The Washington critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1889-1889, 1889-05-01
THE cENTENNiAL BANQUET.
Toasts and banquet That Composed the
Gastronon,ic Celebration.

ton and the theatre of the greatest ban
quot, possibly, ever held within the
recollection of man.
The interior decorations of the now
historical building excelled even the
splendor and display of the ball ccebra.
ton of the previous night. Tho stage
and auditorium connected In one con
tinuous floor was the foundation of over
q quarter of a hundred tables arranged
in horseshoe fashion, with seating ca
pacity for 800 Nearly 5000 wine glasses
were placed at intervals along the array
of tables, and 200 walters were In at.
tendance. The tables were deliberately
decorated.
Over the Presidents seat surrounded
by flowing American flags, was sus-
pended huge picture of the face and
bust of the first President of the United
States. Red, white and blue strcamers
held in folds around the familiar coun-
tenance of the Father of his Country.
IL was little after o'clock when
the President, escorted by Governor
Hill and Mayor Grant, entered the
great dining-room. They were fol-
lowed by Vice President Morton and
Lieutenant Governor Jones of New
York and the other distinguished guests
Of the Mayors table
As the party walked down the main
aisle Of the auditorium all the assembled
diners stood up in recognition of the
President arrival, and the band played
Hail to the Chief. The Presidents
party stood back of their chairs with
bowed heads while Bishop Potter made
the opening prayer, and the dinner was
begun at signal from the Hoffman
House chef.
II was announced that Secretary of
State Blaine was unable to be present,
and President Harrison's address was
scheduled TO replace Secretary Blaine's,
as originally arranged.
At the conclusion of the banquet
Mayor Grant rose and read the list of
toasts.
THE TOAsTs.
Grace, Henry c. Potter Bishop Of
New York
/. address of Welcome" David b.
Hill, Governor Of New York
2. George Washington "--In'silence
3. THE People of the United States, F."
Grover Cleveland.
a. The States" Fitzhugh Lee, Gov
ernor of Virginia.
g. THE Federal Constitution, Mel
vile w. Fuller, Chief Justice of the
United States. ...
g. THE House of Representatives, "
James G.. Blaine, Secretary of State.
e. THE Senate" John w. Daniel,
United States Senator from Virginia.
3. THE Presidency" Rutherford i.
Hayes.
o. The Judiciary" William NJ.
Evarts, United States Senator from New
York
10. THE Army and Navy" General
J William Tecumseh Sherman.
II. Our Schools and Colleges, J"
Charles w. Eliot, president of Harvard
University.
10. Our Literature" James Russell
Lowell.
THE United States of America, e"
President Harrison.
Mayor Grant occupied the seat of
honor at the central table. lie was the
presiding officer. At his right hand sat
the President, and Governor Hill was
on the Mayors left Next TO the Presi-
dent of the United States sat Vice
President Morton. The others were
Chief Justice Fuller, General Schofield
iDNhutol iSNhitSs tA-I lNslttnt lluNtS
Bishop Potter, Secretary of War Proc,
tor, General Sherman.
On Governor Hills side were Lieu.
tenant Governor Jones, Judge Charles
Andrews, Admiral Porter, Senator His
cock, eX-President Cleveland, Speaker
Cole of the New York Assembly, Hon.
S. S. Cox, Clarence w. Bowen and
Elbridgc T. Gerry.
The Fireworks.
To do justice to tn fireworks display
last night in description would be inn
possible. To say that 1t was mex
pre- sibly grand Is as near as mortal
man can come to II, Pyrotechnics ex
ploded all over the city. The Battery
Park gave grand exhibition Union
Square, Tompkins Park, Mount Nor
ris Park, and, In fact, in every section
of the city the people were delighted
with the grandest sort of sky rocket IL
Nominations.
The principal set piece was the repre-
sentation of Washington taking the oatl
of office. The design of this piece wa
the same in all the displays, though tn,
piece shown at Battery Park was larger
than those at theother parks Not only
were the lines of the face, figure and
costume copied. but the color of tn,
garments which Washington wore OF
the memorable occasion were repro
duced, in as far as they could be in fire
works. The framework of the piece
shown at the Battery was about forty
feet square. Among the striking pieces
displayed at the Battery after the open
ing of the aerial maroons were the illu
limitations in solid colored lights o
Kaleidoscope and cross.fire batteries o
rockets and bombs, and a bouquet of ) ,00(
rockets exploding simultaneously, flight
of fiery serpents, large floral shells
Japenese shells and fireworks, balloon
of the largest size, an aerial menagcrie
in which were exhibited an extensive
collection of fireworks animals
Celebrations In Europe.
The Washington centenary was cele
brated yesterday in all the American
churches of Paris. At the Episcopa
Church, in the Avenue dc Palma
services were solcmnized with grea
fervor. At the church for English
speaking Catholics, in the Avenue
Hochc the usual masses were Offered
up and the number Of communicate
was very great. The chief common
orative service was held in the after
noon at the American Church. In tn,
Rue de Berri. The solemn proceeding
were timed to coincide with the uplift
ing of American hearts in the Unite,
States. Among those present wcr
Minister McLane, Major Rathbone
Consul General; General Franklin
Lieutenant Murphy, the Rev, DR.. an,
Mrs. Brown, Mr.. 4, A, Anderson, DR.
Thomas Evans, DIR, Crane, Mr.. Val
Bergen, Mr., and Mrs Leguay, Mrs
ingalls,, the Rev Mr. Royce anC
Mrs, Thurber The musical portion 0
the services was rendered bv a selec