The herald., 1897-03-05
The Days CROWN|AG GLORY
Realized in the Festivities at
Night
MONTHS OF PREPARATION
Given 10 Plans Of Decoration and OF
Dres
The Most Magnificent Function Ever Seen
Within the Walls Of the Capitol
of the Nation
Associated Press Special Wire

Inauguration. The residences ana pup
lie buildings were ailame with lights, the
streets were stiH crowded with people,
the clamoring multitudes still battied
at the, doors of hotels and restaurants
demanding food and drink, thousands
surged to and fro in front of the monu-
ment grounds whence arose the cnro-
matte fireworks which Illuminated the
city in fitful CLEANS, but 1t was at the
pension building that the politicians paid
their respects to society. There distin-
guished guests of the occasion paid hom-
age to President Mckinley and the new
mistress of the White House and later
treaded the maze of the dance. The in
augural ball was the climax of the day
To the minds of many there is nothing
comparable to it, They like to see tbs
parade they linger for sight of the
prominent men and women; they oc-
cupy their weary places on terraced
stands for hours to see the president
and the inauguration party pass. but to
these people and especially TO the ladies
provided with exquisite gowns designed
and planned months in advance, the
event is the bail.
The pension building is admirably
suited for this spectacular display. 1t
is an enormous hall. surrounding vast
court, supported by huge pillars of mar
ble, around which circle two galleries.
This great court tonight became the
ball room 1t lends itself to the most
artistic decoration and it was never so
beautifully decorated and festooned and
lighted as tonight The graceful arches
trembled with flowers and greenery, the
colossal columns seemed to grow out OF
bowers of flowers and supported the
iron roof which was royal canopy of
white and gold. Hundreds of canaries
in gold cages tucked away in the green
cry sang merrlly. The thousands of cleo
trio lights flashed amid the flowers and
drapery. The artistic effect of the lights
was probably never equaled, certainly
not surpassed. in this country The most
striking feature was an enormous coun-
terpart Of "Old Glory done in red, white
and blue bulbs so arranged that 1t seemed
to be floating in stiff breeze. 1t was
like the portals of fairyland, with its
vision of beautiful women, its myriads
of cleaning lights. its gorgeous massing
of colors. its wealth of blossoms, its pull
sations of soft music and the heavy odor
of thousands of perfumes. The enor-
nous floor space, 300 feet long and half
as wide, was so large that 1t was divided
into squares, each under corps of as
sistants to the general floor mana gers,
Edward McCauley and Edwin B. Hay.
The announcement of the inaugural
ball declared that the doors would be
opened at s o'clock and that the dance
program would begin at 8. But many
visitors to the city determined to miss
no part of the festivities were clustered
about the entrance to the pension build
ing before the bolts were drawn. The
great pile of red brick with thousands
of electric bulbs alight inside glistened
at every window, a beacon visible half
across the city.
When the doors finally swung inward
they came with a rush and in quarter
of an hour the main floor was comforta-
bly filled with promenaders. The preSl-
dental party. the notable figures of Off
cialdom and the whirl of society which
came swishing along with the diplomatic
corps and the navy force as conspicu-
Gus factors, delayed their arrival until
later and more fashionable hours. The
first comers. however, were repaid for
their enterprise by the finest view, 20:
without great enough crowd to concea.
the decorations the wonderful hall was
to be seen at the best advantages. From
the two balconies encircling the hall,
high up hundreds of people looked Gown
as into an arena on the other hundreds
OF stalwart, bla ack-coated men and rich
IN RONHtu WOMEN W ilO oNtPl III 'oiAtth7
uous procession around the broad sur
face.
Meantime. during the first hour before
the dancing was to begin the specta-
tors were entertained by concert given
by the white uniformed military band
which filled the gallery at the east eni
of the hail and alternated with the or
chestra high up in the south gallery,
rendering operate airs or stirring
marches.
The human element of the ball was.
after the building had begun to fill up.
its most interesting factor. and the de-
mocracy of the great social event of the
Inauguration impressed itself upon the
visitor City and country society and
officialdom. even black and white,
touched elbows on friendly terms in
the great rotunda. Among the fash
ionably gowned women of New York's
400" and the society people of every
principal city were the visitors from ru-
raj towns. In the Kaleidoscope of cos
tunes was a tumble Of Paris, London
and New York and Oshkosh and Ken
nebunkport Perhaps tenth of the
men were not arrayed in the formal
evening coat. but nevertheless the stern
er sex gave its share OF brilliancy to the
display by the outpourirg of uniforms.
There were the diplomats, late c3mers
all Of them They were resplendent in
scarlet and gold and green. and the
grand silks of the many named orders
shining from their breasts and clank-
ing swords which tripped them as they
walked There was also the plain but
more stalwart contingent of the army
ard navy, with the divers uniforms of
the crack military regiments of many
cities. The silks. satins, diamonds ard
pearls of the ladies' were of course the
chief. and 10 the sex, the most interest
ing feature of the human show. Here
and there among the promenaders was
to be seen a colored couple, for all the
constitutional amendments are respect
cd at an inaugural ball.
Of dancing there was none during the
first two hours and little thereafter for
the floors were too crowded to dance
with comfort and the visitors chose
rather to watch the display than TO rlsk
their toes and garments in the crush.
The presidential party arrived at the
ball at 9:45. The president and his wife
were escorted by Gen. Nelson A. Miles
and Gen. ]. M. Wilson of the army.
After them came Vice Precedent and
Mrs. Hobart, Mr.. John Addison Porter,
the presidents secretary, the president S
brother, Abner Mckinley, and several
members of the Mckinley and Hobart
families.
The party were ushered up the main
staircase to the front where suite of
rooms were reserved for them. After a
few moments, in which Mrs. Mckinley s
wraps were removed, the party moved
into that room ordinarily the office of
the commissioner of pensions, where
they received the most diSting nguished