Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-09-26
LIFE IN WASHINGTON.
Preparing for a Brilliant Social
SeasOn-The Charms OF the
Capital in Winter.

SeaSOn-Ine CnarmS Ol tuO
Capital in Winter.
A Washington correspondent writes:
II is very singular il before this some
one has not said that Washington and
Saratoga are much alike. Possibly 1t
has been said. 1t is certainly true. One
point of difference is that while Wash
ington is alive Saratoga is dead, and
while Saratoga is alive, Washington, II
not dead, is in deep lethargy. II youth
and wealth aud beauty only knew IT.,
there is the opportunity for as Pleasur-
able a vacation season here in winter as
in Saratoga in summer, Not but that
Washington is gay enough in its season
No one doubts that. Ii anything II Is
too gay. Receptions, sources, nlatlneeS,
levees and what not tumble alter each
other so fast--and all OF the "swellest.
kind-that it almost takes ones breath
away To think of il. The way TO pass
season i'm Washington society Is To dive
in and take the chances; 10 indulge
Yourself to-day regardless OF tomorrow
or next week, and 10 make the best OF
everything as it occurs. society ca
reer here means career OF IncesSant
excitement. Everything Is IN whlrl
from seasons beginning to It's end.
There are new faces at every turn, and
acquaintance are scarcely made before
they are broken. This is necessarily so.
People who come to Washington, like
showmen, are "here to-day aud to-mor-
row away" Permanent society Is an
impoSslbility when its members are
but transient visitors, nlne-tenthS oil
whom come for a single season only.
At Saratoga il is very different. The
same people 90 there for years together
and society Is as nicely defined as II
home. There they 20 fOc pleasure; here
they come for business. Beneath all
the gavetv and recSleSSnesS Of Washing
ton society can be detected the vein oil
stern business. Mr.. SO-and-SO's speech
i'm the House, cOnjectured about the de-
CiSiOn OF this or that committee or the
prospect of one scheme or another, are
talked Of over the wine and on the dane
inc floor rs though society was organic
ed for political aud legislative discussion.
So NAV be repeated that Washington
is admirably fitted for another class OF
society, from the kind that eulivens Sar-
atoga and Newport, and that there are
opportunities here to supplement an en-
ENJOYABLE summer season at either
Of those resorts by one equally enlOya-
BILE.
Just now the work of ireshening up
for 4 new season is being pushed rapid
IN toc0mpletiOn. Improvements are IN
progress at nearly all OF the hotels. At
Wizards two or three of the partitions
on the lower floor, fronting on PennSyl
vanil avenue, have been torn down,
and in few weeks there will be more
standing room in the corridors Tor the
nightly gatherings there OF statesmen
than before. The lower floor OF the
Riggs House has just been rescued from
the plumbers, carpenters and ireScocrS
who had IL all summer, and on II. street
the scailolding still stands over hole
I'm the ground, now about POO feet deep,
which will be- an arteSian well, unless
signs fail, before frost comes. The well
will supply the hotel hereafter according
ta the present plan. The lower floor
Of the Arlington was Uttered with plaS
trring and other rubbish until last week
and is not vet I'm shape 10 enable the
house 10 do driving business. The
Ebhitt House has also been in the reno
yaturs hands for two or three months.
At the COpitcl saws and hammers are
making continuous Clatter. Several
committee rooms have been changed 10
suit other purposes, and the House and
Senate chambers are bare OF furniture.
They are 20 be rcftted. FrescoerS are
also still nj work in the rOtunda. Before
Congress meets a novelty will be placed
i'm the west side Of the dome IN the
shane of an electric light, with an illu-
minatiny power of $4,000 candles, and
i'm the halls and chambers will be placed
two smaller lights designed 10 illuminate
with a power of $1,000 candles each.
The cost OF the machine To supply all
three is estimated ut about ), 400, which
WIS the amount appropriated by Con-
rrrSS for the purpose. With the all OF
n reflector il is expected that Ptnnsyl-
wanna avenue may be lighted 10y the
large lamp, from the Capitol to the
White House, q distance OF mile. The
Capitol will bee provided soon with ny
dr0pucumatic fire eXtlngulsherS. IN
order was issued Tor six OF them the 9TH
or dav after a fire in the storeroom, IN
which several bags of waste paper were
burned without any ones knowledge.
Ititwould not be reflection upon the
vigilance Of the watchmen, it might be
suggested that an automatic eXtinguiSh-
or that would 20 of at the first
smell Of smoke would suit the purpose
better.
II is hardly time to chronicle society
movements, although there are indIca'
tons even so early as this OF 4 brilliant
season.