The record-union., 1893-03-06
Special to the REcoRD-US1ox.

WASHINGTON, March 5.-In view of q
vast multitude of people Grover Cleve-
land yesterday, for the second time, took
the oath of Office as President of the
United States. The weather in Washing
ton had been fair for the past few days
and hundreds of thousands hoped and be-
lieved that that of Inauguration day
would be propitious, butelate yesterday
afternoon clouds formed and soon the
sky was overcast. a misting rain COM
menced to fall during the early part OF
last night. Thousands of anxious eyes
were scanning the heavens and once or
twice it seemed that the clouds would be
dissipated. Riffs formed and there was a
promise of bright weather on the NOR
row, but cold north wind set in and
snow was soon falling heavily.
Early in the morning there were NUT
terings OF disappointment from the
thousands of visitors. Inauguration
morning was as disagreeable as could
well be imagined. With sloppy streets,
a storm, half rain, half snow falling and
a cold March wind blowing, the outlook
was far from pleasant. Indeed, it seemed
that the parade must be partial failure,
if the idea was not totally abandoned.
Never has there been an inaugural pa
rade that surpassed the one that came
sweeping up Pennsylvania avenue in the
face of the wind yesterday, either in
point Of numbers or in the fine appear
ance of the officers and men.
Had the atmospheric conditions been
anything like favorable. Instead of being
h,J l. /
probably have been 10000 men and a
number Of ladies in the parade, against
$4,000 in 1855. They were all waiting to
fall in line, but at the last moment some
OF the organizations were compelled to
desist from participating. Nevertheless
the occasion was made memorable by a
vast attendance. The Governors of
eleven States-New York, New Jersey
and Massachusetts in the East, Pennsyl-
vauia and Maryland among the Middle
States, Georgia, North and South Caro-
lima and Louisiana in the South and Wis
consin in the West-partlcipated in the
ceremonies, thereby emphasizing a com
plete national unity.
The order Of the proceeding was almost
identicalIy the same as four years ago,
with the action OF the chief participants
reversed, and differed very little, except
III the extent of the demonstration, from
the ceremonies eight years ago, which
brought Cleveland to Washington for the
first time in his public career.
There are four great features of Inaug-
uration Day: The closing hours of Con-
gress, into which so much lawmaking
and history is So fraouantI, i, oro,r1ol. IL -
ride of the retiring President and Presi-
dent and Nice-P e-President-elect, with their
military escort, from the White House to
the Capitol to lay down and take up the
reins OF power respectively; the pageant
OF the returning procession after the in
auguration, and the inaugural ball at
night.
The public and private stands erected
along the line of march from the Capitol
to point beyond the White House had a
seating capacity of 6O,00O, and every one
was crowded. Every foot of standing
room along the route of the procession.
fully two miles in length, was occupied.
The windows commanding view of the
parade brought fabulous prices, and ad-
vantageous seats on the public stands
brought above and below 50.
The main stand, from which Cleveland
reviewed the parade, Immediately in
front of the White House, had a seating
capacity for !, 100. Itwas decorated taste
fully. In the center was an arch fortv-
two feet high, handsomely draped, and
surmounted by the arms of the United
States, and on the extreme right the coat
Oi-arms of New y ork, Cleveland's State.
on the extreme left was the coat-of-arms
of Illinois, Stevenson's State. Between
them were the armorial bearings of the
thirteen original States, each surmounted
by a flag bearing its name.
Cushioned seats were provided for the
President and Cabinet, who surrounded
him, and folding chairs for the diplomatic
corps. Immediately behind him, on the
other side, were seats for the Senators
ana members of the House and invited
guests. The vast Treasury building was
completely walled in with stands. On
thelittle parks and public reservations
on the line of march and every other
available point stands were erected, the
largest extending the entire length of
Lafayette Square, Immediately in front
stand.
On old Capitol Hill, as far as the eve
could reach from the eastern front of the
Capitol, an undulating sea OF humanity
was assembled to witness the admins
kration of the oath of office to the new
President by the Chief Justice of the
United States and TO hear, as many of
them as could get within earshot, the in-
augural address.
The escorting division of the parade,
composed of artillery, cavalry and in
fautrv of the regular army and marines.
with the National Guard of the district.
the High School Cadet Regiment and
other local organizations, assembled in
the neighborhood of the White House.
the War. State and Navy buildings, and
formed in columns and sections of twelve
each and marched down the avenue, ac-
companying the Presidential party from
the White House to the Capitol prior to
the Inauguration.
All the rest of the parade assembled
below the Capitol and marched from the
Capitol up the avenue after the Inaugural
ton. For more than half of the day the
city looked like vast military camp. The
almost interminable marching past Of the
regulars and military forces of the States
was broken only by visiting Governors
IN civilian costumes, riding past IN the