed with magnif.
cent specimens of floral possibilities, great pots Of
costly growths, the triumphs of the tropics and the
best Of the greenhouse. Back of this and
stretching far up on the stately WALL was field of
maroon. beautifully bordered by leaves of gold
which, in small bay gallery. stood on its marble
pedestal, bust of Washington, while either end
blazcd out, in flames OF burning gas, the figures
i7s9-1s79. In front of the platform q metal
fountain of cologne, filed and spouting forth most
fragrant perfume, at once pleasant and hesthful
sight
The walls of the hall are always decorated with
medallion shields, which the coats OF of
The several States. These were ornamented for the
occasion, and the windows draped lace
tains of finest texture from which the eye led to
look at gorgeous female figures floating in mid
air. supposed to be angels guarding the society and
protecting all from i'll. Hanging from the front of
the gallery the battle ags Of the Tammany regi
ment, borne In other days on fields Of blood and
strife, housed on this occasion in conspicuous honor
M mementoes of the dead and of the past.
THE PRIVATE BOXES.
On either side of the hall portions Of the gallery
set aside for reserved seats, private boxes
called, although they neither private boxes
They were neatly ornamented with smlax and ever
green and Melted to the Tammany Treasury the sat
isfactory sum Of $40 each from Messrs. John Kelly
Augustus Scholl. Henry l.. Clinton. w. j. Croft,
j. ID. Townsend, J. F. Wenman, Samuel Con
mover. Richard Croker J. 7. Cunning. James Kelley
G. F. tautz. Bernard Reilly Edward Kesrney. Edward
Gale. II. A. Gumbeton and s. p. Nichols 1t at
first thought better to have reservations. but
finally this arrangement made. and before the
morning hour. at which the final note was beaten
the drum, it that these places served as
gathering points and centres of attraction for others
than those who paid for the privilege.
THE RAIL-.
The early threatening of rain neccssitaed the
ton of pavilion the outer door, where two well
bred policemen opened tine carriage doors and grace
fully bowed the danes and darnse,s in The frs.
rival was Colonel Thomas Dunlap. who constituted
decided chaos. In the hat room there soon regnel
great disorder Everybodys boots needed blacking
and polishing and as there were but two chairs and
two poiishers the delay may be imagined In all the
retiring ladies waiting for their lords
ciscly the grand entry was made At that hour the
boxes filed the great gallery held all that could
be put in it and the floor OF the hall was frnged with
spectators
THE PROCESSION.
AS the band struck up the grand march the centre
doors aune open. and in all their native dignity
the sachems and their guests were revealed to the
Ss eye sbs 81 a. nj, snsh the Trama
served man, with gold bowed glasses. an enormous
white crayat and garments of irreproschabe cut on
his arm leaned Senator Doolittie. of Wisconsin, a
large, fine, portly man. with a firm jaw and iron
gray whiskers Following them was the Father of
the Council. Henry l.. Clinton, medium height 1orid
complexion and smiling visage. Mr.. Clinton
escorted guest as did the other sachems who fol-
attracted and meritcd che greatest attention.
and whose appearance elected great APP
RsaSy. wss ' ises formed f nhs Grants r1'
and bearing Of Perfect equipoise. His companion
an election amy Ss Empire 1 Club %ss se. on
the pride and tie terror of the organization whose
work 1t performed This man IS Captain Isaiah Ryn-
ders. who though old man, bears himself with the
port and air Of OF forty. and feels young
he did ifty years ago.
When the Grand Sachem and the rest had taken
their seats on the platform the band struck mp tho
sergeant-at-arms "snce the year one. undertook TO
form the SETS At the head of the ROOM under the
immediate eye OF the Grand Sachen himself. was
placed the opening set consisting OF Mrs. Martin
IL. Brown aud Richard NJ Morrison. Mrs. II.
MIR. Malone. Mrs. Richard Alliger and T. J. Burke.
Other sets were soon formed, and at the word OF
Colonel Tom Dunlap the merry round began. IL
was particularly pleasant to see Conmissioner
Samuel conovcr. iiawiey Clapp. ex.speaker Hitch
man and clerk Twoncy trip the festive foot
in harmony. This and other suggestive group
oo sn siGny Nichols Senator "fs ces s
Coroner Croker and Counsellor Townsend looked
we'll together. and when Counsellor Trnphagcn
whrlcd beauty 10y in the dizzy waltz the shade Of
James T. Brady. his old friend aud partner. was
called and regretted. In the seat where the old
War Horse, Elijah +. Purdy. grim and scowl-
ing used to be-not in this hall. how
evcr-sat the bland and social Schoil.
The calm and cautious Kelly occupied the place that
tradition gives TO Tweci; the vigorous Dunlap. in
every day attire hurried here and there in other
day the tall and graceful Prince Hal did; the cle-
giant Jarvis replaces the blum and straight out Bus
teed. and Tim" Campbell has quite supplanted the
memory of Clancy. long since dead and gone
Nearly all the guests indulged in the dance and
the floor, Mt haf-past eleven was thronged by many
couples. 10 whom hard times did not seem familiar
There we're twenty-five dances In all. but the round
dances appeared to he in greatest favor While the floor
managers found but little difficulty In providing for
All the square dancers. II was almost impossible nj
times for the walters to ''lct themselves out with
perfect safety. The popularity OF the ball was Its
political complexion, for although Ismmany HAIL
without whose celebration the anniversary of the
battle OF New Orleans would have passed entirely un
noticed, by the flags the City Hall, was cS
ccednly liberal In her Invitations, almost every man