Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-03-05

of asphalt $50 feet broad and mile long,
from the foot of the capitol to the foot
Of the treasury, and thence, after snort
break at Fifteenth street, for another
mile and a half past the north front Oh
the treasury. past the White House, and
the State. War and Navy Departments 10
Washington Circle. There the lnausurai
procession turns on its backward march
past the reviewing stand or the srahu
marshal on X street. 1t is one or the
most remarkable thoroughfares among
the capitols of the nations, and its decora-
tons for the American olypia is matter
Of long thought and a great expenditure
of money.
The great trough of buildings from the
capitol 10 the treasury one or the most
magnificent vistas in the world or cities
cannot brook any cheap adjournment ana
this year the decorations are abundant.
The Avenue is a wealth Of bunting. There
are flags of all nations waving from the
windows or floating from every available
flag pole; probably every flag in the in
ternational code is represented, from the
Stars and Stripes and the blue cross Of st.
George to the white elephant Of Siam and
the black and yellow dragon flag of China.
The presence of the crowd on the streets
lend good deal of brilliancy and move
ment to the scene and detracts from the
need of excessive decoration. From
house front to house front, except in the
centre, where the police have cleared
standing in the fear of the Lord and he
way, there is a solid mass of humanity
many colored and constantly shifting a
veritable human carpet for the great ave-
nue. through which the flood Of the in
augural procession is TO roll.
Above the heads Of the crowd on either
side rise the walls of the houses. enriched
with every variety of flag and streamer
that the mind of the resident property
holder can devise There are sunbursts
of red. white and blue under almost
every window sill, and where the national
colors are wanting there are the yellow
and black of Russia, the double-headed
eagle Of Austria, the red, white and green
of he Barbary States, and every other
national combination that would natural
" suggest Itself to the naturalized popu-
lation Of a most cosmopolitan capital
The decora tions of the Avenue in fact,
may be divided Into sections from the cap
itol to Washington circle. At the foot Of
the capitol the peace monument, that dry
rock Of statuary that has waited for a
decade for the arons rod of an apprOprla
lions committee 10 turn it into a foun-
tain. has been surrounded by a neat white
picket fence by the careful executive
committee to prevent the economical pub
lie from making a grand stand out Of the
granite shoulders of Faith, Hope and
Charity. as they stand on n tempting emf
hence from which TO gain a view Of the
parade From the summit Of the white
picket fence however. there are waving
innumerable banners. a decorative tribute
to the isolated graces.
From this point to Seventh street the
decorations are much the same. This is
the older avenue, the section which in the
days of Webster. Clay and Benton, was
the fashionable boarding house section,
enriched with substantial brick buildings.
I'm strong distinction TO the remainder of
the shanty capital. These substantial
brick buildings" are now Insignificant two
story houses with hip roofs and dormer
windows. a relic Of a bygone era. Their
residents have decorated them each after
! his own inclination, with flags from the
ridge poles. banners from the second story
/ windows. and printed banners of well
! come to the incoming administration. nam
! ing Mckinley and Hobart personally as
'the peoples choice" and the advance
agents of prosperity"
At Seventh street, one Of the great bust
ness arteries of the city, the stands COM
mence. The reservation on each side Of
the avenue have been occupied by grand
stands hammered and embattled with can
.g1., 60
stone which tends TO make an imposing
display.
From thence on to the foot of the treas
ury at Fifteenth street. the decorations
are of slightly different character. This
is the region of newer and more imposing
buildings though the avenue is not the
place in Washington to find the best spec
linens of business architecture. But the
| larger stores and office buildings are
Weather than those TO the eastward of
Seventh street, and they decorate with
more of real bunting and less Of print
muslin and cambria. Beside the banners
floating from the roofs there are stream
ers from the cornices to the awning rods
on the sidewalk red. white and blue most
frequently. but almost as often some other
gay and striking combination throwing
the mere architectural features OF the
building into allegiance and lending car
nival air to the ordinary prosaic struc-
lures. Garands Of red, white and blue
incandescent lights are mingled with the
bunting, to be flashed at night INTO a
brilliant display of color, and a few
shields and painted embems help to I'LL in
the blank walls space
Bpt more substantial and extensive than
the decorations Of the private buildings
are those Of the public departments. Every
department, from the Interior 10 the
State, War and Navy buildings. has
thrown abroad all its store of bunting in
honor of the day
The base of the treasury building is one
of the favorite vantage grounds from
which to view the inaugural parade. and
there have been erected stands on the
south east and north fronts These. with
their uniform salmon-like tint and frieze
Of brilliant crimson. together with their
] Of