Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-05
STATELY cEREMoNIALs.
The Inaugural Balls In Honor q
Former Presidents.


Former Presidents.
WHERE PHE EARLIER BALLS WERE HELD-DrvID-
NO THE CROWDS TO PREVENT JAM-THE
GRANT BALL IN THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
JUDICIARY SQUARE BUILDINGS AND BALLS.
Mt Clevelsnd's inaugural ball was more sue
cessful than any of its predecessors. 1t was
more comfortably housed than any of the 9TH
ers had been. all the arrangements for it were
more complete, and the attendance was the
largest ever known
The Harrison ball Is expected to be little bet
Ter than it at every point. The building that
was then unfinished Ia now complete In every
detail, and the labor, attention, and money that
had then to be devoted to roofing the great
court and making the building comfortable
may now be expended in the more minute de-
tails calculated to increase the comfort Of the
quests and to add to the beauty and success Of
the occasion. 1t has taken nearly hundred years
- Sesu 20 conduct an inaugural ball to the
comfort and pleasure OF everybody concerned.
VI the long llne, beginning with the second in
aogural OF Washington, at Philadelphia, most Of
them have required much Inconvenience and
suffering in compensation for the pleasure Of
participating In the grand ceremony. It is a
national ball. and the trouble has always been
that no building in the city was large enough to
dents have had balls given in honor Of their ap-
pearance at the head Of the government but
the omissions have been for SOM good reason
The occasions have grown with the growth Of
tne nation. and unless for national disaster or
on account OF death in the family OF the Presi-
dent-elect their omission would not be thought
or They have always been the most brilliant
assemblages possible at their period.
IN FORMER DAYS
the old Carusi's saloon, now the Washington
theater. was the place for holding inaugural
balls until they outgrew its proportions When
from four TO six hundred people made up the
company ball like that could accommodate
them. but as the attendance got larger the Gus
tom got to be to divide the ball into two or
three among the different halls with price OF
admission varying according to the degree Of
swelldOm at each hail. Later they got to occu-
pying unfinished public buildings or temporary
structures erected for the occasion. Clevelands
was In the uncompleted Pension building. That
OF Gen. Harrison Is to be In the same building
completed. Ii Is only by good luck and the
popular spirit OF accommodation that this
spacious court was preserved for this occasion,
as an act of congress had almost authorized its
occupancy by Washington's vagrant city post
Office establishment.
The much-needed building suitable for SUCH
occasions has never been erected in Washington.
MDIsoN's INAUGURAL BALL.
The first inaugural ball given in this city was
on the evening of the Inauguration of President
Madison In 1909. The ball, which was given at
Longs hotel was declared to be .'the most
brilliant and crowded ever known in Washing
ton" Ex-President Jefferson and President
Madison were present and all the foreign minis
tiers In Washington. The company present, 1t
was estimated, exceeded four hundred"
Pretty Mrs. Madison is described as being
painted and powdered for the occasion, as was
the custom in those days. and dressed in gay
colors. with pearls about her neck and head
dress trimmed with birds of Paradise. From 400
on that occasion the attendance has grown until
In 81, IL was 5000.
BEFORE MADIsONs TINE
one ball was held in Philadelphia, on the 4th of
March. 1913, when Washington was inaugurated
the second time. There was no ball at the first
Inauguration of Monroe. but at his second inau-
guration, In 1921 the Washington Assembly"
gave a grand ball John Quincy Adams inau-
gural ball was held In Carusfs saloon. in 1925
and was very ceremOniOus and fashionable
anair. Jackson's first ball was given in the
same place, and his second was at Central Ma
sonic hall, on Louisiana avenue.
Probably the most brilliant of the early balls
was that Of President Van Buren, held at Ca
rusis- On that occasion the hall that had usu-
ally been large enough for any social gathering
was overcrowded.
THE TIPPEcANsE BALL
When it came time to celebrate the Inaugural
tion Of William Henry Harrison, the grandfather
Of Gen. Harrison, special provision for large
crowd were necessary. The old Louisana-ave-
nue tneater was purchased by the committee
and was completely remodeleJ and arranged
with every convenience for the occasion. The
labors OF the committee were repaid by the sue
cess OF the ball. both socially and pecunarily AZ
ter paying all expenses of purchasing and refttinp
the building, and all other incidental expenses
surplus OF about 81. 900 was left, which was
divided between the Protestant and Catholic
orphan asylums Of the District. The bnilding
In which the ball took place was subsequently
somewhat changed In its interior arrangements,
when, as the Washington Assembly Rooms.
II became famous as the scene of some of the
most pleasant sociabes and reunions which
grace the annals Of our city. Still later during
the war. 1t was again turned into theater and,
as such, terminated its career as a victim to the
flames A Peoples Tippecanoe Inauguration
Ball was also given on the occasion of Presi-
dent Harrison's Inauguration at Carusi's sa-
loon; also Native American Inauguration
BALI at the Chem Masonic hail.
IN HONOR OF PRESIDENT POLK.
Two balls were given in honor of the inaugu-
ration Of President Polk. The swell ball of the
occasion was held at Carusi's The tickets sold
for sl0, and the number of guests was limited
TO 600, which, nevertheless, overcrowded the
hall The price Of admission to the other ball
was only - The President himself attended
the S2 ball, out Mrs. Polk spent all her time at
the more select assembly. she was strict
Presbyterian and did not believe in dancing SO
she wore sober black silk gown. long black
velvet cloak with deep fringed cape and bonnet
Of purple velvet. Mrs. Polk never permitted
dancing in the White House.
The other ladies made mp for anv lack of gaietv
in the dress Of the sedate 'frst lady" The
occasion was conspicuous for the gorgeous
toilets Of the ladies and the number OF uniforms
the corps dlplomatique and army and navy being
represented In full force. Like its predecessors
1t proved success, financially as well as socially
N JUDICIARY SQUARE.
There was no hall In Washington large enough
20 hold the people who wanted to attend the
ball given In honor to President TAYLOR II was
Necessary to erect q Temporary building. Ju-
dietary square was selected for the site. and
wooden building was erected in the rear OF the
City hall, with which 1t communicated through
the covered passages This structure was
spendidly decorated and furnished with all the
comforts and eonvenienees Of the period and.
TO add still further splendor to the event. the
celebrated Austrian band OF Prof Gungl was en-
gagged to furnish the dancing music Ii having
then Just arriv ed IN this country The expense
attending this feature was very considerable
but II proved a successful speculation for, after
settling all bills, there was a very handsome bal
ance on hand, which was divided between the
two orphan asylums, which had already been
benehcaries upon o previous occasion But
tiou for all the people. Two other Inauguration
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