Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-07

WAS NO LONGER MUD-HoLE
or dust-heap, and was smooth and hard as
the Paris boulevards, while the old avenue, in
spite Of some Of its business being led into
other streets, never was as metropolitan-look-
ing as now, with its many new blocks in artistic
style, its vigorous shade-trees, its medieval
looking market spires, its statuary and green
reservations. This street has become the an
tique part of Washington. and many of the old
taverns and landmarks remain upon it, show
ing where Henry Clay died, where Gen. Harri-
sons inaugural ball was held, where the Ma
tional hotel disease started and where Lincoln
was killed.
ANOTHER CITY HAS RISEN,
on the upper terraces north of Pennsylvania
avenue, and left this old market highway a
sort of cheapside or strand. But great pro-
cession like this one shows to an advantage on
the avenue, especially from such a command
ing situation as the portico Of the Treasury or
bend or depression the great, broad street ex-
hibits more than mile of the pageant in an
ver-shlfting section. The bayonets are seen
to Hash from the Treasury gate to the capitol
gate; the horsemen coming forward seemed
| almost motionless upon the wave of general
| movement; the gaily caparisoned bands ofmusic
| the sober political and civilian clubs consti-
tute scene of power and obedience which re-
celves yet greater testimony from the embroid-
cred sidewalks and house lines. have seen
|
| pennsylvania avenue, and
THIS ONE ExcELLED THEM ALL.
In the completeness of the arrangements,
the appearance Of opulence in the providings,
and the unanimity in the population, as well as
| in the superior multitude of marchers. 1t was
claimed that one hundred and fifty thousand
Pennsylvanians alone had come to Washington
CITY, taking advantage of the multiplied rail-
ways converging here. I doubt whether any
nc ind nt%h l. d.. 7
has been as complete as the present one for the
past one hundred years. or since the close of
| the Napoleonic wars.
saw the Princess Alexandra enter London
to be married to the Prince of Wales, and that
was the grandest celebration of yictoria's
| reign. but 1t bore no comparison as a CAV scene
| with harrison 8 Inauguration, for the reason
| that London had no streets like Pennsylvania
| avenue, and the government running the former
celebration disposed of the voluntary contribu-
tons OF the citizens In Washington the popu-
| latlon was in perfect accord with the procession
and both were equaled, if ever, upon this spot
only by the entry of
| THE TWO GREAT ARMIES
at the close Of the civil war. 1 witnessed and
described that affair, and, as a show. to-day's
spasmodic and uninfuenced assemblage was
the superior. The soldiery in 1865 wore their
| old blue suits, their flags were stained and tat
tered, and their batteries and bands rather mo-
|
of the army were hardly distinguishable from
their subordinate officers. At that time the
| city was good deal of a wreck, and the ave-
nue. was dusty and common looking As far as
| the spectators went, doubt if there were as
many in 1865 as in 1889, for Washington now ia
as large as Baltimore was at the close of the
war. The theory of the Inauguration is a
| happy one; the citizens, without any govern
ment suggestion or interference, prepare for
| the event, which is merely the escorting of the
i anf frnv1 l,x11.
| where he is to take the oath and make his
address before the multitude; he is then
brought -
BACK TO THE WHITE HOUSE,
which is to be his home for a term of years.
Persons noticed that, while four years ago the
installation of Cleveland took place cheerfully
and without any bitterness, SO the return of the
| republicans was met by an even milder acauies-
cence. The experience of self-government is
being rubbed into the people, and their most
costly trlbulations point the moral that this
system is inalienable, that frequent change is
the law of our national life, and these changes
are but parts of the great stability. The abso-
lutte ownership OF everything here by the pub
lie was the more apparent this year. although
the government seems to be at the height Of
its power. The great granite posts be-
tween the Presidents house and the Treasury
department, and out to the Avenue, which were
only put up in Grants administration. have
ucch tdhcu uoWu anu Wnat were private WAYS
have become public streets, making the Ex-
ecutive to live, 80 to speak, in the highway.
Few capitals, notwithstanding its youth. have
as many historical marks upon them as WASH
ington of this day. To ~he American people
especially almost every block has
SOME MEMORY OR SHRINE.
The vast cost Of keeping the Union together
has made the government hoary to the eyes Of
its people; hence their concentration upon this
simple performance of an official duty at the
instant Of mere party change carried mighty
moral. The whole of Pennsylvania avenue
may be said to have been a vast terrace of
platforms for spectators. Some OF these stands
looked as if they would hold five thousand or
more sitters, to every one of whom chair was
committed with a numbered ticket correspond
ing to the seat. This order has become the
natural law of everybody in place of that dis
order which was formerly regarded as the
boisterous synonym of liberty. These prepa-
rations had i'll themselves an appearance of
government and the insignia upon every build
ing was all good-natured and with a careful
absence of political reference
THE FLAGS OF ALL NATIONS,
especially our owns the signals used by the
army and navy, flowers and festooning, con-
stituted the aerial display, but there was so
much of it as to give the event the appearance
OF great May day celebration.