Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-02

NoeOmcial Receptions, but a General Holf-
day Throughout the City.


STILL THERE WAS 4 GOOD DEAL OF CALLING
At PRIVATE KousEs-rHE EXECUTIVE MAN
sIoSs WHEN NO NEW YEARS RECEPTION WAS
+ HELD.
Today was very generally celebrated as a
holiday throughout the city. The streets were
gay with people from early hour. taking adj
vantage OF day Of rest and the pleasant sun
shine to be out of doors. In the afternoon the
different theaters gave matinees and audiences
were as big the houses could well take care
Of
Calling was by no means general ii has
been In years gone by, and for this reason the
day lost something of its distinctive character
Calling on New Year day has ceased to be
a popular custom several years ago in the other
President has always held reception
on the first day of the year
has been the cause that has kept up
| the custom in this city longer than anywhere
else. This year the White House is closed to
all callers and most of the big houses in the
West End were also closed out of respect for
the sorrows that have come upon the Chief Ex-
ecutive.
! Still the custom has by no means died out en-
| tirely, the long list printed in SATURDAYS
STAR would show. There were lots of Young
men out calling this afternoon, gorgeous III gay
raiment. The card writer's in the hotel lobbies
and the cab drivers shared most of the profits
between them.
WHERE MEN MOST DO CoNGREGATE.
For many people holiday is something
of bore. Men who have regular en-
ployment every day in the week hardly
know what to do with themselves when
all shops and offices closed as
they were today. For this reason the places
where men most do congregate' were ali well
patronized, and billiard rooms pop
ular gathering places. while many men.
young and old, spent large part of the
dav holding up ratings in front of long
mahogany counters. Later in the afternoon
they were holding up each other. Later in the
evening they will be making futile attempts to
explain to the spouses how it all came about as
1t happened.
The clubs are among the most popular instl-
buttons on New Years day and all of them kept
open house today. There were some handsome
spreads served ut some of the west end club
houses and the attendance of members and
guests were unusually large.
No OFFICIAL RECEPTIONS.
Probably the most marked feature of the day
was the entire absence of receptions of an Off
of the day in past years and the one
more than any other that has
contributed to its general observance in this
city Is the Presidents reception at the White
House. President Harrlson's recent heavy
Affections have transformed the Executive Man.
sion into House of mourning and there
is no one who can justly criticisc his action in
emitting the usual official reception. Since he
reached that conclusion however. sickness of
contagious character has invaded his household
and the local health officer has placed the house
IN state of quarantine. SO that a reception
nnll not ltar-a lnI,l
day, even if the President had de-
cided to entirely forget his severe
personal bereavements in the interests of the
people who unwilling to forego the pomp
and ceremony usual to such events.
NO BRILLIANT UNIFORMS.
Out of consideration for the Presidents
grief a II the members of his official family also
decided to adopt similar course and todays
observance therefore lost much of its GUS
tomary significance. This means more to
officers of the army, navy and marine corps
stationed in Washington or at adjacent posts
than to the ordinary civilian, either in
or out of the government service. for
the reason that it is usually obligatory
upon them to assemble at their respective de-
partments i'll full dress uniform and then to
pay their respects first to the President next to
the Vice President then to the heads of the diff
erent departments of the government and finally
to the ranking officers of the army and navy.
These are all in the nature of official calls, and
are usually expected from every officer
able to make them. Army and navy officers
called on their friends usual to day but did
80 strictly in civil capacity and without their
uniforms
OTHER OCCASIONS WHEN THE WHITE HOUSE was
CLOSED.
The absence Of this official feature of the
day was the subject of general comment,
but everybody accepted the situation
with good grace. This Is only the
third time since the that the White
House has been closed to the public on this
usually festive occasion. During President
Grants administration Mrs. Belknap, wife
of the Secretary of War. died Just after
Christmas and the New Year reception was
omitted out of respect to her memory. The
second time was just twelve years ago. during
the administration of President Arthur.
The reception had just begun and
tho diplomatic corps. which takes pre-
cedence on such occasions, were awaiting the
President = pleasure to receive them when Mr.
Allen, the Hawaiian minister the dean of
the corps, was taken suddenly ill
and died III few minutes. This
melancholy event naturally cast a gloom over
the affair and the reception was at once brought
to an end. The news spread rapidly through
out the city and all other official receptions
were at once suspended.
Today. however. will ever be memorable
Ill tne history OF the W mite House as the iirSt
and only time the chief magistrate of the nation
could not open it to his friends even if he so
desired, because it would have been dangerous
to do So
NO RECEPTIONS AT THE HOTELS.
The custom which has prevailed on New
Year day in this city for a number of years
for the ladies at the various hotels to hold re-
ceptions in the parlors was not observed
today, at least at the uptown hotels.
At of them had anv
arrangements been made for the ladies to re-
ceive in a BODY and at the desks the clerks did
not have any information that there were to be
any individual receptions of a formal charac-
ter.
There were no receptions at any OF the down
town hotels. At the Metropolitan they had an
extra fine New Year dinner and there were some
callers though no one was receiving formally.
Speaker Crisp being sick Mrs. Crisp did not
receive any callers. At the National and the
st. James the day was not ont of the ordi-
nary.
EXTRA SESSION PROBABILITIES.
The Result of the Treasury investigation