News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-02-14


AUGURATIoN BALL-THE DEMAND FOL
SLEEPING Rooms.
) WASHINGTON, Feb. 5, 1889.
Every four years on the fourth o
March this city is carefully entrusted
to the tender mercies of the Seventh
Regiment of New York and the out
side world generally, and the resident:
quietly stand back and feed the mol
at 81 per meal and furnish q mattress
at SO per mat, and sometimes one is
lucky to get either at any price. II
is hard 10 believe, but nevertheless il
is the truth. Heretofore on the aus
picious occasion people have tramped
from one end of the city to the other
in search of place to sleep and then
have been compelled to either repose
on the floor or else continue tramping
until daylight. But on this occasion
it is hard to tell exactly what they will
do. From present indications this
: city will hardly be able to successful
" cope with the multitude that will
flock here.
AS eight years have elapsed since
the grand old party had the pleasure
of inaugurating a president they now
intend to make up for lost time
and will fully demonstrate that they
haven't entirely forgotten how to do
it, either. And if events that are to
transpire are illustrated in advance.
the administration of Benjamin Har-
rison will undoubtedly be a grand
success. While the ceremonies dur
ing the day will be extended and i'm
pressive, the Inauguration ball in the
evening is the all absorbing topic of
conversation here at present. The
Pension building has been selected
for that purpose and it would be hard
to find more suitable one here or
elsewhere. 1t is large brick struc-
ture SAC feet long by 100 feet wide
and covers just one block. The large
hall is SIG by 100 feet, and the cupo-
la dome is supported by eight massive
columns IS feet high. Around this
hall four tiers of galleries extend. On
the night of the ball the hall will pre-
sent far different appearance than it
does just now with its 1900 clerks |
arranging and examining pension pa
pers. The contract for floral decora-
tons has been awarded to Mr. j. B.
Neal, of New York. The designs
which have been prepared and accep-
ted call for six carloads of tropical
plants and laurel, and five carloads of
flowers, the cost of which, with the
labor of 100 men, will be $4,000.
Five thousand yards of laurel gar
lands six inches wide will be required
for festOons and streamers.
AT either end of the hall will be
floral ball fifteen feet in
and as the Presidential par
~ passes across the floor the balls
will open and drop a shower of flow
RS upon the distinguished party. The
our tiers of galleries will be decorat-
I'd with smilax and flowers and from
he lower balcony will hang ten foot /
'anels representing by ingenious flo '
al designs the various departments /
f the government. An immense en-
elope properly stamped and bearing Il
be legend, Benjamin Harrison, $
Washington, D. c." will constitute $
ne post-office panel. At present h
arge fountain adorns the center of the
all, but on this is TO be erected a u
arge Japanese pagodo, highly orna- t
nented for the use of two bands of v
rs pieces
The eight pillars will be draped with
wide bands of laurels and American
Tags, and will form an effective part
IL the decoration. BIr. Neal will also
perfume the air and with the softened |
Alliance of the hundreds of diminu- S
i've electric lights the ball room will L
resent picture never before ex-
elled in this country for beauty and c
legance. s.
One unacquainted with the work u
0nnected with the Inauguration can 81
ardly comprehend the amount OF a
ork to be performed and the many 81
ifficulties to be surmounted. The 81
'tal cost of the entire ceremonies tt
i'll probably foot up to nearly ,
$4,000. OF this amount $4,000 Il
as been subscribed by the business 81
len. The entire management of the e.
has been entrusted to a u
ommittee of 30 of the prominent a
hen of the district. A suite of office Il
ooms has been engaged as head-quar- 1t
ers and large force of clerks are L
.ept constantly employed attending II
o the correspondence and inquiries U
which come in daily from all over the q
country. Your correspondent paid q
he headquarters visit recently and
rom the mass of letters which the e
committee receives by every mail, one Is
would judge that every one intending II
visit here had written regarding ac- L
The amount of mail a
natter received daily is simply aston u
shing.
Another class which seek informa- a
ion at headquarters are those who u
ave rooms to rent and are willing to +
upply meals. A large book is kept P
where everything is put down. Near "
y every one here has a room or more j
or the accommodation of visitors. S
Is the middlemen between the people Il
Eho want rooms and those who have II
hem to lease, the committee have,
ven at this early date, provided for
ONE $4,000. The supply is by no r
means exhausted, as they have still
n their record enough rooms to &C a.
some $4,000 people more. t
he committee expect to care for r.
10000 people during Inauguration
eek, and when it is considered how u
lany will be entertained as visitors W
private houses some idea can be
btained of the great throng that will es
e here. G..
The annual statement of the Mu- a.
lal Life Insurance Company of New 2,
ork shows the remarkable progress N
lade by this institution during twelve re