Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-03-05
THE INAUGURAL BALL.
MAGNIFICENT FETE LASTNIGHT.
A SPLENDID BALL ROOM.
AN IMMENSE THRONG OF GUESTS.
President Cleveland, ex-President Ar.
thur and Other Prominent Persons
Presemt-SOme of the Notable Toilets,
Etc.

The new Pension building, where the inaugu.
| raj ball was held, blaze of light last night
| and the houses in the immediate vicinity were
Illuminated and decorated, while hundreds OF
carriages filled the thoroughfares, and the scene
was perfect carnival of animation, which was
| made all the more dazzling by the glare Of the
electric light that almost turned the night into
day. Surely the occasion was a gala one and a
fitting cOmmemOration of the great Quadren'
nial fete day of American politics. In ap-
preaching the building one felt an impressive
sense of the soemnity of the OCCASION and the
thousands who poured into the building moved
as quietly though the absence Of noise and
confusion was a part of the set program of the
affair. Upon entering the huge ballroom
| with its nearly forty thousand square feet
of floor space it was difficult to
refrain from CALCULATIONS of surprise at the
beauty of the picture. The eight mammoth
pillars, twenty-five feet in circumference were
each covered with white cloth and then en-
twined with a chain of evergreens and trimmed
with palm leaves and pennants and flags OF
bright cOlorS, giving a majestic grandeur to the
scene. The balcony, which extended around
the entire hall, wa. draped with deep GRIM
son tapestry and garlanded with vines. The
supporting the balcony, were likewise decorated
with palm leaves at the base, and rich national
banner-fags of satin with stars of gold en-
brOidery, and in the arches between the col
umns decorative flags were pendant on silver
tipped spears. On the eastern side of the hall
was suspended huge star, and it was interest
ing to hear ladies and gentlemen agree to meet
for this or that particular dance "under the
star, the result being that most OF the time the
largest portion of the crowd surged constantly
after each dance in that direction. The ceiling,
which was at a height of seventy-five feet, was
entirely obscured by the mass of flags and ban
ners, and the hundreds ofstreamers that festoon-
| ed the hall and radated from column to ceiling
in the several divisions of the hall, gave the
appearance of series of May-pole festivals on
custom
| ever developed. Stairways ante-rooms, and in
| fact every conceivable nook and corner of the
hall, were gayly and artistically ornamented in
q variety OF pleasing and harmonious cOlOrs,
and the participants in the festive scenes on the
moor enjoyed clear sweep from end 10 end OF
the hall of 81 Is feet of waXed boards of smooth
polish. In the center of the hall and opposite
each other were the two band balconies, at a
height between the floor and the general bal
cOny, and these too were enveloped in flags.
There was general praise on all sides of the eX-
celiency of the arrangements. and the various
ments united in the plaudits of everybody, de-
claring that nowhere in any other country had
they ever witnessed more brilliant picture of
social SplendOr Nine thousand persons, 1t Is
estimated attended the ball.
THE SCENE IN THE BALLROOM
Without the least fear of exaggeration the
scene presented within the ballroom may be
said to have been the most magnificent in point
OF dazzling briliancy and varied richness ever
witnessed in America, and doubtless will never
be eXceled if, indeed, it ever again be
equaled here. Upon entering one felt a bewild-
ering sense of wonderment and silent admira-
tlon at the grandeur and immensity of the
spacious room, the decorations of which sur
passed the most sanguine expectations. and
Win the the, glare of powerful d lamps In all dree
varied uniforms OF military and naval
officers made a pleasing contrast with
the flags, bunting banners and draperies
of the ceilings, balconies walls and pillars of the
huge edifice. To observer at either end of
the hall the scene was decidedly panoramic
arNd 40 N To A III hnlf No-f
eight people began to arrive, but IT was not
until ten o'clock that the crowd assembled. At
eleven the floor was packed, and circling col
ulnn of ladies and gentlemen marched round
and round, while the bands discouTsed delight
ful selections of music. Many of those who
entered early betOOk themselves at once to
comfortable places in the balconies, SO that by
midnight there was dense terrace of faces
above, looking down upon the ocean of human
ity below.
