The morning call., 1891-01-10
THE DECORATIONS.

THE DECORATIONS.
! Tasteful and Conscientious Work of the
Decoration Committee.
The superb Capitol building was entirely
| transformed by the magi of the decorative
art. Never had the interior looked more re-
splendent Passing up the broad ap-
proaches, white with the beams of the in
candescent fire, the seethng crowd of
glltterlng fashion and substantial worth as
cended the lOw-stepped stairways, beneath
the life-size figures OF California, surrounded
by the peaceful arts, to the main veStibule.
The doorway was flanked with immense
palms, one giant variety from Mexico at
tracing particular attention by its stately
pride. Here the invading crowd were blocked
by a temporary barricade, shutting off the
rotunda, and were diverted into two streams.
The majority Of the ladies passing upstairs.
along the canvassed corridors to SURVEYOR
General RelchertS office, which under the
honorable occupants particular supervision
had been converted into 4 pretty suite of
reception and dressing rooms. Cordons of
| eyergreens veiled the official aspect of desks
and readlng-chairs and lovely flowers COM
| pietely ousled the papers and other para
phernalla OF business routine. Mirrors we're
here In plenty, with chairs and pleasant at
tendants TO relieve the ladies' of their wraps,
from which they issued like goddasses uf
the morn discarding the envious mfsts which
concealed their dazzling charms
In the meantime the gallant escorts had
sought their hat-room in the janitor's office,
and soon the building resounded with the
tread OF promenading parties whose obIec-
tive point was either the Senate or Assem-
bly, chambers. These are the chef-d'0 0uyres
of the magnificent building, and here the
decoration was largely concentrated. Archi-
tecturally they are beautiful by themselves.
ana their stately magnifcence was enhanced
by the glow Of color and liuht hat
mated them tonight. The Assembly Cham
Der Is the largest, and the greater crowd
tripped the light measures OF the dance
therein. Up near the high ceiling there, as
well as In the Senate Chamber, female fig
ure--that of California herself-looked down
on the scene and smiled as she seemed to
contemplate It. Other figures. including an
immense cornucopia disgorging Dlentitude
OF peculiarly California wealth of fruit and
flowers appeared particularly happy in its
connection with the occasion.
All day the weil-knOwn pictures of bygOne
woTthles IN the Assembly Chamber had
watched the progress of this periodical
transformation band stard had been
carefully erected and partially concealed
with wagon-loads of greenery, cordons of
cypress and smilaX swayed picturesauely on
every side, while national shields and man
ties OF red cloth lent the necessary touches
Of color. What had become of the desks
that had seemed as immutable as Orion's
belt or other fixed orbs Of heaven none could
say, but their places knew them no more
In their room spread snowy expanse of
canvas, whereon measure after measure was
lightly tripped.
The Assembly Chamber is naturally the
green "-rocm, 1or in that color il is uphol-
stored. Red, on the contrary, is the dumi-
nant color OF the Senate Chamber. The hue
OF the plush chairs and great curtains in
each blended with the ornamentation of the
chamber. In that of the Assembly great
lines of Creamery and iplrna,, "a l.
dotted with cleaning stars, dropped from
the ceiling, We're caught up as they fell and
fastened to the gallery. Around the gallery
IN the two houses were festoOns of a dark
green Tern like evergreen, and below il the
line Oh lestuonlng was OF lighter shade of
green. From the gas jets on the walls hung
balls composed Of leaves, flowers and ber-
ries Of pitt sperum.
The gallery front was almost entirely
concealed by banners bearing the coats-of-
arms of all the States in the Union. and
from that in the other chamber hung stream
ers OF all colors, prettily decorated and
bearing the following legends: "Sola no.
biIltas yirtus." "Amicitia, amor ct veritas,"
FRO arls ct focls Ylncit amor patrie,' ''E
Pluribus Unum," Labor omnia vincit."
"Libertas ct natalie solum," and "Deo ad-
jurante non timendum." From the chaude-
llers in the gallery hung silk banners of
many soft hues, on which were painted fan
tastic designs.
scene, the number of gas-iets in each cham
Der may furnish additional assistance. In
the Assembly Chamber 227 were lit, COM
prislng the three handsome large chandel-
iers OF twenty-fOur globes each. Those that
branched oct from the white walls below
and in the gallery made the gallery ledge a
semi-circle of brightness. In the Senate
Chamber l73 jets shed their united ilumina-
ton. The rotunda-abOve which rose the
dome, glltterlng and glowing in gradually
diminishing circle for more than 100 feet
was lit up with nearly 1000 small electric
lights. 1t was also decorated. From pillar
to pillar there ran great festoons OF green
and streamers hung from them also. The
big inches in the circular wall were filled
with begonas, Japanese, Australian and
South Carolina palms, japonicas of several
varieties. Towering abutll0ns, variegated
yuccas, ferns, geraniums and various other
small plants, while on the tessellated floor
were placed larger specimens of tropical
productions. Some were set around the
railing over which one looks down on Lar
Kin u, Meads piece of sculpture of Column
bus and Isabella, and others were put in
position against the wall.
Inc success of the decorations must be
largely credited to the untiring labOrs of
MAJOR w. III. Ennis, Chairman OF The Hall
and Decorations Committee. The sum of
S637 was appropriated for the work and an
Immense amount had been contriyed ON that
sum. Inc eyergreens were supplied nv
three leading florists, who furnished OF
their best.
THE INVITATIONS.
nF