, 1890-01-02
New Years Day at Washington.

Year began with a cold, disagreeable rain
which continued throughout the day.
The white house, as usual, was the CEN
trail point of interest. No one of his
predecessors exceeded in brilliancy the
first Official reception given by the head
of the present administration. Certainly
never before has there been at the white
house a reception of such large and dis
tlnguished representation from other ma
tons This is due to the presence, in ad-
dltion to the regular diplomatic consular
officers, delegates to the international
maritime and Pan-American conferences.
The Interior decorations, while not elab-
crate, were very effective, consisting OF a
liberal distribution of topical ana flower
ing plants and cut flowers.
A reception was held in the Blue par
lor from ii till 9 o'clock. The receiving
party entered the parlor in'the following or.
der: The president and Mrs. Mckee, Vice
President and Mrs, Morton, Secretary of
state and Mrs. s. B. Elkins, Secretary of
Treasury and Mrs. Window, Attorney
General and Mrs. Miller, Postmaster
General and Mrs. Wanamaker, Secretary
of the Navy and Mrs. Tracy. Secretary of
the Interior and Mrs. Noble, Secretary of
Agriculture and Mrs. Rusk, Secretary of
war and Mrs. Logan, Mrs. Mckee occu.
pied a place next to the president. Other
ladies assisting in arranging came next in
order, as follows: Mrs. Morton, Mrs,
Window, Mrs. Miller, Mrs. Waranaker,
Mrs. Tracy, Mrs. Noble and Mrs. Rusk.
The ~toilettes OF the ladies' were ~siupularly
rich and becoming.
The reception of officers OF the army
and navy and marine corps which fol-
lowed was probably the showiest feature
Of the day, they being 10 full dress uni
form and Respondent with brass buttons,
bright epaulettes. gaudy sashes, gold lace,
etc. Major General Schoield headed the
army ana Rear Admiral Jouett the navy.
Admiral Porter did not attend on account
OF bad weather. 1t was near IL o'clock
when the reception became more general
In It's character, indeed callers became so
numerous and followed each other so
closely that the president was compelled
to restrict his welcome to a single shake OF
the band and a simple glad to see you.
Those received In this manner included
officers OF the Smithsonian Institution,
civil service commissioners, assistant
secretaries and chief officers OF the various
departments and faculty of the Columbian
hottNue W uSa Nv uuu
The next section of callers was headed
by a few survivors OF the war of 1916,
closely followed by a large representation
Of Grand Army men aud smaller body of
gray haired venerable looking men known
as the.oldest inhabitants in the District of
Columbia. The reception of the public
generally was next in order and the gates
TO the grounds which had been closed up
to this time except to a privileged few
were thrown open and the crowd
thronged rapidly into the mansion. The
reception lasted until . o'clock and it is es-
timated during that time the president
shook hands with nearly 5000 people.
When it was over the president invited
the ladies who assisted him and a num-
Der of others to Join him in a luncheon
which had been prepared expressly for
them in the hallway up stairs.
Mrs. Harrison's absence was due to the
recent death of her sister and it was at
her request that her daughter Mrs. Nc
kee, assumed the responsibility of host
ess on this occasion. Mrs. Blaine was
unable to assis: by reason of the death of
her sister. Mrs. Proctor is in bad health
and was unable TO attend.
Following are the names of ladies at
the white house reception: Mesdames
Logan, Ilaie. 0erInan, hlcD1lllan, f1lSc0ck,
Platt, Pugh, Quay, Cockrill. Reed, Car
Isle, Burrows. Springers. Lodge. Butter
worth, the Misses Blaine and guests, the
Misses Halstead. the Misses Window, the
Misses Ernest, Mrs. Glover, Miss Miller,
Miss Rusk, Mrs. Harlon, Mrs. Drum,
Mrs. Ernst, Mrs. j. V. l. Findlay, Mrs.
r. NJ. G. Brown, Mrs. VIM. I. Harris.
Miss Maud Gouvern, Miss Annie Wilson,
Mrs. Charles Emory Smith, Miss Shep-
ard, Miss Grace Davis, Miss Halford and
guests, Mrs. Wilmerding, Miss Tracy,
Mrs. and Miss Randall, Mrs. Carey, Miss
Proctor, Mrs. Emmons Blaine.
Vice President and Mrs. Morton held
a large reception in their house this after.
moor from IL to 3 o'clock. 1t was practi-
cally a duplicate os the presidents as
nearly all the people who paid respects to
the president improved the opportunity of
paying their respects to Vice President
and Mrs. Morton, who lett tho White
house just after the army and navy
offices were presented Other special
receptions during the afternoon were as
follows: Secretary Blaine, to members
of the diplomatic corps, delegates to the
lnternational Maritime and Pan Ameri-
can conference. Secretary and Mrs. Tracy
also received officers of the navy, and Sec
rotary Proctor officer of the army.