Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-04-29
THE PRESIDENTS DEPARTURE.
Midnight Scenes at the Baltimore and
Potomac Station.

Midnight Scenes at the Baltimore and
Potomac Station.
A DELAYED TRArx-rHE PRESIDENT WOULD NOT
START ON sUNDAY-oFF AT / A. Il MONDAY
NAMES OF THE PRESIDENTIAL PARrr-A PALACE
CAR CONVERTED INTO A FLORAL BOWER
The exterior Of car No. co. Of the Pennsylvania
railroad, Is almost Quaker-like in its plainness
but its interior last night was bower of beauty
not often seen even in these days Of esthetic
decoration, and it was in this, the private car
OF vice-President Thomson, that the President
and Mrs. Harrison we're whirled away to par
ticipate in the great Washington inaugural CEN
tenniaL Without the floral sdjuncts the car IL
probably the most lu1uriously house
on wheels in this or any other land, but with
the added tints and odors Of the rarest and
most magnificent roses and the verdure Of the
clinging smilax and delicate asparagus vine the
apartments looked like scenes from fairy-land.
Facing the rear entrance to the car was an open
fireplace, useful in winter, but for the time o.
cupied by a cluster of plants, from the cool re-
cesses Of whose roots peeped numerous grow
ing roses-Jacqueminots Of the purest type.
Carelessly yet artstically arranged clusters of
buds were fastened over the windows, while
down the plush upholstery trailed the graceful
vines. 1t was decorative triumph and was a
part Of the railroads welcome to the President
Of the United States and his wife, Florist
Small was the artist.
EMBARKATIoN OF THE PRESIDENTIAL PARTY
The gilt hands Of the blue-faced clock in the
yard indicated 1040 when the presidential
party passed through the depot and the crowd
and entered car No. 60. A couple Of the New
York committeeman were in the lead, and then
came Mrs. Harrison and ex-Coliector Robert
son. The President and John A. King fol-
lowed, and behind came more of the commit
tee, in whose midst was Mrs. KcKee, Miss Ida
Murphy, Mrs. Kate Davis Brown, Col John NJ
Wilson, Secretary Rusk, Miss Rusk, Master
Rusk and Secretary Halford. Lieutenant and
Mrs. Mason had arrived some time before and
so had Col. Barr. They were somewhat in adj
vance OF Chief-Justice and Mrs. Fuller, Justice
Field and Justice Blatchford, who boarded the
car set apart for their use at about 1015 o'clock.
The President did not settle down imme-
diately in the magnifcence Of No. 60; he
wanted to see the rest Of the train, so, under
the guidance Of Passenger-Agent Boyd, the
entire party proceeded to inspect the re-
malnder OF the train. The systems of electric
lighting and water-pressure were explained,
and then the members Of the party sought oct
the places to which they had been assigned.
BY that time there had been a number Of
later arrivals, among them being Walker Blaine
Secretary Window and Mrs. Window and the
Misses Nettie and Florence Window, Justice
Strong and Miss Strong.
WAITING FOB MONDAY MORNING.
Everything was ready for a start by II :15,
but the President was not willing to have the
train move on Sunday, and it. therefore, stood
still. The crowd Of newspaper correspondents
who are to accompany the train tramped up
and down the platform and talked of anything
and everything to while away the monotony.
The unsuccessful office-seekers. who for a cou-
pie of hours had crowded outside the gates to
see the President they have been trying to see
for three or four weeks past, relaxed their grip
on the iron bars and went to their rooms, wish
ing that George Washington had never been
born, and dreaming of what nice fat places
they might have had If the President had only
remained in town to grind out appointments
instead Of going to New York.
At midnight the lights in the presidential
sleeping apartments were all out and the wait
ing trainmen and reporters supposed that a
movement toward Elizabeth. n. j., would set
in at 1910, the advertised time for starting
The President had had something to say about
that, however, and insisted that no wheel
should turn until o'clock; of course, his wish
was respected. The newspaper men solved the
problem by going into the dlning-car and en-
ioying themselves as such a crowd could. They
ate heartily of the delcacies prepared for them,
and it is presumed that they drank something
also, for on a number OF the tables were sus-
picious-locking bottles, around the necks Of
gold seal.
OFF AT LAST.
Shortly before o'clock the mechanics espe-
cially detailed for that purpose made con-
elusive test of the running-gear and the brakes,
and when they had concluded the hour arrived
There was a faint cry of "all aboard" from
some official at the far end Of the string of
coaches, a smothered cheer from the news
paper men in the dining-car, scurrying of
hraly ar,1ar md AL ~. IL.
long train was pulled out by engine No. 81 so
easily that the llghtest sleeper ON board could
hardly have been disturbed by the start. The
last OF the figures visible ON the train were
those Of Secretaries Window and Rusk. The
government agrlcuiturist seemed to be in an
argumentative mood, and he wac laying down
his propositions very forcibly to the keeper of
the public purse. Mr.. Rusk's left hand was on
line with Mr.. WINDOWS nose and only about
inches away from it, but, of course, the gen.
tleman from Wisconsin did not mediate an as
sault, it was merely an effective gesture.
The railroad company presented each Of its
guests with a souvenir of the trip-a very elab-
crate specimen of the engraver's art, in which
the past and present were compared in thor
oughiy artistic manner.
THE COMMITTEE
which came from New York to escort the Presi-
dent over to the Centennial ceremonies, were
given dinner last night at wormley's by one
Of their number, Mr.. John A. King. Those
present were John A. King, VIM. Jay, Vim. H.
Robertson, VIM. NJ. Evarts and Seth Low. rep
resenting the general government committee;
Orlando B. Potter, Clifford Stanly Sims and
Frank 3. Witherbee, of the transportation, the
centennial and states committees; Col. Barr
and Lieut.. Mason.
e Coward and upward is the motto of
The EVENING STAR. Onward in its extending
influence, upward in its circulation and adver.
Using business. The increase ia q steady