McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1885-03-12
unfinished new pension building.

unfinished new pension building. As
the door opens on the exterior the eye is
dazzled by the sudden blaze of light and
color and the mind confused by the i'm
mensity OF the scene revealed at a glance.
A hall BIC feet long by 1l6 wide is lighted
by sixty gigantic gas burners Of 500 can
die power each, which are suspended
from the roof, whose peak is lost to the
sight ninety feet above the floor In per-
feet forest of streamers and flags. On
the acre of waxed floor thousands of
couples in brilliant toilets are moving
about in the mazes OF the dance, while
thousands more circle around on the
outskirts In ceasele5s promenade,
and other thousands look down
on them from numberless balconies
surrounding the room. Decorations,
rich in color, cover the whole interior OF
the structure In red, white and blue tints,
the American flag predominating. Banks
OF tropical plants surround the bases of
the eight large columns which support
the roof, and wreaths of evergreens are
twined around the columns from the base
to the top. On the broad faces Of the
columns are scattered, with unique eff
feet, great leaves of palm. At the east
end OF the hall plate glass mirror, six
teen feet high and ten feet wide, in a
frame composed of six hundred pieces of
cut glass, rises from the
MASSES OF FLOWERS
against background of deep crimson,
and reflects from its surface the lights
and color of the ball room. The music
stands are hung with rich green and pur-
pie silk damasks, and flags are twiEed
about their supports. In each of the four
corners of the ball room tiers of stands
reaching to the height of the balcony are
placed and on these ferns and other TO-
liage are massed in profusion. The
richest part of the decoration, however,
is on the front of the balcony. Along
the entire length around the ball room is
stretched, on this balcony, a deep band of
maroon velvet, two yards wide, heavily
embroidered for half its depth with gold
thread in elegant, design. The back
ground of this balcony is tri-colored bunt-
ing with which the walls are hung. Out
lined against this are the small pillars
which enclose the balcony and sup
port the one above it. To each
of these is suspended an American silk
standard, surmounted by circular
shield, on which is blazoned the arms of
one state or territory. At the height of
the balcony, at one end of the hall, is a
large spread eagle formed of gas jets and
at either end a five pointed star formed
in the same manner. Over all is the
bewildering network of half moon
shaped flags projecting downwards from
the peak of the roof and from which
spring a marvellous number of streamers
in all conceivable colors. The rooms set
apart by the committee for the use of the
president are
MAGNIFICENTLY DECORATED
and heavy with the perfume OF
flowers, which abound every
where on the walls and ceiling,
and are grouped in large stands
distributed about the room. A prone
made concert opened the festivities of the
evening and was continued from 8 to
II O'Clock p. m. Dancing began upon
the close of the concert. 1t was half past
10 O'Clock when President Cleveland
arrived in the ball room. He was
Immediately escorted to the presidents
room, where, for half an hour. he held
an informal reception. The president
was accompanied by Miss Cleveland and
Mrs. Hoyt, his sisters, and by his
brother, Rev. w. A. Cleveland. and his
wife and their two sons; Mr.. Hastings,
his nephew; Miss Hastings, Miss Nellie
Yeomans and Lizette Yeomans and Mrs.
Bacon, the president brother-in-law
and wife, of Toledo, and Col. and Mrs.
Lamont. About the same time express
ident Arthur arrived and he, too, was
escorted to the presidents room.