Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-03-06
WASHINGTON CITY.
Correspondence of the SPECTATOR

I
WASHINGTON. D. c., March ., 1889.
This being inaugural on week all other top
les become Insignificant and 1 am very sorry
That this letter, in order to reach you in time
| has to be written before the great pageant
takes place. To those who are familiar with
the looks Of Washington. it presents a strange
| spectacle now. Everything seems changed.
every one seems TO be a stranger and always
in hurry. The buildings along the line OF
march are completely hidden beneath a mass
of bunting and private viewing stands. Every
| available foot of ground has been utilized 10
| build stands upon, and the erection of private
| stands has been carried on to a greater extent
| than ever before. These stands are useful, not
ornamental, they are simply hideous In APP
pearance. and destroy all the be ,uty of Wash
ington architecture. but they utilize the air
| for the accommodation of spectators and to
that extent relieve the crowded pavements.
They are thus a benefit. not a disadvantage.
even to thai part of the public which cannot
afford to occupy them. The decorations of the
various public buildings are very fiue. those Of
the War, state and Navy Departments being
probably the finest. President-elect Harrison
has been the lion of the week and he seems To
| have carried everything by storm by his quiet
unassuming manners. He has been beset by
friends and would be friends from every quar-
ter, but this is nothing compared with what il
In store for him after the 4th.
The numerous visitors have been eager to
| catch premature glimpse of the ball room
| many have succeeded. many have not hui
they will be given a chance after the affair is
over.
With about fifty brass bands about town
| humping and blowing for all they are worth
no one here can complain of not having music
enough. Troops and organizations are arriv
ing by every train and the civic portion looks
| es though 1t might be showed under. With
the great number OF sight-seers. come the usu.
| al numbers offakirs with every sort OF contri-
vance to sell the PEOPLE, and the pickpock Ell
has not forgotten 10 be present, and If they
prove as successful.is they did last time they
will relieve number of persons of their valu.
ables and give them something to remember
by taking something away. To protect against
these crooks, four hundred extra policemen
have been commissioned, but these to a great
extent consider themselves as mere ornaments
and are usually mora in the way than other
wise. They present an amusing sight as they
walk down the street with an assumed air OF
dignity that would do credit to justice, at
|Cempting to twirl heir baton like the old reg
ulars, but they need 40 tickets to tell they are
"greenies."
A handsome dinner was given last week to
Gen. Beaver, the gra nd marshal OF the inaugu-
raj parade, by the m smbers of the executive
committee. Warriors of both the north and
the south were gath cred around this festive
board and the showing of the hearty good feel
Ing existing now between the men who fought
each other, formed q pleasant feature of the
evening
Mr.. Morton has also arrived but has not been
given the same amount of attention as MI.
Harrison.
Congress, though working as hard as posi-
BILE will not be able TO dispose fall the bills
before it. Every night last week one House or
the other was In session. and the President has
called an extra session OF the Senate for March
ith In order to swear in the Vice President.
The members certainl Y cannot com plain about
small audiences this week. for on account of
the ST. Anglers the gallo ies and corridors have
Deen packed to overfls wing. and the constant
buzz and hustle has Il times interfered with
the even flow of legislation. Mills and Ran
dali are doing the great mouse and cat act
both sitting at their desks silently watching
each other, waiting for a movement, and
neither willing to make 1t.
After Monday all cabinet rumor and guess
ing will cease and what will the gossips do
then. poor things?
When Harrison cane to Washington he
brought with him all the rumors re ,arding the
political family, and 1t is difficult to pass
through the hoGel Hobbies without gathering
some information upon the subject