The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-19
INAUGURAL GAYETIES.
STORIES OF GREAT BALLS THAT
HAVE BEEN HELD ON MARCH 4.

A Talk Win EX-Mayor B9rret OF
Washington, Who Has Attended
Every Inaugural Ball Since 1841-A
Glimpse Of Lincoln IN the Ball Room.
Grants Queer Luck.
Copyright 1891
WASHINGTON, Feb. 18.-The ceremonies
attending the Inauguration of a President
are very simple. They are rendered i'm
pressive by the Inherent nature of the act
which they surround, and by the vast num-
bers who look on. Unless all signs fail the
throng this year will be greater than it ever
was before. To one having a general view
Of the newspapers of the country it would
seem as II every organization, not distinctly
republican in its character, had decided to
be present. The question one hears most
frequently in Washington now is: "Where
are you going to stand along the avenue
and take of your hat when Cleveland goes
byW
All preparations have been made. There
are details to be worked out, but they have
10 do only with the formation and handling
Of the great parade and similar matters.
The arrangements this year do not differ in
auy notable manner from those of previous
inRugurations, with single exception, and
this has to do with the ball. The inaugural
ball is really, In a way, the most brilliant
portion of the days observances. One gets
a better idea of the great throng
in the city and of the remark
able assemblsge of notable personages,
by attending the ball than in any osher
way. The novel feature about this year is
not due to the design of man, but to the
fact that March 4 falls upon Saturday. 1t
would be wicked to dance in a government
building on Sunday morning, and, there
fore the ball must be over by 10 O'Clock.
Hence II is easy to perceive that it must
start much earlier than the experience Of
mankind would lead one to suppose that
such an affair could be got under way.
Edwin b. Hay ssayss that the ball will
start at O'Clock, and as he is chairman Of
the subcommittee this statement carries
weight The preparations for the interesting
festivity are on grand scale. Eight thou
sand dollars will be spent on,theidecOratIons,
and the enormous ball of the pension build
ing will doubtless present a gay and glitter
ing appearance 1t is fine thing to have
the interior of this building once in four
years atone for the unspeakable ugliness OF
its exterior every day in the year. There
will be 100 musicians in the main orchestra
and sixty in the promenade orchestra
The engraved programmes have
manager will have sixteen aids, to each Of
whom will be assigned seoLion of the hall
They will be In communication with their
chief by means of an electric wire. Every
one of them will press his button when the
sets in his part Of the hall are filled, and
when all have signsled the floor manager
will start the music. There will be such an
enormous crush that dancing will be almost
as vigorous an exercise as playing foot ball,
but everyb body will have good time
The inaugural ball has q very interesting
history. No man knows il better than Col.
James @. Berret. He has attended every
ball since 1S4I, when William Henry Harri-
son was entertained with the spectacle OF
dancing and merrymaking in his honor.
Everybody knows Col. Berret A tall and
portly man he is, to whom high office has
lent the garment Of dignity, while nature
bestowed upon him the better gift of kindli-
ness. He has been mayor of the city, and
member of the Maryland legislature His
connection with that body has probably
never been duplicated by any public man.
In 1887 he was chosen to the legislature and
he served his term. Fifty-five years later
he was again chosen from the same county.
He was the youngest Of the lawmakers when
the state called him first be was the oldest
when she again summoned him TO her legls-
lative halls.
"The first inaugural ball which l at
tended, }" said Col Berret twas that given
in honor of William Henry Harrison. The
city had only %, 0OU inhabitants then. and,
OF course such an attendance as we now
expect was thing unheard of for such an
affair. There were, perhaps, 700 people
present at that ball, which was held, IL my
memory serves me. in Carusi's saloon. Ac-
cording to the etiquette of the time the
President was escorted by a senator chosen
by the committee, and generally its chair-
and Ia a1ka rad ~rr9kR
out great formalitY, and was escorted to
the platform, where the people we're intro
duced to him. | recall no special incident
OF this ball. 1t was an agreeable affair, and
there was great wine supper. No lady
came with Harrison.
I'm Folks time, four years later, there
was curious state of affairs. A division of
sentiment had shown itself. resulting in
two parties-as to the matter of the bali
two parties-as to the matter Of the ball
called the citizens and the democrats
Tickets to the Harrison ball had cost $40.
The democrats now proposed to reduce the
price to IS, and to make other changes in
the arrangement The result was that two
balls were held-one at $40 and one at IS.
The democratic, or s. ball, was held IN the
National thester, on the same site as the
present structure of that name. The $40
ball was held at Carusi's. Mr.. and Mrs.
Polk appeared at both balls, and were re-
ceived with every evidence of enthusiastic
regard. | was chosen, with Mayor Seton,
to escort President and MIRA Polk to the
das in Carusi's, and there the people were
Introduced to them. The next morning
the National theater burned to the ground.
A difference in few hours might we'll have
made this incident catastrophe.
I'm Taylor's time, 1849, there was the
same difficulty as had resulted In the double
entertainment for his predecessor. There
was not only social division, but politics
came in There was a real attempt to make
the ball a test and means of political in
huence. Two balls were held The pro-
nouncsd wing bali was held in a building
constructed for the purpose, adjoining city
nall. The other was at jackson hall over
the old Globe printing Office. Both balls
we're fairly successful, but the effort to
make political capital out of them was q
failure so far as | could observe.
mo ball was given TO President Pierce Ia
1854 He had lost son in a railroad aooi-
dent near his home just before be came 60
Washington. The victim of this sad mis-
hap was his old child, a most promising boy,
whose loss was a sore grief to his father. In
such circumstances any entertainment like
a ball was felt to be wholly inappropriate.
The ball given TO Buchanan Ia '57 was
very handsome affair. II was held In such
building as the wings had put up Ia Tay-
Tors time. The rooms in city hall we're
used for supper rooms, etc. With Buc~
hanRn came Miss Harriet Lane, his niece,