SECTIONAL PARTIES"
In order to enable persons to locate them
selves and meettheir friends, the hall was d-
vided into numerous, sections, and the gentle
men engaging their fair partners for dance
designated the number of the section In which
he would subsequently seek her. Many ladies
and gentlemen knowing the sectional divis-
ions of the hall, INDUCED in the novel plan of
making up sectional parties" and in some of
the sections thirty, forty, and fifty friends
danced and mingled together throughout the
evening. So that the huge ball was but like
series of separate smaller parties in which diff
ferent sets of people confined themselves within
a prescribed circle. In many instances, how
ever, where this plan was ignored, and guests
undertook to minsle generally in the throng,
partners and families became separated, and
some OF them did not again meet until the close
of the evening program.
But still, while the throng was perfectly i'm
mense, the hall was so large and admirably
adapted for q huge entertainment of the kind
that few people experienced any discomforts
whatever, and the careful attention paid to the
heating and ventilation of the building made
tba ,lonra yuhn md dom naH
with far greater comfort than is usually expert
enced at the crowded private receptions for
which Washington society is so particularly no
ted
While the crowd was gradually gathering in
quiries were made for the President, who, ac-
cOrding to the announced program of the eve
ming, was expected to hold public reception of
the hand-shaking nature in the side room which
had been so sumptuously fitted up for his per-
sonal use upon the occasion. Such, however,
was not the case, the program having been
changed on account OF the dense gathering OF
people.
THE PRESIDENTS ROOM
The rooms set apart for the use Of the Presi-
dent and his cabinet were about the center
the west side of the building, south of the main
stairway approach to the balconies, and were
perfect marvels of floral and artistic decora-
tions and drapery: The Presidents so-called
.private room, )" which it took brace of police
men to guard against the surging mass of intru-
sive curious spectators, was handsomely fur
nished with grand and richly upholstered
walls being gorgeously lined with satin banners
and flags, and the windows draped with hand
some curtains of ecru and garnet tapes
try while vines OF smilaX with
reckless grace in all directions over the four
walls and festooned the ceiling in profusion,
forming a canopy of delicate green vines. The
entrance from the hall to this room was through
large double door, which was turned into
perfect garden bower of plants and flowers, and
a sweet fragrance of roses and eXotics permeated
the atmosphere. The larger double room, in
tended for a reception parlor, was also SINH
lary decorated, half dozen expert florists
and decorators having come from New York
expresslyfor the purpose of adorning the rooms.
An interesting feature of the displays made in
these parlors was the exhibit of large floral
pieces representing fitting design for each
of the executive departments Of the govern
ment For the State department there was q
floral device of the national coat of arms sur
mounted by an eagle; for the Navy, a huge
floral Ship for the War department, design of
cross cannons: the Department of Justice a
scroll pair ofscales, and book with the motto Fiat
Justttia on its opened pages; Treasury, COM
bination safe door; Interior department, q
stump of tree with axe imbedded in 1t and
plow and scythe with a sheaf Of wheat at the
sented by a magnificent floral chair Of red and
white roses placed beneath a canopy Of smilax
and flowers, and 1t required the constant vigil
ance of q regular watchman to preserve the
chair intact against the vandalism of curiosity
searchers, many of whom tried to pluck flow
THE PRESIDENTS ARRIVAL.
It was near IL o'clock when the President ar
rived at the ball building, accompanied by his
sister, Miss Cleveland, Mrs. Hoyt, Rev. w. A.
Cleveland and his wife and two sons, Mr.. Hast
ings and Miss Hastings, nephew and niece, re-
spectively, of the President, Miss Nellie Yeo-