Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-02

The scene at the depots last evening, upon
the arrival of the trains, showed that the inau-
guration period had really set in. The interior
of the buildings and the long platforms were
crowded with people waiting for friends ex-
pected on the incoming trains. When the trains
arrived and the passengers poured out, the
crowd became an almost immoveable mass 1t
was impossible for friends to find each other,
and those who had gone to the depots to show
that polite attention were obliged to return
home without knowing whether the visitors
had come in or not Added to the confusion of
the crowd, the heavily-laden trains came in
divided up into five and six sections, and on
what particularly section ones friends might
be, or what particular train it happened to be,
was just as impossible to find out as if inqurers
wanted to know the exact makeup of the new
cabinet. SO after surging around in the crowd
little while
PEOPLE GAVE Up IN DESPAIR
and returned to their homes, where, in the due
and regular course of Inauguration time, the
friends eventually found their way.
II there was crowd inside the depot and a
babbling confusion, outside it was still worse.
As the strangers stepped ON the pavement they
could not be blamed il they concluded that the
depot was surrounded by a huge and angry
mob. As far as the eye could reach, in the
glare OF the electric light, there could be seen
mass Of men frantically waving their arms and
bowling with all the force OF their powerful
lungs. 1t was impossible at first to distinguish
any particular sound in the chorus of yells
That they were in earnest the most confused
traveller would have been willing to take his
oath. But whether the crowd wanted his life
or proposed to tear down the depot was an open
question. He could see, however, that the mob
had some respect left for law and or der, as q
space broad enough for one or two persons to
walk along was left on the sidewalk from the
depot to the street.
INADAzED SORT OF WAY
it could be seen that this slight regard for order
was due to the influence Of the clubs of a squad
Of policemen. There was no time, however,
for refecti on on what seemed to be critical
situation. The pressure of the crowd in the
depot forced the people out Of the doors and
into the midst of the shrieking, gesticulating
throng. As the visitors hurried along between
the Gordon Of police they were able to dis
tinguish some Of the sounds in the medley
There was the howl Of the hotel runner, of the
capper for the boarding house, and of the
WERE THE FAKIRs,
who had miniature log cabins for sale, canes,
pictures of Harrison and Morton, and great
variety of articles that are specially gotten up
for such occasions to catch the nimble penny
The energy and enthusiasm displayed by all
these gentry in advancing their personal inter-
ests were certainly remarkable. As far as per-
suasive, entreating voices had an influence,
these gentlemen exerted every effort. They
did not actually seize the bothered stranger
and hold him until he had yielded to their de-
mands. The presence of the police was prob
ably the only explanation Of their forbearance.
On the outskirts of the crowd there was another
class Of solicitors who, without ceasing. urged
and implored the new arrivals to sell their re-
turn tickets. These were the ticket scalpers,
who had convenient Offices near by, where they
did q thriving business. After the strangers
had passed these outposts Of the crowd that had
assembled at the depots, they mingled in the
gay throng that filed the pavements, and were
swept UPWARDS to the fashionable hotel room or
to the cot bed and lunch counter, - the case
might be.
At Headquarters.
INAUGURATION PREPARATIONS GOING ACTIVELY
ON AND MANLY ooNPLETED.
Headquarters to-day was thronged with visi-
tors, and the ordinary force Of clerks In all the
committee rooms was doubled and trebled.
Even with this increase II was almost impossible
to do everything that was expected to be done
and answer all the questions. Nearly every
body wanted 70 know somsthin q othsE, and