Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-02

By 1890 o'clock-an hour and a half befJre
| the time Of meeting-the public galleries
in both houses were filed and an eager
crowd overf1owed into the outer corridors.
Many ladies were in the thronE, but there
was a noticeable lack Of the color and fair
| weather costumes which usually give q
| touch Of brightness to the somber cham
bers.
The DAY was dull and gloomy, rain fell at
intervals. and when not raining the weather
| was foggy and the air heavy.
New Rule as to Admissions.
A new rule was put into operation today
in regard to the admission to the public
galleries Of the House. Heretofore it has
been the custom to admit the friends of
members to the private and reserved gal
leries by card, leaving the general public to
scramble for seats IN the public galleries.
first come, first served. Today the public
| galleries were opened only to persons bear
ing cards from members. The general pub
lie were met at the foot of the stairs by the
| Capitol policemen and refused access to the
| upper corridors unless they bore cards of
admission. Three cards were issued to each
| member, and there was large demand for
| the coveted pasteboards.
The enforcement of the rule caused con-
siderable irritation among the crowds that
| focked TO the House wing to witness the
opening of Congress in that end of the
| Capitol.
Electric Calls for Pages.
The old method of calling pages in the
House by clapping of hands and wild ges-
| ticulation has been superseded by a quiet
er one. On each members desk is an elec-
tric push button. which sounds an annun-
ciator in one of the cloak rooms and brings
a page to the desk The pages occupy
benches in the cloak room and answer calls
by turn. The new method is designed to
prevent confusion around the Speakers
desk, where the pages used to congregate. p,
and to give rapid transit facilities to menu
be rs in need of messengers.
The Press Gallery.
Charles Mann AMI Charles HoIbrook, who
have been in charge Of the House press
gallery for several years. had the gallery
in tidy shape for business when the cor
| respondents arrived today. The old MEM
bers found their coat hooks numbered and
ticketed and everything prepared to pick
up the routine Of business where they
dropped it last year.
The old members Of the gallery as we'll
es the newcomers are required to make
new applications for membership this year,
cluding employees of the government and
legislative clerks.
Tho House Weather Bureau.
The weather bureau in the House wing
resumed business at the old stand today.
under the management of Mr.. Randolph.
This institution has become exceedingly
popular with the old members, and is ex-
pected to engage the attention of the new
ones, who can relieve in measure that
| homesick feeling by stepping into the lobby
| md seeing at a glance the condition of the
weather at home. Every one remembers tho
stories true ones, too, of how Mr. Abbott
| of Texas used to wire his directions for hog
killing at home by the weather forecasts
| from this bureau. and the Michigan lumber
king in the last House advised his bosses In
the pine woods of that state of the approach
| of snow storms long before the local goose
bones had shown Indications.
Senators Handshaking.
At the conclusion Of the prayer offered
nv the chaplain Of the Senate today there
was the usual amount of handshaking
among the Senators. This was watched
with interest from the galleries. many
on the democratic side of the Senate had
not met siLoe the overwhelming defeat at
| the polls. Whether 1t was the result of a
fellow feeling or not, the Senators who
had met defeat at the polls were unusually
! cordial in their mutual greetings lmmedi>