The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-03-05

w men Nlcc-SrcSluent stevenson con-
cluded his speech he took the seat which
his successor had occupied, while Vice
President Hobart took the gavel and am
nounced prayer by the chaplain. The
audience rose and remained in the atti-
tude of reverence while the blind chap
lain of the Senate. Rev. Mr.. Milbl IN,
opened the Fifty.fiith Congress with
prayer.
Then Vice President Hobart made his
opening speech. Then President Ceve.
lands proclamation, converting the Senate
in session for the..ith of March, was read.
and the Vice President called upon the
newly elected Senators to come forward
and be sworn. Morrill, hal the distinc-
ton conferred upon him on account of
his age and long service, OF being sworn
first and alone at the clerk $ desk, the oath
being administered by Vice President
Hobart. All newly elected Senator'S who
were present, as we'll us DID, were sworn
i'll patches of half u dozen at the time and
subscribed to the oath of office.
Each Senator, as he came forward to
take the oath, WAS escorted by his col
league, so that Sherman performed, per-
haps, his last official act in the Senate
chamber, by escorting forward Fora kcr.
Brice's successor. The only exception To
the rule was in the case IF Kyle. who was
escorted not by his colleague, Mr.. Petit.
grew, but by the Populist Senator from
Nebraska, Mr. Allen.
The ceremony came to Il close at :0J,
when order of the procession was formed
to 30 to the inaugural platform
1t was quarter past when the floor of
the Senate chamber was once more de-
serted, and then spectators in the gale
ries were permitted to join in the process
sion. While the inaugural ceremonies
were progressing in the Senate chamber,
vast throngs on the plaza OF the capitol
resorted to various devices to pass the
time, waiting for the appearance of the
Presidential party. At 1870 some one
started familiar strains of Nearer, Ny
God, to Thee, "and they soon sweled into
II mighty roar. People were massed ut
every point OF vantage and view, cover
ing almost every exposed part of the cap
itol facade. They fiocked even up on cor-
nices, roof and dome of the building
Photographers galore were in attend.
ance TO perpetuate the scene by means of
the camera. Two special stands for
biograph and vitaScope were erected near
Greenough's statue of Washington and
that structure also accommodated half
dozen cameras. At 1915 the first occu-
pants of the stand marched ont of the
capitol doors and took their seats. Five
miutes later the first of the Presidential
/
bronze doors, Mr.. Mckinley being in the
lead, escorted by c. !. Bell, chairman of
the inaugural committee, and j. Addison
Porter President Mc<inlcy's secretary
Following them came Mrand Mrs. Bar.
Der and Abner Mckinley, with his Veneer
able mother on his arm and oCher mem
bers of the party which accompanied the
! President from Canton.
AS soon as this party was seated the
musically-inclined portion of the crowd
sang II verse Of "Amcrica.' - Intermis
sion of some minutes followed in the
course of which scores of the crowd
jumped over the fence separating the
space i'm front of the stand from the rest
of the plaza.
At lilo o'clock a ringing shout an
nounced the approach from the Senate of
the official Presidential party. 1t was
headed by Marshal Wright. of the
supreme court of the United States, and
| Marshal Wilson, of the District of Column.
bia. Following them members of the
supreme court CT the United States,
headed by Chief Justice Fuller, with
Clerk Mckenny, carrying the Bible
Then the committee of @arrangements,
Senators Sherman, Elkins and Mitchell,
of Wisconsin, and next President Cle-e-
land and President elect Mckinley The
former wore his hat--concession to the
necessity which compelled him to pro-
tect himself against rheumatism, which
came so Fear preventing him from ap
pearing mt all. They took their seats on
the platform.
Following these other occupants of the
Senate Chamber, headed by Nice-Prcsi-
dent Stevenson and Senators, reached the
platform and were seated. While this
was being done the crowd enjoyed them
selves by singing America" and crying
cheers for Mckinley, Cleveland ard eher-
man. The first feature of the ceremony
was the administration of the oath Of
Office. The Bible upon which The Presi
dent took the oath of office was radically
| di ferent from any that had previously