The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-05
THE CAPITALS GALA DAY.
Scenes, Incidents, DECORATORS and n Gen
eraI Ola POdrida of the Day
In the City.

WASHINGTON, March 4.-WashiDgton en-
tertsins today 100000 strangers. They be-
gan to come before the dedication of the
monument and they have been coming all
day and night ever since. They have come
in family parties, in clubs, companies and
regiments. The hotels we're filed a week
ago, and private boarding houses and dwell.
ings have since done what they could do to
lodge the shelteIless aud feed the hungry.
Nevertheless not few OF the later corners.
who had brought little besides their patriotic
memories and exultant hopes, tramped the
avenue last night from necessity and break
tasted this morning with coffee and sand
witches. The morning opened hazily, bat
with excellent promise of fair weather,
which was fulfilled before 9 o'clock. The
throngs were abroad early, walking and
riding from point to point, to see what
they could of the public buildings, parks,
statues and monument befors the great
event of the day began. The fling and
drumming and marching OF clubs and
troops were the enliveniDg elements OF the
early forenoon, while the morning serenades
rendered to popular and political favOrites
served to amuse and interest the partici-
pants and the crowds. Whatever il is DOS
sible TO Go with scantling and boards and
bunting and gilt 10 bedeck town for az &C.
cssiOD, Washington has undertaken and
performed. The harvest of decorators and
carpenters began ten days ago The noise of
their saving and pounding and the click OF
their hammers has been heard day and
night ever since down to the moment OF the
starting of The procession.
at first ugly erections of rough timber
broke out along the proposed line of march
from the White House to the Capitol, COW
ering the doors ard windows of the stores
and dwellings and filing up the little parks
and openings, and upon these were tackled
advertisements Of seats 10 rent. Later ban
I ers, stIeameIs and tasteful devices in snowy
colOrs concealed the rough work aud then
building fronts began to blossom out. The
completed work is very beautiful and the
statliest OF American avenues has been trans
formed into moving maze OF gay colors,
which fttingly typihes the heartiness OF this
city's welcome to the new administration.
The building at the corner of Twelfth and
Pennsylvania avenue, occupied by the
Pension Bureau. was the most eIab0r-
ateiy decorated building in the city and
the decorations were at once pleasing and
unique. Long lines OF stresmers were sus-
peI ded between the flag stats on the root.
just below, on eithersl side OF the building, an
immense golden eagle clutched long lines OF
red, white and blue bunting, which were
artistically woven into q vast network
covering the entire building. at the inter
section of the lines Of bunting shone stars of
gold, and forming the hole design we're
shields bearing the names Of the S ates of
The Onion all ligked together with gilt
chains. At the second story slender stats
bore graceful tri colOred Standards, with the
names OF the various Presidents OF the
United States. The west fcrnt of the build
ing represented the legislative branch of the
Government A mammoth picture of the
Capitol was hanked by q great ''remas
fasees" and above all colossal
heTslds sounded patents. At the
corner OF the building the Goddess of
| Liberty, armed with sword and shield, rep
resented the executive branch OF the Gov
eminent. An eagle bearing q national
shield suImounted the figure and an excel
| lent oil poI trait of the Presidentelect was
| SUSPENDED above a shield bearing the name
| of New York State. On the south face OF
| the building Justice blindfolded. with
sword and scales, represented the Judiciary.
| Altogether the effect was very pleasing.
The hotels we're tAstef1llv decorated. Will
| lard's was profusely drsped in graceful fes-
| toors of gaily colored fabrics. and words OF
| welcome, wrought in tinsel shOne above an
| immense blazing star at the door way, and
q great arch of gas Jets sDanned circle in
closing the symbolic FOWL head" of the
American Club of Philadelphia. Elegant
designs transformed the marble facade of the
| Metropolitan into a thing of beauty. The
Ebbitt was fairly covered with flags and pic
! lures.
great floral ladder reaching to the roo
OF q business house on Pennsylvania avenue
bore upon its rungs the words Sheriff,
Mayor" Governor" President" thu
graphically symbolizing the life work OF tn,
President-elect. Ali the Government build
ings in the line OF march were gay witt