The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1897-03-11

| facade was banked 70 the roof with Wis
iting thousands. The front OF the IL
| brary swarmed 9Th people from every
street and avenue. Looking In toward
the capitol. projected groups OF horse
men and the heads OF columns awaited
the order to march. and everywhere
shining banners waved.
Major Mckinley. standing on a
raised platform. well advanced at a
] salient spot, was readily distinguished
| by mis- magnificent presence and those
who could not hear were well content to
see. There was universal silence as the
blsck-robed justice Of the suprsme court
administered the oath which made Will
lam Mckinley president OF the United
States Then the seal OF silence was
broken by the reign Of sOund-deep,
swelling, all-pervadlng. dominating
sound. as II a surging sea were rolling
over the lard before the driving Of the
king OF storms. As the many bands
Joiner the mighty acclaim, the organized
columns marched into place. the grand
review vas In motion and the currents
and waves OF humanity began 20 flow
toward the lines Of its march
PARADE COLUMN FORMED
Moving promptly IL from all streets
and avenues centering on the park east
OF the capitol. the column Of parade was
quickly formed along the spacious plaza
extending in front OF the house and ssu-
ate from the central buildings. The new
president entered his carriage and the
column. clrculing the great White
Temple of the nation. in and about
nich the tribes had gathered with pa
tTiouc purpose. passed down through Its
beautiful grounds and wheeled into
Pennsylvania avenue at the Peace
Monument, where its real march began.
From this point to the Washington
Circle. two miles and a half distant.
this noted avenue had been made a tri-
umphal way. This great avenue. with
a width OF 100 feet and a perfect con-
crete pavement, doubly-swept for the
occasion, afforded such a field for dec
Grafton and ease Of movement OF coll
umns as cannot elsewhere be found In
the land.
DECORATIONS.
Looking from the head OF the line at
the Peace Monument toward the treas
ury and White House, a mile and half
away. was like gazing into broad
canon whose high walls were a mass OF
men, women and flags. The buildings,
low and high. plain and stately. were al
most concealed from view by the spec
tators. and these. In turn. were as thick
ly covered with streamers. banners and
bunting. waving in the light breeze. or
woven into countless forms OF beauty.
And everywhere. as in those woods was
.,F, va,
banners to suggest the central plank OF
victory.
As basis for decoration, the inau-
gural committee distributed $4,000 ma
tionai flags TO all on the lire OF march
who would use them in their windows.
SO great was the demand that there
would have been 100, 900 used II they had
been provided. Upon such a background
each individual owner builded and
wrought out such forms of beauty as
his enthusiasm and his patriotism sug-
gcsted.
THE S1GHT-SEERS.
First was the clean-swept floor Of the
wide avenue. roped in throughout its
length. and clea Of every object save
the lining of police who kept II so. The
wide pavcments on either side through
out the line of march were packed. Ris-
lag above these came the crowds in the
show windows. then the thick ranks OF
the balconies. Every window and corn
ice bad its full quota OF spectators. and
50, upward to the fringes of men along
the edges OF the roofs every available
point OF observation was not only filled.
but crowded to it's capacity.
The great stands which lined all the
parks ana reservations were for the
first time In the history OF inauguratlons
both attractive in plan and beautiful In
decoration.