The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-03-04

| yesterday or In the small hours of this
morning and who feared for their chances
| OF viewing the White House. wandered
through the grounds surrounding the his
toric mansion before the sun was well
above the horizon line, but these were
few in number. They saw nothing ex-
cept drawn blinds and a heavy eyed
policeman or two. The man whose term
as the Chief Magistrate of the nation
was numbered by hours was endeavoring
to snatch brief rest from his fatiguins
labors of the closing days of official life
days that had been filled with physical
suffering. The members of his official
household, who had worked through most
of the night. had gone to their homes
for little sleep. Private Secretary
Thurber. who has been Mr.. Cleveland S
guest since his family left Washington
last week, to reopen their Detroit home,
was the first of the Executive staff to
appear and he spent the short time at
his disposal in sorting out the morning S
mail and in clearing off his desk.
Most of the people who were earliest
on the streets were in search of sone-
thing to eat and the eating houses did a
rushing business. They lodged INTO the
regular and the temporary lunch rooms,
sleepily giving their orders to sleepy
walters and when appetites had been
satisfied went out in the streets to join
the rapidly accommodating crowds BY
eight O'Clock every vestige of mist and
feecy cloud had cleared away before the
crisp breeze that had changed from north
west to southeast. The sun came out
full and strong and served to temper the
slight chill of the atmosphere. Under
such circumst tances of weather it was
no wonder that everybody looked happy.
People walked along with a briskness
born of the bracing air until the conges-
ton along the sidewalks brought them
down to something less than saunter.
Pennsylvania avenue, was of course the
chief resort of early sightseers. They
walked along the board pavements con-
graduating themselves and acquaintances
on the perfect day that had been given
for the occasion. The wise men
whose previous experiences at Pres
idential inaugurations had taught them
to expect the worst, found that they
were not SO wise in the wearing of heavy
great coats as those who had provided
themselves with lighter wraps 1t was
coat comfortable and what more can be
said to indicate the character of the
weather.
1t was after eight o'clock before the
first blare of trumpets reminded the peo-
pie that the military and civic parade
would shortly assemble. The band of a
belated political club furnished the initia-
tory music as it marched up Pennsyl-
vania avenue from the train which
brought it to Washington. With the
band playing lively air the embryo pro-
cession turned into Fourteenth street past
the Ebbitt House, above which the Presi-
dents flag fioated proudly and sent its
strains to the ears of Major Mckinley
to remind him that this was his busy day.
By mine o'clock 1.-THE Avenue as the
broad highway is best known, was pretty
well crowded. People had begun to take
positions along the curbs and to bank up
at particular points of vantage In the
vicinity of the White House and the Eb-
bitt House the crowds soon grew to
large numbers. Bands playing lively airs
headed bodies of troops that were to
take part in the parade as they marched
to the positions assigned them in prepara-
ton for taking the proper positions in the
line. The list New York Regiment pre-
sented a splendid appearance as it
marched up the Avenue from the railroad
station where it arrived this morning.
The regular troops who were to form the
escort of the President and President
elect from the White House to the Capt.
tol formed the principal attraction for
the sight-seers strung along the avenue
from the White House toward the Capt.
tol building. They marched along with
a swinging step that struck the admira-
ton of the spectators and frequent ap-
plause marked the passage of each body
to its assigned position.
AT ten o'clock street cars crossing the
Line of march were stopped by the po-
lice and thick wire ropes that blocked
passage elsewhere along the thorough
fare over which the procession passed,
were stretched across the side streets
so that vehicles and spectators were pre-
vented from going beyond the curbs.
Every vehicle and individual was made to
leave these main arteries of military pro-
marching space was presented to the
participants in the parade.
The White House grounds were closed
early in the morning to all except those
entitled, by ticket or otherwise, to ad-
mission there. People who had the green
slips of cardboard that gave entrance to
the reviewing stand began coming early,
satisfied to sit for many hours in antici-
patton of the military show which ends
the inaugural ceremonies proper.
Mrs. Cleveland had number of callers
during the morning, including the ladies
composing the Cabinet circle and a few
intimate friends. Among others who
called at the White House were Messrs.
Burchard and Scott Hayes, sons of Presi-
dent Rutherford B. Hayes and Mrs.
Burchard Hayes, but they came merely
to shake hands with the members of the
Executive force whom they had known
years ago. Many gifts of flowers. also.
were sent to Mrs. Cleveland Many also
arrived for the President t-elect and his
wife,
The members of the Cabinet assembled
early in the cabinet room and sat for the
last time around the long table at which
their conferences have been held Presi-
dent Cleveland, meanwhile, was in the
private part of the House busily inspect
ing and acting on patches of Congression
al bills that were being delivered at inter
walls by messengers from the Capitol
Mr.. Cleveland rested the troublesome
right foot on chair as he proceeded
with his last official work.
At the Ebbitt House the President-elect
was preparing for the day. AT 8 o'clock