Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-01-05
GREETED THE CHIEF.
Annual New Years Day Reception
at the White House.
THE ATTENDANCE UNUSUALLY LARGE.
Diplomats, Statesmen, Jurlsts, Military
and Naval Heroes, and the Public
Wish the Executive "Many
Returns"

place FRIDAY aGcCfulnS 10 long eStaD-
liShed custom. 1t constitutes the year.
ly ordeal OF the president and the mis-
tress of the white house, for they must
shake hands with many hundreds
several thousand in fact-of their fell
low citizens, and u large number of
foreigners. AS on last
New Years day the crowd that par
ticipnted in and witnessed the reception
was very large. 1t was the last function
ofits sortin which Mr.. and Mrs. Cleveland
will figure as the principal characters,
and this may be responsible in part for
the throng that paraded corridors and
apartments during the time set apart
for the reception. The interior of the
mansion had been lavishly decorated
for the occasion. A suggestion of the
tropics was given by IL survey of the
decorative arrangements. In the dain-
ty oval-shaped blue room, the official
chamber of the white house, With it's
delicately tapestried walls, the artistic
effect was well carried out. 1t was in
this apartment that the president, Mrs.
Cleveland and the receiving party stood.
The Receiving Party.
Eleven o'clock was the hour set for
the beginning of the reception. Before
that time members of the diplomatic
corps, ambassadors, ministers, attaches
and their wives and daughters, had be
gun to arrive and were ushered into the
BEDROOM, where they awaited the signal
to pass along the line. Out in the pub
lie lobby the United States Marine band,
under the leadership of Prof Fanciulli,
waited the signal to play. Suddenly
Tanciulli waved his baton and the vari-
GUS instruments burst forth into the
well-known air of Hail to the Chief"
Down the private staircase came The
president, Mrs. Cleveland, the members
of the cabinet and their ladies, led by
Col. John M. Wilson, U. $. A., commits
sioner of public buildings and grounds
and master of ceremonies. Col. Wilson
was attired in the uniform of a colonel
of engineers. Mr.. and Mrs. Cleveland,
Vice President and Mrs. Stevenson, Sec
rotary and Mrs. Olney, Secretary and
Mrs. Carlisle, Acknowledgement and
Mrs. Harmon, Postmaster-General
and Mrs. Wilson, Secretary and
Miss Herbert, Secretary and Mrs. La
mont, Secretary and Miss Morton, and
Secretary and Mrs. Francis, an impos-
ing procession, passed along the corri-
dor to the blueroom and took their
places, the President and Mrs. Clere-
land at one end, with Secretary Olney
and Col. Wilson at their right, and the
ludies forming a line across the apart
ment. The cabinet officers modestly
dropped to the rear and entered into
conversation with some of the ladies'.
who composed that contingent com
monty designated as "behind the line. !"
The Guests.
The first to be presented to the presi.
dent and Mrs. Cleveland was the diplo.
matte corps, headed by Sir Julian
Pauncefote, British ambassador to the
United States. The introductions were
made by Secretary of State Olney.
After the presentation of the diplo.
mats, Secretary Olney stepped to the
rear, and Col. Wilson introduced all
who followed. First came Chief Jus.
tice Fuller and his associates on the
supreme bench, Justice Mott, the new
presiding officer of the United States
court of claims, was followed by his as
sociates on the bench; Chief Justice
Alvey, of the court of appeals of thu
District of Columbia, member of the
Venezuelan commission, preceded the
District judiciary. Then came ex-mem
80 Il ;e-@o ~
the United States.
Then came the army officials, headed
by Maj. Gen. Miles, the commanding
officer of the military forces. Real
Admiral Ramsay, Rear Admiral Walk
er, Commodores Matthews, Sampson
Hichborn, Melville and number o
other well-known officers composed tn.
naval contingent. Col. Haywood, The
commandant of the marine corps, lee
those under him, and after them came
Gen. Ordway and the general staff O.
the militia of the District of Colum
bia. Senators and representatives il
congress struggled along behind tn,
military and naval people. Speaker
Reed strobe past the receiving party
attracting considerable attention. Sen
ator Sherman and other veteran wear
ers of the toga were also present
Black froclS coats became the rule a
this point and continued for some time
Passing along in the order assigned
came the regents and secretary of tn
smithsonian institution, the civil serv
Ice commission, the assistants to tn
heads of the executive departments ant
the heads of governmental bureaus.
Carrying their tattered battle flag
came the Associated Veterans of tn
War of 1916, all bowed down with tn,
weight of years; then members of tn
Grand Army of the Republic, the Loya
Legion, the Union Veterans Legio,
and the Oldest Inhabitants association
OF the District of Columbia.
The Public Takes Its Turn.
It was nearly one o'clock when tn,
public reception began. Men, wome1
and children of all walks of life, passet
In seemingly endless processio,
Through the reception-rooms Fo
each the president and Mrs. CLEVELAND
had smile and handshake.
At two o'clock the doors were closed
and the last of the most trying socia
ordeal of the Cleveland administrator
was over.
Cabinet Receives.
According to custom, the secretar,
of state and Mrs. Olney entertained tn
diplomatic corps at breakfast at thei
residence at noon. About $50 Me1,
present. Mrs. Olney was. assisted II
receiving by Mrs. George Gray, Mrs
Sheridan, Mrs. Mcclellan, Mrs. Charlie!
q. Davis, Mrs. Hogue, Mrs. Endicott