Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-03-12
THE INAUGURAL BALL.

The President and Guests in the GorgeousIy
Decorated Pension Building.
INAUGURATION BALL Room, WASHINGTON,
March 5-By the time the doors of the new
pension building were thrown open, the wide
asphaltum streets for squares around pre-
sented an animated scene. Carriages rushed
in every direction to the entrances. Upon
entering the building dazzling sight pre-
sented itself, while throughout the immense
ball room the strains of the world re-
nowned marine band, under the leadership Of
Prof Sousa, caught the ear and added great
ly to the enchantment of the scene Once
inside the building all was whirl of excite
ment and gaiety. The appearance of the ball
room battles description, it is so i'm
mense, being 116 wide by 216 feet long, and
lighted by a hundred colossal Simen's gas
burners with trailing streamers of national
colors sweeping from nave to nave; with pill
lars, and posts and balconies covered with
bunting; with entrances of scores of rooms
on the first floor beautifully draped with rich
and heavy damask curtains; with the walls
entirely hid by bunting as a back ground for
shields and elegant silk flags, and with the
eight gigantic circular pillars rising upwards
of hundred feet, all tastefully wrapped and
completely hidden with drapery and ever
green, and with the crowd promenading be-
low, all combined to present view pic
turesquely beautiful indeed.
In the early hours of the promenade con-
cert when the guests were comparatively few
md the marine band played slow and steady
marches, the visitors between the massive pill
lars gave the impression Of some vast cathe-
dral But that was only passing aspect
which quickly changed into brightest anima-
nation.
In the presidents reception room, a chair
decorated with flowers, under a magnificent
floral canopy had been prepared for
the president, and the whole room was fes-
tooned with smilax, whilst round the walls
aud at the northeast end of the main hall
floral designs of large size and beautiful elab-
grafton of detail were placed, typifying the
iifferent executive departments of the gov
Tnment
For instance ship, the hull composed Of
iouble violets, the mast and sails Of roses set
N background of Marguerites, represented
he navy department. Keys and a massive
safe all in flowers represented the treasury
A stamped envelope of flowers, addressed to
Grover Cleveland, represented the poStottiee-
An open law book with the motto: Fiat
Justitia, the department of justice, and so
on
With regard to toilets the greatest variety
was observable, many of the vast crowds OF
strangers whiting the city carried jefferson
ian simplicity to an extreme, and
came to he ball without the slight
est pretenSe at evening costume,
while on the other hand many Of the toilets
displayed excelled in richness and beauty
anything ever before seen in this city, where
magnificent dressing is often carried to ex-
cess At 1925 the band struck up Hail to
the chief, A." and few minutes after the last
notes had died away President Cleveland en-
tered the building with gratified smile on
his face, closely followed by Secretary Nc
Cutloch, and at once proceeded to the recep-
ton room, where he was afterwards joined
by the other members of the cabinet.
Ex-President Arthur, Secretary Freling-
huysen, Secretary Teller and many other
prominent republican officials also put in an
appearance soon after. About IL p. m. Presi-
dent Cleveland soon followed by Mr. and Mrs
Manning, Vice President Hendricks, Col La
mont and wife, promenaded around the ball
room, stopping occaSionly and chatting with
friends. About 11:S0 p. m. the president left
the ball room and repaired to his new home.
Vice President Hendricks remained awhile
longer. Dancing then fairly began and kept
up at intervals until a late hour.
The program of the ball was contained in
a little book four inches in length and three
in width, with sixteen pages within its covers.
The printing is in blue ink with border OF
silver. On the first cover are steel plate pic
lures of the president and vice president
elect, and the following words: souvenir
of the Inauguration ball, March 4, ,lSS5n The
following was the order of