Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-03-05
THE BALL ROOM.
The Most Gorgeous Decorations
Ever Seen I'm the Land.

The Most Gorgeous Decoration,
Ever Seen i'm the Land.
WASHINGTON, March 4.-The great
court of the Pension building is tonight
ablaze with light and color as, to the Sc.
ductive music of the great orchestras,
thousands glide through the movements
of the dance or stroll in the corridors
and promenades, admiring and contrib.
uting to the marvellous beauty of the
scene. The court of the new Pension
building is undoubtedly the largest and
grandest interior of its kind on this con-
tinent and, in respect of symmetrical
beauty, it has few superiors in the world.
The area of tesselated floor is about q, ,
600 square feet, or very nearly an acre.
Four years ago, "hen the first inaugu-
ration ball was held here, the then untin-
ished condition of the building rendered
highly effective decoration exceedingly
difficult, and, in some respects, quite i'm
possible; but tonight the perfection of
decorative art seems to have been
attained. The most conspicuous feature
of the interior scene is two-story jap
anese pagoda, about 20 by 80 feet in size,
in the center of the court, built over and
around the fountain. The lower part of
the pagoda is a picturesque grotto OF
rocks, ferns and flowers. On its second
floor are stationed hundred performers,
composing the orchestra of Philadelphia,
who play the dance music. Above them,
on the third floor, the famous marine
band discourses music for the prone
made. The whole structure is gay with
streamers and festoons of colored lights,
tall graceful palms and Towering tropical
plants and masses Of smilax adorn the
floors and roofs. This unique music
stand is indeed thing of beauty.
THE PRESIDENTS PORTRAIT.
On the West front of the first gallery
hangs large oil portrait of President
Harrison, and on the East front one OF
Vice-P President Morton, each richly franz
ed in blue purple and old gold silk plush.
The portraits, with their frames, are IA
by Is feet in size and are tastefully
draped.
Extending around the entire circuit of
the court under the three galleries and
over the heads of the promenaders are
thick laurel garlands, festooned in grace
full lines. Similar garlands are looped
and twined about the rich capitals of the
bronzed Ionic pillars, forming with the
arches, succession of ellipses. Direct
ly over the West entrance to the build
ing, and high above the parapet of the
first gallery, in glittering colored gas jets,
is traced the word Constitution, and
higher still shines single pointed star,
its crystal setting refectiug the rays
from hundred points of light.
The faces of the three galleries are al
most completely covered by rich dra-
peries.
EMBLEMATIC SHIELDS.
On the front of the lower gallery and
lust above the capitals of the pillars, are
hung broad shields upon which are artis-
tically painted in rich colors the coats OF
arms of all the States of the Union. AL
ternating with these are miniature suits
of steel and gilt Roman armor. In a gen.
eral way this scheme is carried outin the
decoration of the fronts of the second
and third galleries. On the front of the
second gallery, however, the suits of ar
NOR are full-sizsd, and of Furnished sill
yer plate, and on the shields are rep
resented the arms of the nations of the
world, each trimmed with the flag of the
nation represented. The richest and
most striking features of the decorations
are the long lines of silk and satin gold
embroidered banners. These are six feet
in length and are pendant from gilt and
silver-ornamented staffs, attached at an
acute angle to the $50 pill
lars supporting the first and second
galleries. These are trimmed with deer
gold, fringed and studded with
Jewels. Upon each of them is
embroidered, in gold, the coat of arms ol
one of the leading nations of the world
the American colors alternating with
those of the other nations. The decora
tions of the eight immense CoTinthiar
columns are in perfect harmony with
their towering proportions. Stretching
across the east end of the court is the
great high-terraced conservatory, a scene
of striking floral beauty.
FLORAL PANEL PICTURES.
Other striking features of the interio
scene are eight large panels, upon which
are represented, in floral pictures, TIT
executive departments of the Govern
ment. They are eight by ten feet in di
mension, and are suspended at even dis
tances from the front of the lower gal
lery. The State Department is repre-
sented by an open book, upon which arr
lettered in immortelles the words "De
partment of State" The emblem of tn
War Department is a mounted cannon
with pyramid of cannon balls. On tn
Navy Department panel, is a complet
model of the United States dispatch boa
Dolphin, perfect in every detail
with her name on the bow
On the panel of the Department
of Justice are shown the scales of Justie
and an open law book, across the page
of which is the Latin inscription, "FSC
JustitiG." The Postoffice Department
represented by a mail bag lettered "U
s. M" and letter with postmark date
March A, 1889, and addressed to Benia
min Harrison, Washington, D. G.
On the Treasury Department panel
representation of large safe with con
bination lock, carried out in detail. III
Interior Department is represented by
log cabin with stump Of a tree, I'M
which an axe has been driven, and Il
Agricultural Department by a pillow an