The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-03-13
THE INAUGURATION BALL.
How IL was Held in the New
Pension Building.
Details of the Decorations and the
Festivities.


was held In the immense new Pension build
ing in Washington.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PENSION BUILDING.
The building is great structure, two New
York blocks long and more than one block
wide, and Is the largest that has ever been
used for such a purpose. An immense Ro-
man palace, with its walls surrounding an in-
terror courtyard and all its apartments di
rectly communicating with the outside air
and light, is the main idea of the plan of the
building. There are no balls in the build
ing.
Two tiers of galleries run around the court,
by which access is gained to the rooms, and
these galleries, with their Ionic and Doric
columns, add TO the effect of the hall. In
each front of the building there is a brick
staircase, which leads into landing on each
story, and thence to the galleries looking into
the interior hall, all the rooms having en-
frances from the galleries. As the rooms oc-
cupy the entire width of each side of the
building they are open to the light and air on
both sides instead Of on one side
DECORATIONS OF THE BALL ROOM.
Inside the contrast with the unfurnished
exterior was all the brighter The great hall
was brilliant with the CLEAN of electricity
that flashed back again from ten thousand
glittering points and was caught up and
turned away again and again by flashing
glass and Furnished surfaces. Standing in
the Presidents gallery and locking down the
long floor, alive with eyer-changing kaleido.
scopic pictures, growing mailer and smaller
toward the far away end, one saw nothing
of walls and no hint was given that there
was any limit to the size OF the
ballroom. Rich, warm colored tapestries
and hangings completely hid the walls,
and ferns and palm trees formed cookbook
ing arbors and picturesque retreats Around
the ballroom ran a gallery almost hidden
beneath wealth Of soft maroon velvet and
satin bunting and down the room ran two
rows Of soft gray stone pillars. Altogether,
but for the lavish decorations, the moving
pageant, the sounds of music, the gleam OF
lights and the gay laughter, the hall, with its
simple columns and high-arched roof, might
have been taken for some old cathedral.
Broad flags Of the United States fell in
graceful festoons from the walls and COM
pletely hid the terra Gotta color Of the pressed
brick, and beneath these graceful folds par
looped back, showing the way to foyer
dressing-rooms and cosy resting places Every
department with all their treasures were
rlfied to add beauty to the scene, and between
the folds of the red, white and blue of the
flag strange colors and coats of arms of
foreign flags peeped forth. Around the
entire room deep fringe of maroon
velvet two yards wide heavily fringed with
gilt, hung from the gallery, and pendant from
this were the coats of arms ofdifferent States.
Below these satin banner-not the usual
bunting affair-but sheeny, warm-colored
banner hung down each column, over the
s,ats that were ranged about. In the middle
OF the hall was stand running out from the
balcony on either side, and there the dancing
and the promenade music bands were placed.
The sides were hung with damask silks
and the musicians We're hidden
AT the Presidents end of the room was an
Immense plate-glass mirror l6 feet high and
ID feet wide 1t had bevelei edge three
Inches wide and a frame composed of 800
separate pieces Of cut glass; This mirror was
at the Centennial and Paris exposition, and
Is ya'ued at $500. Beautiful stands of
flowers were at its base. From the arched
roof streamers of national colors reached
down in graceful sweeps, and these again
were caught up and pinned with
shields OF different coats-ofarms. Flowers,
plants ferns and palms were everywhere.
At each of the four corners Of the hall great
pyramid of tropical plants rose high above
the gallery, and the eight great columns
which almost divided the hall were complete
ly hidden by wreaths of cedar and smilax
twined In serpentine curves with sprays of
cactus and fan-shaped palms peeping out be-
tween
Opposite the big mirror beautiful Jap
aness canopy of flowers, twelve feet high,
formed a luxurious retreat, surrounded by a
great horseshoe There the Presidents chair,
q rest of roses, the prettiest floral design i'm
the hall, was placed. Beside the lavish dec
orations which made parts of the ballroom
real conseryatories There were seven large
aat fba
departments of the government. These were
eight feet in diameter.
ARRIVAL OF THE PRESIDENTIAL PARTY.
At II o'clock President Cleveland's coach
ratified up to the private entrance followed
t,n minutes later by the carriages of Vice
President Hendricks and ex-President Ar
thur. The band began the familiar "Sse the
C,nquering Hero Comes" and with one
a 'ord the promenading couples drfted to.
W ird the street entrance With his sister,
M $. Hoyt, on his arm, the President went at
one through a private, door into his
Vice-President and Mr.. Arthur, but
he did not escape recognition, and round of
applause went up to which he bowed his
thanks. The Presidents sisters, Mrs. Hoyt
and Miss Cleveland, and his nieces, the Misses
Hastings, waitei, while escorted by Senator
Pendleton and Richard Merrick, Mr.. Cleve-
land made the tour of the ballroom, applause
following him as he walked the length of the
room, bowing TO the few persons whom he
knew of the four or five thousand who had
gathered there in his honor. Having made
the circit of the room he returned
to his own department and for half an hour
with the ladies of his party and Mr. and Mrs.
Hendricks he stood receiving. Miss Cleve-
land wore an evening dress OF white corded
silk, with skirt Ell ti'aine, and neck heaIt
shaped at front and back. The new mistress
OF the White House has blonde brown hair
cut short, and worn in becoming crimps, a
fair complexion, and quick and not un-
graceful movement She is self-possessed,
without being self t-assertive. Mrs. Hoyt,
Mr.. and Mrs. Bacon and tha Rev. A. N. Cleve-
land and wife followed the first two
ladies being also sisters of the President and
wearing tasteful evening dresses of pink satin
and OF snoke-colored velvet, with front of
the same shade, brocaded on white The
Misses Hastings, nieces Of the President an1
a son of his ministerial brother, completed
the family party. Mr.. and Mrs. Daniel Man
ming, the latter wearing her bridal dress of
rich white satin, with exquisite lace and
Colonel Lamont, with his wife, accompanied
the President.
THE BALL OPENED.
Shortly before midnight the President and
his party withdrew, and the ball was for
mally opened and the dancing began.
The arrangements for the comfort of the
guests were perfect Most of the carriages
drew up at the + street entrance. Within
the building the first room ON the right was
devoted to ladies, and connected with it
was foyer for their escorts. Upward of a
hundred uniformed colored attendants re-