The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-20
INAUGURAL BALLROOM.
The Floral and other Decorations to
Be on an EIaborat Scale.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 19.-While expecta-
tions have been high regarding the adorn-
ment OF the inaugural ballroom. il is be-
lieved that the result, when the decorations
are completed, will surpass them. On for
mer occasions the decorations were more in
keeping with a coronation or a great mill
tary occasion. Brass and iron armor and
shields and such medieval adornment
seemed to be the order. This time, how
ever, ii was determined to make every
thing subservient to the floral decorations.
and to seek harmony rather than startling
color in the theme OF treatment The TO-
rists are already making preparations for
the great event and it Is the opinion OF the
inaugural committee that the decorations
will fully exceed anything CT the KIND ever
attempted in Washington.
The band stand vii! be constructed after
the style of the famous golden gate at the
rated with plaques of flowers, asparagus
and wreaths of American Beauty roses.
From the front of this stand two large rib
bons will be draped from the wings OF
huge American eagle. and on the ribbons
will be the names of Mckinley and Hobart.
The gold colored material which Will cover
the music stand will be decorated with
plaques of roses, tulips narcissus, and
other beautiful blooms. and artistic effects
will be produced by amphion wreaths COM
posed of leaves of the golden 9ndromeda,
mense palms will be grouped about the
stand. The fountain in the center OF the
ballroom will be filed with exotic plants.
ferns and water lilies. and the eight large
columns will be decorated at their bases
with golden yellow Towering plants.
Over the balconies and about their col
umns Southern or Alabama smilaX will be
trailed in every direction and on the front
of the balconies will be shields and banks
of sabal palm leaves and bright hued flow
ers, alternated with Louis XVI wreaths,
caught up with national colors. The walls
in the rear of the balconies will be treated
in frieze effects of laurel festoons. caught
up with wreaths of green and traceries of
Southern smiax. The stairway leading
from the ballroom to the second balcony
will be transformed into an arbor, the walls
being thatched with evergreens, among the
boughs of which will be singing birds in
cages. -
A profusion of white and gold challie will
be used in the ground work of the decora-
tions. The ceiling of the court will be OBJ
scured by three immense circular canoples,
from which countless streamers will float
in all directions. The balconies and walls
and columns will be artistically treated in
white and gold, and the front OF the
balconies and against the walls viii be
coats of arms of the States and OF foreign
The Presidents room will be beautifully
adorned and taken as a whole, with the
electric light effects which VIII be INTRO
duced. the great court OF the pension build
ings is expected to present scene of great
beauty.
Blizzard on Inaugural Day.
NEW YORK, Feb. ia. j. Devoe. of
Zingsem, n. j., "meteoroogist." predicts a
blizzard at Washington on March 4, inaugu-
ration day. He advises ali those who at
tend the festivities TO provide themselves
with heavy wraps and otherwise prepare
for very cold and snowy and stormy
weather. Mr. Devoe is a proved weather
prophet Two weeks before the inaugura-
ton of President Cleveland. in 1S92. he pub
lished i'm the World warning that there
would be severe. stormy weather on March
4 of that year. prophesying the great snow
storm that scourged the national capital on
that day. On March the officials OF the
Weather Bureau predicted pleasant day.
And now Mr. Devoe comes TO the 'front.'
again with a similar prediction. He says
that March will be an unusually cold
month A great snowstorm Will enVelop the
South Atlantic States. and blizzard will
sweep the middle Atlantic on March 2.
Heavy SHOWS will fall all over the country.
Another heavy snowstorm will prevail on
March H.
MckipJey's Homestead DespOiIed.
YOUNGSTOWN. o., Feb. 19.-The relic
hunter is despoiling the property i'm Poland
where President-elect Mckinley spent many
wears of his youth. Pieces of trees. the old
Mckinley homestead and Slivers from the
old church Major Mckinley attended are
being gathered by curio hunters and sew
eral shipments have already been made.