The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-08-12
AN ICY RECEPTION.
Memories Of President Grants
First Inaugural Ball
Tho Sentiment WINS All Right, Isut Old
Boreas Dealt Out Pneumonia with In
rlvnIed Gonerosity-Onc OF tho
Coldost Nights on Record.
Especial washington oorrosponocnoc,l

Especial Washington Corrcsponocnoc-l
Summer commences here long before
we are ready for 1t. We commence to
feel the effects of the advancing seoson
early il April and by tho first OF juno
our ladies commence to pay their dress
makers bills, buy new trunks and start
for seasllorc or mountain Under tho
circumstances, and with tho tIlerrnoirs-
eter ut nincty-one in tho shade, it was
refreshing to listen to tho conversation
OF chilly citizen this afternoon.
"Thc weather in Washington rs nesec
too warm for me-" said Mr.. Thomas
Cavanaugh, deputy sergeant at arms Of
the house of representatives. "While
others are hopping their bEOws. and
asking the old conundrum, rs it hot
enough for your havo only To thinlo
of Gen. Grants first inaugural ball, and
it always makes me SILVER. That wos
probably the coolest night ever known
in this climate. It has been said that
the champagne froze in the bottles;. and
it is well authenticated fact that sew
eral cabmen took such colds that they
afterwards died Of pneumonia.
"The inaugural ball was hehd In the
north wing of the treasury department.
building where the treasurcr's office is
now; and tho dancing was In tho mag
niticent cash room where many mill
lions of dollars can DO daily seen by
east front of the treasury building was.
almost ancient, but tho north wing had.
just been completed, although not yeb
occupied by tho officials. The heating
apparatus was either incomplete on inn.
perfect and there was a great denl Of
suffering there that night despite the.
fact that happiness and hilarity seemed
to possess the souls of ell present.
The best dressed woman there was,
the wife of John Morriscy, member
of congress from New York, but for-'
merly a notorious prize fighter. Nor
rissey's reputation at that time was,
similar TO that OF Sullivan of tue pres
ent day. His wife, in addition TO having
the most fashionable and expensive tot
let upon the occasion, Yves rndiant with.
diamonds estimated to be worth over
twenty thousand dollars During tho
ball she lost q handsome bracelet vc(ced
at eighteen hundred dollars, which was
afterwards traced and discovered by me-
and by me returned to her. The urbauei
and gentlemauly prize fighter stnte6'
man gave me n courtly bow and the ad-,
ditional reward Of: I thanle you, SIR
cat that timo John Hammocf, kept.
the best restaurant in the city. It wnS
on pennsylvania avenue ncar the.
treasury, in tho building now occupied
by drug store. Quite a number of
eminent gentlemen rcsorted TO that
place many times during tho course OF
the evening to warm themselves eN-'
ternally beside the immense cannon
coal stove, and internally, according to.
the custom of thnt day, with food and
drink.
The number OF distinguished gentle.
men present at the ball accompanied
by their wives and lady friends prob
ably exceeded any other ball within
the present generation There were
Gen. Pleasanton, the eminent cavalry
leader; Gen. Sherman, the hero of
tacticians; Gen Sheridan, tho doughty
fighter and successful invader and.
raider; Gems. Mcdowell, Garfield,
Schenck, Banks and Pops Among
the distinguished civilians were Eoscoc
Conl1ling, Allan G. Thurman, Hannibal
Wade. Bornunl, Mcdonald, Hendricks,
dbO lJuIIlStf, I'LL,
nan, Randall. Kelley and many other
great men who were leaders upon the
floor of the senate and house II seems.
to me but yesterday, and yet nearly all
of them have passed away forever.
'There were q great many people
here from New York, Philadelphia.
Boston, St. Louis, Chicago, Phtsburgh,
and other cities, all Of them gentlemen,
of wealth, official position and social
standing. Mrs. Grants fathet., Gen.
Dent, and the entire Dent family per.
vaded the place. There were also Hal
let Kilbourn, who became famous by
reason of his refusal to show private
papers to congressional committee,
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