The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1897-03-05
From Our Correspon lent.


land and Democratic cabinet held the
executive reins of the government il
their hands, but now William Mckinley
and Republican cabinet have then
entrusted to their care.
The ceremony incident to the change
was very imposing of course. Such q
function is of necessity SO. The city took
on, as it always does, gala attire In
honor of the event of inaugurating a
new President of the United States
The most impressive portion of the
varied ceremony occurred in the senate
chamber. The swearing in of Mr.. Nc
kinley on the east front of the, Capitol
was also quite a sober program, while
the inaugural parade and ball. the latter
in the evening, gave the whole affair
the sort of a gaiety BETTING proper
climax for the more impressive portion
of the exercises.
Strange to relate, New England was
not over ard above well represented in
the parade, The Green Mountain state,
however sent goodly quota of her
sons, headed by Governor Josiah GrOut
and staff, and three companies of the
National Guard. The governor rode a
milk-White horse, and the members of
the staff were mounted on black steeds
The state militia occupied a train of
eight Wagner sleeping cars, which were
generously provided for the Washington
trip by Dr. Seward Webb, president of
the Wagner company, a relative of the
Fanderbil,s and patriotic citizen of
Vermont, as we'll as d member of it's
legislature.
The troops were assigned a track in
the Twelfth street yard of the Pennsyl-
Vania railroad, Oh Maryland avenue.
The commands consisted of Company
NJ of Burlington, Company A of Fen
nington, and Company | of Brattleboro.
The militia was under the command of
Colonel George H. Bond of the First
regiment, and marched to the music of
a regimental band. The Green Noun
tain boys wore sprigs of evergreen, and
all along the line of march were accorded
a generous reception.
Pandemonius reigned, however, when
the Vermont contingent marched by the
grand stand Of Vermonters, which was
erected on Pennsylvania avenue, near
the new postOffice building, not vet COM
pleted. The stand presented a gay ap-
pearance, and many Well-known Yer
mont ladies and gentlemen and their
families occupied the seats and standing
room of the gayly bedecked place of OBJ
servation. Genial Senator Proctor was
everywhere in evidence and doing all
he could for the convenience of the
guests. They waited patiently for the
Vermonters in the line of march. When |
they got opposite the stand on which |
their fellow citizens were waiting such |
a bowling, cheering and general COM
motion, accompanied by the waving of |
flags, hats, umbrellas, ETC., was never !
seen in Washington. No wonder the |
Vermonters in the parade and on the |
Grandstand felt proud of their inherit |
age. 1t was one of the most compli- !
mentary receptions given along the en-
tire route of the parade, and it is safe to |
say that all Vermonters who had oc- |
casion to participate in it, in even the |
most humble capacity, will never, never
forget it.
Senator and Mrs. Proctor gave a re-
Ception to all visiting and resident Yer |
monters at their residence, 1886 L street, /
N. W., on Wednesday evening, the night |
before Inauguration day, which was at
tended, it is estimated, by 10000 loyal |
sons and daughters of the Green Noun
tain state. The reception was entirely .
informal, and everybody just went and
enjoyed themselves, regardless of social
conditions or political affiliations.
The interests of the visitors from Yer
mont attending the Inauguration eX
ercises were looked after by Senator
Proctor, Colonel M. M. Parker and Mr..
Henry A. Willard, all well-known among
the good people of their state.
The inaugural ball, held in the pension
building on the evening of March 4,
beggared description. 1t was one of the
most magnificent scenes upon which
human eyes ever gazed. The costumes
decorations and all other attendant
features were simply one continuous
round of splendor. 1t seemed like the
coronation of some great king, so elegant
was the grandeur
The groundwork of the decorations
were a profusion of white and gold
challe The ceiling of the court were
by three immense circular can
opies from which countless streamers
foated in all directions. The balconies
and walls and columns were artistically
treated in white and gold, and on the
front of the balconies and against the
walls were th3 coat-of-arms of the
states and of foreign countries and other
appropriate emblems.
The music stand and the band stand
were similar treated, and from all this
white and gold were thrown out with
effect various kinds of
flowers and plants. These floral decora-
tons surpassed anything of the sort yet
in this country, and, as is
well known, the United States Isl far
ahead of any other country in the plants
and exotics applicable to decoration, as
well as in the artistic arrangement of
them.
The band stand was constructed after
the style of the famous golden gate at
the Chicago Worlds fair, and was very
decorated with plaques of
flowers, twining asparagus and wreaths
Of rare roses. From the front of the
stand two large ribbons were drapvd
from the wings of a huge American
eagle, and on the ribbons were the names
Of Mckinley and Hobart. [
Around and about the spray of water
hat rises from the center of the foun-
ain, in the middle of the ballroom, was {
built a grotto of rocks and cork bark, {
nd around this r1apfad ,