The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-03-04
PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE.
Sights and Scenes Along Washing
toms Principal Thoronghfare

Washington, March 4.-The center of
interest of decorations of the city is the
for an unbroken sheet of asphalt $50 feet
broad and a mile long from the capitol
after the short break at Fifteenth street
for another mile and half past the north
front of the treasury, past the White
mousse and the state, war and navy de-
partments, to Washington City. There
the inaugural procession turns on its
backward march past the reviewing stand
of the grand marshal on K street.
The great trough of buildings from the
capitol to the treasury is wealth of
bunting. There are flags of all nations
waving from the windows floating
from every available f1agpole. Probably
every flag in the international code is
represented, from the stars and Stripes
white elephant of Siam and the black and
yellow dragon flag of China
Except in the center of the street, where
the police have cleared a way, there is a
solid mass of humanity, constantly shift
ing; a veritable human carpet for the
great avenue, through which the flood of
the inaugural procession is to roll
The decorations of the avenue may be
the Washington citadel. From the foot Of
the capitol to Seventeenth street the dec
older avenue, the section which in the
days of Webster, Clay and Lincoln was the
fashionable boarding house section. There
residents nave decorated each after his
own inclination, with flags from the ridge
poles, banners from the second-story wins
doWs, and printed banners of welcome to
the incoming ministratiOn, naming Nc
hlnIey and Hobart personally as the
peoples choice and the advance agents
of prosperity
At Seventeenth street, one of the great
business arteries of the city, the stands
commence. The reservations on each
side of the avenue have been occupied by
grand STANDS, hammered and embattled
with canvas, fronts painted in imitation
of brown stone, which tends to make an
imposing display.
From thence on to the foot of the treas
ury, at Fifteenth, the decorat ions are of
a slightly different Character This is the
mo finn 0=ir ITlil Il
ingS, though the avenue is not the place
in Washington to find the best specimens
of business architecture. But the larger
stores and office buildings are Weather
than those to the eastward of Seventh
real bunting and less of print muslin and
cambria Beside the banners floating
from the roofs, there are streamers from
the cornlces TO the awning rods on the
sidewalk, red, white and blue most fire.
gay and striking combinations, throwing
the mere architectural features of the
building into allegiance, and lending car
nlVaI ar TO the ordinary prosaic struc-
lures. Garlands of red, white and blue in
candescent lights are mingled with the
bunting to be flashed at night into the
brilliant display of color and a few shields
and painted emblems help to fill in the
blank wall space.
But more substantial and extensive
than the decorations of the private build
ings are those of the public departments
Every department. from the interior to
the state war and navy buildings has
thrown abroad all its store of bunting in
honor of the day.
The base of the treasury building is one
OF faVorite vantage grounds from which
to view the inaugural parade, and there
have been erected stands the south.
east and north fronts. These, with their
uniform salmon-like tint and frieze of
brilliant crimson, together with their liv-
ing freight of spectators, add to the dec
orations of the building.
Further on in the stretch of the avenue
before the presidents house the stands
are of the most classic form and substan-
tial style. From over the white review
ing stand of the chief executive. floats a
hundred bannerS,<and its snowy walls and
fag-drapped sides make it the gem of the
whole collection of reviewing stands The
others this favored stretch of the great
thoroughfare are decorated with the ma
tional colors, interspersed with laurel
wreaths, golden eagles. and banners of
every hue, shape and size The stretch of
the avenue past the presidential review
ing stand is the most choice bit of the
whole panorama through which the great
procession moves, and thence eastward
the decorations fade gradually away.