New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-30
A BALLROOM OF FLOWERS.
DANCING IN A BEAUTIFUL ARBOE IN
BLAZE OF LIGHT.

anIILIANT SCENES At THE METROPOLITAN
OPERA HoUsE-A TERRIBLE CRrsH-soAE
OF THOSE IN THE BOXES.
tn. ,housands of men and women who attended
the Centennial ball at the Metropolitan opera
popss Inst night will remember the occasion as
lang as they live, for a wide variety of reasons
To ali IL was a most brilliant social AFFAIR, III
mint of numbers, the character of those WI"
took part in il, and the decorations. III WIS
rraced BY a larger number of distinguished men
and fair women n, and of representatives OF i"niN
whose names are identified with the history Oh C'''
country than has characterized any other SIM H'r
event in the past. As dancing AFFAIR, io "'' nv
% enjoyable perhaps, especially III 'he e'iN
hours, when the crush was great
The crush began before the doors were opene" ~
O o'clock. The oflciel programmes mad an
uounced that the doors would De Onro"n ope" ."
8 O'Clock, and at that hour Carriages oes'u " az
rive, containing people who wished u se' ~ VIZ
places early in order TO avoid the sre'''er oio"O
exrected at O later hour. Inc ooors "ero "VO
opened at 8 o'clock, however, ana as ,he peoP'o
left their carriages there was no'hihs lor '"cn
tn do but stand in the open air an" wait
Within half an hour the entire section Oh pfo"u-
way from Thirty ninth-st. 10 ror1ie'h-''' vas
Allied from the curb 10 the street-caf trackS WIN
men and with women in theIr deicate evening
dness. Each passing car caused stampede IN
,,.,ioh aI,borate costumes were torn aud ruined.
Every additional carriage adued 10 'he uisofucr
,nd .ho distress Of those on foot Captain Reilly
ard 40 ~ his men attempted to keep the waiting
neople from beneath the feet of the horses The
crowd finally BECAME SO dense that the police
tb.mseves were powerlcss 1t was impossible
% do any clubbing in such crowd as that, es-
roc,aIlv az the people composing IT were victims
and not transgressors
Cha neop,e on the outside OF the crowd in
or]er 70 ESCAPE the passing cars encroached upon
those in front Each car that passed caused Il
distinct and separate panic. Women screamed,
some sobbed and cried, and the men swore These
peoplc were all ticket and box holders who had
come thus early expecting TO be able TO gam
admittanoe.
The noise of hammers was heard by those on the
outside indicating that worllmen were still busy
on the decorations on the inside
Never mind the decorations, and let us IN ]"
was shouted at the closed doors. AT last, at ten
minutes of G. the doors swung open.
The beauty thar was revealed TO those who were
fairly shot into the corridors by the angry crowd
III the rear almost repaid them for the sui'ernS
they had undergone. When Director Stanton Was
asked why the doors were not opened carrier, he
said that the advertised time was o'clock, and
that 1t was impossible TO open them before
BEAUTIFUL BOWER OBJ FLOWERS.
To those who maintained their complacency the
scene within the Opera House one of marvel
fous beauty The main corridor vertable
bower OF roses, azaleas, lilies and ferns. No wood
work was visible anywhere. On all sides were
blossoms Of pink white and crimson, set like jew
els in background % evcrgreens. The stairwlys
AMI foiDies were linei with laurel and arborvitae
and roses were traled in festoons along the walls
and balustrades Inside tie auditorium there was
"a mass Of light from myriads OF lncandeScent
Tamps. placed so closely together nat the glare
seemed absolutely unbrolsen. The orange and
white strcamers in the dome somewhat mellOwed
the effect OF the lower clare, but VIXEN the great
floor becam; filled and the boxes became occupied
the brilliancy seemed less piercing.
The crush at o'clock on the floor OF the ball
room was great A detachment of the I'd Artil-
Ierv W., ,rawu up in doIble lines 70 keep passag,
81. ~asidential pnrfv. Ii half past 90
whe- .u, buges announced the arrival Of the
Presidents party outside the corridor. Every
eve was AZ once fixed upon the entrance. The
band struck MP " Hail 10 the Cher as President
Harrison appeared NJ the door, The President
walked through the line Of soldiers with Governor
Hill on his right hand and Mayor Grant on his
eft. Following them came Mr.. Morton and Mrs.
Harrison, Northumberland Jones and Mrs.
iOrton, Stuyvesant Fish, ir- and Mrs. Jones.
When he had reached the portals of his box the
President turned and bowed in response 10 rhe
plaudits which had greeted him on his walk
through the aisle of booted aud spurred artillery
men lie then entered lis box with his l'rty.
The ladies of the quadrille Of honor then came,
leaning on the arms of the floor managers. As
they reached tie Presidents box each one bowed
low and the President and bowed.
The ladies' then went to their box
and waited there for Tie invited
guests to march in and take th,lr places.
THE oUADRILLE OF HONOR
When all had seated themselves in their boxes,
the ladies OF the quadrlllc again appeared, and
meeting their partners Tor the dance, took their
places on the Goor in ile following ordr
yfce.p-esident Morton L!culcnan; Governor Jones.
Mrs Jones, "A Mrs MprtIn,
Lieutenant Judson Senator Aldrich.
Mrs. Aston, Mr. C:ueer
Admiral Jouet General Vincent,
Mrs. Washington, Ms Garry,
General McCooS. Commodore Ramsay,
Mrs. A ,. Webb &rs. MJIrIs,
General Fingera!d. Captain rst,
Mrs Oracle King, MI. Cooper
CAPTAIN Samp.cn NJ De P.vs;s
Mrs De l"y'er, Ms. Van Renssciaer.
Dr.. A. I. Ruth, General J NJ Varnum,
Nrs Cutting. Mrs. Wer
J. william Bcekman, &. Creighton Wc5b
Miss LivGgstou, Miss schuyler
The quadrlle was danced 20 nntional airs
played by Lander'> orchestra The couples pro-
ceeded to dance pie quadrie with three
figures. Directly after the quadr.iie dancing was
general, at least Here was an attempt al dancing
which was difficult owing TO the great crowd
The order was as follows:
Ovor,v,e National Airs lander
Overture EcnD Wagner
l. Quadri!e Declaration ). Wiegan1
Polka Ro'c NJ Dietrich
Q Wait MN!ti.fc Watteufd
watfl Sw,-t Dream Ei!enbcr,