Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1893-05-03
THE COLUMBIAN BALL.
1t Was the Most Magnificent Ever Given in
America.


America.
New YORK, April 27-The Columbian
ball tonight at the Madison Square
Garden was in respect to magnifcence
OF decoration and arrangement and of
the large number Of wOrld-famous
guests the most splendid given in the
New World. Besides the President
and his advisers, the chief legislative
body of the United States and
Spanish grandee, who is the
namesake and lineal descendant of
Christopher Columbus, there were the
diplomatic corps, the admirals and sub
ordinate officers of every great naval
power in the world, governors Of neigh
boring states and famous army officers.
1t was in fact gathering of celebrities
so varied and SO glOriOusly arrayed that
the oldest and most travelled guest ac-
knowledged that seldom or never be-
fore had he seen parallel to the
gorgeous picture presented.
The decorations Of the garden were
rich and elaborate, eclipsing in their
magnificence and elegance anything
ever before attempted in the great audi
forum. The main entrance had been
draped with a background of pure white,
festoOned with a delicate tracing of
smilaX and asparagus sprays and cut
flowers, and rare eXOtics were prOfusely
distributed through this rich green
ground with a myriad of tiny electric
lights shining from out the mass of flow
er5 and verdure. Two silver dragons
with great burning ruby eyes guard
ed at the Madison Avenue entrance. In
the center of the garden thousands of
sprays of the lilies-of- the-valley formed
an arch. Upon the keystone was
perched a smiling Cupid, whose wings
are studded with miniature lamps and
who holds in his hands a chain of vari-
colOred electric lights. The blaze of
the arch was composed of many cO1ored
lights whose hues were constantly
changing. Surrounding this beautiful
arch was grove of palms and large
foliage plants and half hidden amidst
their verdure was Japanese bamboo
wheel of COlOred revolving lamps.
At the Fourth Avenue end of the gar
den was placed an immense japanese
fan studded with electric lights. Di-
rectly beneath this was the reception
dais. 1t was gorgeous with flowers and
plants, and at the two corners were
dragons such as guarded the entrance
to the garden. Across the rear of the
amphitheater, in huge letters Of light,
are the words "a new world welcome"
A magnificent model of the cap
itOl at Washington, created out
of with cape flowers and il
Illuminated with electric lights, rests
upon the stage of the assembly-roOm.
A miniature reproduction of the
grounds in natural plants surrounds it.
The Hungarian Band occupied the low
er end Of the stage, which was filled
with palms and cut flowers, while the
broad stairWays between the assembly
room and the ampitheater were entire
ly covered with drapery OF white and
gold and festOons of smilax and tiny
lamps. The cost Of these magnificent
decorations was $4,000.
The balcony pillars were tWined with
smilax and flowers and the entire roof
OF the garden was hung with canopy
of white and gold, dependent from
which were hundreds Of clusters of
flags of ali nations. The boxes on either
end of the garden were decorated with
flowers and flags. The large box in the
center Of the Madison Avenue end was
occupied by His Honor Mayor Gilroy
and suite.
President CleveIand's box was on the
right Of the mayors. 1t was lined with
hair ferns, roses and asparagus in
beautiful design covering it. A magnii-
cent bank Of American beauty roses
slopes gently down to the base Of the
balcony to a large American shield and
eagle, Old Glory being outlined in
colored lights Each post supporting
the boxes is festooned with smilax and
palms studded with incandescent lights.
Large green plaques bearing bouquets
OF lamps are placed at intervals between
the boxes.
The boxes occupied by the Duke Of
Veragua and his party were on the left
of the mayors. The other boxes on
the first tier and about the mayors box
were occupied by the members Of the
supreme court, the diplomatic corps
and by Gov. Flower and staff. The
arena boxes were occupied by the ad
mirals of the foreign and American
fleets and their attending officers. The
foreign officers had been given the cen
ter boxes and the Americans the other
boxes. Maj .-Gen. Schofeld, command
ing the army, and Mai.-Gen. O. O. How
ard, with their suites, also occupied
boxes in this tier.
Two bands furnished the music in the
ballroom, one being stationed on the
south and the other on the north side
of the garden. Lander's orchestra of
eighty string pieces played the music
for the dancers, and Rogers Seventh
Regiment band Of sixty pieces played
during the intermiSsions and prone
nades.