Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-12-10
City Post Office Suggested for the
Great Ball.
THE FINANCE COMMITTEE ANNOUNCED
Col. Cecil Clay Made Chairman of
the Military Committee.
GENERAL NEWS AND GOSSIP

dore E. Roessle chairman Of the commit
tee on decorations Of the ball room, and
colonel Cecil Clay chairman of the COM
mittee on military organiza tions.
MI. John w. Thompson and Mr.. Bell
made public on account of its Importance
the list of the members of the finance com
mittee. 1t comprises the names of E. S.
Parker, B. T. Snyder E. S. Johnson, F.
G. Stevens c. f. Norment, Jesse B. Will
son, DIR. D. b. Clarke, J. E. Herrell, ]. ID.
Taylor, c. c. Glover, NJ. G. Emery, George
G. Hennipg, l.. ]. Davis, A. K. Paris, John
w. Mccartney, John G. Moore of New
York, E. Francis Riggs, o. G. Staples, E. ].
Stellwagen, George f. Emmons, A. A.
Thomas. Isadore Saks, James F. Hood, c.
X. Simpson, Charles H. Allender, Andrew
NJ. Green, w. w. Burdette, c. c. Duncan
son, R. o. Hoffman, w. S. Knox, r.
Greeslees and w. H. Moses.
Mr.. George H. Walker has been appointed
recording secretary of the executive COM
mittee. Mr.. Walker Is the well-known
Washington correspondent, and came here
originally as the representative of Chair
man Mark Hannas paper, the Cleveland
Herald. He is an cld and warm friend of
President-elect Mckinley, anl accompanied
paigns. Mr.. Walker will lake care of the
news for the newspaper men, and his ex-
perience will make the work of the re-
porterS simple and easy.
Subscriptions to the inaugural fund are
being received, and there are several of
LOCO. Chairman Thompson will begin
Monday to make public the names of sub
scribers ard the amounts Of their favors.
The Library and hall.
Chairman Bell intended to visit the Con-
gressional Library building today for the
purpose of examining its fitness as place
to hold the inaugural hall, but was unable
to do SO on account Of the press Of other
business. Criticism of the proposition to
hold the ball in the new structure grows
more widespread and emphatic the more
the idea is considered, and it Is safe to say
that If 1t were not for the fact that Chair
man Hanna is so ardently in favor of the
plan IL would not be contemplated for an
hour.
prominent gentleman in conversation
with Star reporter today was especially
emphatic in his opposition to the project.
The Congressional Library building"
he said, leaving all aesthetic questions out
Of consideration. is in no wise adapted for
the purpose of holding an inauguration
ball. In the first place, 1t would be simple
brutality to take 10000 people into the sec
ond story of any building on earth. In the
second place, there would be no opportunity
for the enjoyment Of a spectacle such
function of so grand character should
provide ball In the Library building
would be cut up in fragmentary sections,
necessarily, and its effect in every sense,
regarding beauty and particularly comfort,
would be absolutely destroyed. No form of
human ingenuity could devise means to get
10000 people into such a structure as the
Library building with its limited entrances
and exits in four hours or out of it in six,
unless the windows were used. think The
Star, In its description of the building
few days ago, sufficiently showed that it is
entirely inadequate for any such a purpose
as that contemplated
The City Post OMce Building.
The latest suggestion concerning the in
augural ball is that that affair be held in
the new city post office building
Those who advance the suggestion think
the large court in the post office building
we'll adapted to the purposes Of the ball
They will probably bring the matter to the
attention of the inaugural committee.
The dimensions of the post office building
are 800 by 200 feet 1t incloses a court 200
by 100 feet, entirely clear and unobstructed
by pillars. A cortile roof is to be con-
structed over the court at a height of
thirty feet, the skeleton for which is al
ready in position, and above this is clear
space of over 200 feet to the great glass
roof at the top of the structure. The court
In the pension office is $50 by $50 feet, di-
Vided into three compartments by the large
pillars that support the roof.
The accessibility of the post office and
the ease with which the carriages aid
crowds can be handled in the extra width
u,
sylvania avenue and street join, are
points urged in its favor. There are spa
cious public entrances on three sides of
the building, and on the south side are
Two entrances into the basement floor
which could be utilized, IL is said, by the
caterer, and florist, and decorator and
others.
1t is pointed out that the corridors
around the court could be divided off into
smoking rooms, cloak rooms, supper rooms
and other necessary apartments, while in
the corridors Of the upper stories could be
located the rooms of the President Vice
President, diplomatic corps, the commit
tees, &c. If necessary, it is said, the en-
tire building could be thrown open, and
@ .ne upper corridors used for promenades,
and frc m the upper pavilions spectators
couid look down upon the brilliant scene
Deiow: Tfere are possibilities for decora-
tom 1t Is argued, that will allow the ar
genius. ~
Superintendent Kinsey said todav that
there would not be the slightest fear Of
any defacement of the building. and that
would conveniently and amply accom-
modate the large crowd that might be ex-
pected. Tie entire basement could be AT.
TED up FOR kitchens If necessary, and tenn
porery elevators could be arranged. At
comparatively little expense the high fence
surrounding the building could, he said. he
removed, the sidewalks replaced and other
necessary matters attended to to put the
building In good shape for the ball
SASAC = eAtuFeo OF the Parade.
The civic feature Of the inaugural parade
Will probably surpass any similar demon
stration on like occasion in the pasr.
While the military feature will be dazzling
and beautiful 1t will not predominant in
the procession the next 4th Of March as
1t did on the occasion of President Harri-
sons inauguration eight years ago. when
from Pennsylvania alone no less than XWEl
members of the state militia marched in
the parade. OF course no one could nos
sibly object to the splendid military feat
ure OF the pageant, but 1t is felt In infIu
ential circles that President McKinlev's
election was peculiarly triumph of the
people and that nothing aided in the VIC
tory more than the organized EFFORT which
was made throughout the country in the
shape Of clubs and associations A yery
large number Of these bodies have deter
mined to keep up their organisations rer-
manenty, and this will naturally have fha
effect OF largely increasing the presence
of representative civil bodies in Wasn-
ingtcn on Inauguration day.
Sound Money Jerseymen.
Notifications Of the intention of many
such organizations to participate In the
parade are already being received cnd ac-
commodations are being secured by ad-