Evening star., 1897-03-05
The President and Mrs. Nc
Kinley Attend. A Great
Crowd, Artistic Decor
ations and Excel
lent Music.

The grand Inaugural ball was a fitting
conclusion to the memprable events that
filed every hour of the first day of Presi-
dent McKinley's administration.
IL is not exaggerating to say that never
in the history of the new world. never
during the one hundred AMI twenty-five
years of the independence of America, has
there been such social gathering on
American soil as that which distinguished
the grand ball at the pension office building
last night 1t social event partici-
pated in by men distinguished states
men. diplomats ard in military life. to-
gether with men who have achieved great
regulations in the business and social
world The ladies belonging to the fami-
lies of these distinguished men coming
from all parts of the United States and
from all parts of the world were there
The entertainment furnished by the gai-
cites Of the ball room was but continue
tion of the series of events that had char
acterized the day and made il one of the
most memorable in American history. AS
Old Probabilities had smiled upon the city
throughout the day and contributed the
fairest weather of all the year so was the
evening in every way perfect one for the
holding of a social event of national i'm
portance. The temperature was Just low
enough TO permit a great gathering with
the greatest comfort to every one who par
ticipated. and TO make the gentle exercise
of daoring a pleasure. All the elements
combined TO make the evening as they had
the day perfect one for celebrating the
entrance into the White House of the 6is-
tirguished Ohioan.
The mammoth structure had been
transformed from pension office for the
ad1udication of the claims of neariy a
million veterans who had risked their lives
TO preserve the Union in its integrity INFO
ball room and no more fitting place could
have been selected had every building in
the land been available for that purpose
Brilliantly lighted as 1t was. il could be
seen for long distances from every portion
OF the city when the hour for the festiv-
tiles approached. Then il was that elegant
equipages. drawn up at thousands of homes
OF the most distinguished residents of the
capital city and at the hotels where Wis
ltors were quartered. began TO he filled and
10 wend their way toward the scene of the
ball Shortly after $ o'clock the two en-
frances TO the building had lines of car
riages drawn up before them. and 1t took
over two hours for the great assemblage of
people to enter the building which had
been transformed into a veritable paradise
of pleasure. Within the structure every
thing that could suggest the work-a-day
character of the building had been blotted
Out with decorations galore. 1t was a
"azzling sight that met the eye of every
one attending the function. The mammofh
hall room, surrounded by three tiers of gal
leries. was marvel that outriyalled the
most splendid dream of oriental grandeur
The decorations, the scheme being white
and gold. had been arranged to give a light
effect. white and yellow being the predom-
mating colors. The ceiling was hung with
himsy material that gave il the appear
ance OF covering of nebulous clouds
Dazzling Effect.
Thousands of electric lights were dis
tributed over the entire edifice lending a
dazzling effect. About each of the bal.
comics were arrayed choice decorations
Festoons of evergreens encircled the bal
room In as many lines as there were bal
comes The enormous mar5elize1 column.
shone amid the brilliant illumination anc
added richness to the scene. In the cen
ter of the great ball room played Il :ountair
banked about with large-leafed plants OF
the tropics, and everywhere was masseC
great banks OF roses red and white ever,
one OF which was a chOire product of The
florist The massing Of eyergreens ant
roses was TO be seen all about the building
About the marbleIzed Columns, along IN.
railing of the balconies and over the wall.
everywhere was the trailing smilax brough
from the south for the ornamentation O.
the building AT the end of the hall was {
stand occupied by the 22d Regiment Ban,
OF New York. the musicians being attire,
In a cream-colored uniform. an arch o
electric lights overlapping them
Along the side of the ball room was an
other music stand occupied by nearly 10
musicians and during the evening the ban,
and orchestra alternated in providin,
music for the dancers
Enhancing as was the scene before III
dancing arrived IL became one almost i'm
possible 10 describe after 4 thousand ecu
pies had taken their places on the floor Z
participate actively In the festivities of tn
ball room. Every one was in full evenin
dress Here and there the brilliant uni
forms of officers OF the army and nav