St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-30
ASCENE OF SPLENDOR
The Metropolitan Opera House
Transformed Into a Fairy
Palace.
Hangings and Floral Deeora-
tions Beautiful Beyond
Compare.
Thousands Of Dollars Spent
for Flowers and
Drapery.
Mrs. Astor Displays Her
Famous Diamonds--Some
of the Toilets.

NEW YORK, April 29.-The Metro
politan opera house was thrown open to-
night at o'clock for the centennial ball.
Long before that hour. however, Broad
way and Seventh avenue, in the vicin-
ity of the opera house, were
literally packed with curious spectators,
and the police had the greatest diff
Guilty III keeping passage ways open for
the carriages of those guests who, bent
upon avoiding the crush that came later,
endeavored to be among the first to ar
rive. The floral decorations were of the
most elaborate order. Over the presi-
dents box was a large brass pendant
displaying the word washington" and
at either end of it were the dates ''17S9''
and "1SS9" in brilliant gas-jets. The box
itself was draped with cloth of gold, fine
laces. embossed velvet, figured silks and
flags festooned with flowers. The other
boxes were decorated with plush, silk,
/ lace and silk flags. Ten carloads of
evergreenS, 1000 specimens of azaleas,
5000 ferns, 1000 palms, 5000 panSleS.
10000 tulips and hyacinths, and 1900
miscellaneous plants were used i'll the
decorations. which, together with other
decorating materials, cost $4,000.
Mayor Grant, as host and chairman of
the committee on the centennial cele-
bration, arrived shortly after 10 o'clock,
and little after 10:30
president HARRISON ARRIVED.
accompanied by Mrs. Harrison. Vice
President Morton and Mrs. Morton,
and Lieut.-Gov. Jones and MrSoJOnes.
The manager of the ball, E. G. Stanton.
met the president at his carriage and
conducted him into the building, where
the mayor gave the party formal re-
ception, the members of the signal
corps and of the second bat
terry being drawn up in line
/ in the vestibule as the party
passed through. AT the conclusion of
the reception the guests above named
following order,f escorted by guard of
honor: The president, with Gov, Hill
on his right and Mayor Grant on his
left. Following them were Vice Presi-
dent Morton and Mrs. Harrison, Lieut..
Gov. Jones and Mrs. Morten, Hamilton
Fish and Mrs. Jones. The guests
crossed the floor to the presidents box
which had been erected at the back of
the stage, where Mr.. Stuyvesant Fish,
chairmen of the committee ON enter
ment, presented to the president Mr..
Elbridge I. Gerry, chairman of the eX-
ecutivc committee, and the members of
the committees on plan and scope, and
entertainment. Immediately after this
had been done the opening quadriIle
was formed and the ball was in full
snlendor. The music was furnished by
BandmaSter Pander, who had provided
a string and reed orchestra of 100 picked
musicians.
THE OPENING QUADRILLE
was danced by the following-named
ladies and gentlemen: Mrs. William
Astor, Mrs. S. V. R. Cruger, Mrs. Ed
ward Cooper, Mrs. Robert F. Weir,
Mrs. William Herbert Washington,
Mrs. Frederick j. De Peyster, Miss
Garcia Livingston, Mrs. a. Newbol
Morris, Mrs. W. Bayard Cutting, Mrs.
Edward F. Jones, Mrs. Alexander S.
Webb, Mrs. l.. P. Morton, Mrs.
4. Oracle King, Mrs. E. T.
Gerry, Mrs. Alexander Van Rens-
Vice President Morton, representing
the nation; Lieut.. Gov. Jones. repre-
scnting the state; Admiral Jouett, rep
rese nting the navy; Gen. McCook and
Gen. Thomas M. Vincent, represent
ing the army: Commodore Ramsay, rep
resenting the commandant Of the navy
yard; Gen. Luis Fitzgerald, repre-
senting the state militia; Capt. j. FL.
Derst, representing the aides of the
president; Capt. w. j. Sampson, repre-
senting the naval academy; Col. John
son Livingstone de Peyster. represent
ing the speaker of the assembly: Sena-
tor W. Aldrich, representing the United
States senate: DIR. A. L. Smith, U. S.
and 6. Creighton Webb. The vice
president escorted Mrs. Jones, and
+ sLieut.-Gov. Jones Mrs. Morton. Mrs.
Astor wore white satin and displayed
her famous diamonds.
f THE COSTUMES.
Miss Schuyler heirloom, a gown 10Y
years old, which had belonged to Miss
Schuyler daughter of Gen. Philip
Schuyler), who in 1888 married Stephen
Van Rensselaer,, the last of the patrons.
1t is of brocade. with light ground,
hand embroidered in flowers, partly
covered with dark green velvet. Miss
Schuyler's ornaments were a pearl
mond pin, with hair of Alexander Ham,
ilton, her great-grandfather Mrs. De
PeYster wore white satin, Directoire :;
diamonds and rubies. Miss Livingstone
wore silver brocade over pink silk, de-
cotlette; pearls and diamonds; the gown
is 100 years old. Mrs. Webb wore yellow
brocaded satin, Vshaped waist; dia-
monds. Mrs. Cutting wore a Jose
phine dress of white satin: point lace.
Mrs. Van Rensselaer, wore pansy velvet
and mauve satin; diamonds. Mrs.
Cooper wore mauve brocade; hounces
of point lace; style, Louis XVI. Mrs.
Norton wore superb Worth dress :;
long square trainOf white brocade satin ::
designs in delicate colorS, ,denOting clus-
tiers of strawberries held by festOons of
lilacS. Over this train falls heavy sash
of lilac falie. The front eff the dross
Y shaped waist; diamonds. Mrs. Weir
wore robins egg blue satin, Louis
QuinZe decollete; ornament. diamond
buckle that belonged to Washington, of
whom she was a great great grandnlece.
Mrs. Cruger wore pale oellow plush and
crepe de chine; ornaments, old gold.
Mrs. King wore a Worth gown of
white velvet and satin; point lace
and diamonds. Mrs. Gerry wore gold
brocade and point lace; diamonds.
is of lilac faille, the over drapery white
muslin de sole, corsage low, papillon
style of lilac faille, pointed front, low
neck and short sleeves, plearls and dia-
mOnds. Among the notable dresses
worn by the other ladies present
were especially noticeable the fol-
lowing: Mrs. Harrison wore prin-
cess robe of white faille. The back and
train being of the same material, front of
white tufle, embroidered in Greek pat
tern with silver beads and pearls. Mrs.
Mckee e'ssdress was of white armure silk,
dar,t-frajn fashion of 100 yaarS q orr