The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-03-05

| light house tender Malep, which will
| take him to Currietuck sound. Mr.. Nc
Kinley then vent to the reviewing stand.
THE INAUGURAL BALL.
Country's History.
| The inaugural ball has become not
able feature OF the festivities connected
with the installation OF the President of
the United States but 40 such elab0ra-
ton was ever before attempted as marked
the grand function tonight. That no
more admirable place could have been
selected for the affair than the pension
building was proved this evening. The
spacious interior was somewhat crowded
with we'll dressed humanity, but no
larger place was obtsinable. just before
s, the current governing the electric
| lights was turned on and the broad anu
! high interior was transformed into n
! fairy land. For three weeks the dec0rat-
! ing and lighting force had been hard at
work. More than hundred thousand
yards of cloth has been used in drapery,
six thousand incandesoent and fifty arc
| lights had been wired and established IN
the proper places, 10000 roses, yards
upon yards of smllax and other foliage
plants, arranged in m ost artistic man
ner.
The interior of the pension office build
| ing is great court. At the east end or
the court WAS n triumph OF the decora-
tors art. 1t was representation in gold"
| en- challie cloth of the golden gate at the
Worlds fair. Here Victor Herert's band
| held forth during the evening, playing
| promenade music between the dances.
| The golden gate was constructed high
above the heads of the participants, on
platform extending from the first gallery
fifty feet out into the court. Thousands
of yards Of cloth had been shirred in a
dozen or more concentric curves forming
as many connecting arches and tapered
off into the rear. Each aTchway was
studded with incandescent globes, while
above the gateway around it and below
| it, mvriad more of the little spsrklers
enhanced the general effect. Golden
horns and wTeaths were distributed over
| the facade.
With all the lights aglow, the sparkling
| fountain, the brilliant crowd OF pleas
ure seekers on the floor. The profusion
Of palms, singing of hundreds OF cana
| ries in gilt cages, the scene was aa Drill
liant as could he imagined. The only
only place wine was served in the pen
sion building was at the reception given
| III large IOOn hb buo odSO ouu VI ohO
building adjoining the general supper
room, where Carl Esner, caterer Of the
ball. personally entertained the Presi-
DENTS party, members of the cabinet and
| Diplomatic corps.
| 1t was $50 when President and Mrs.
Mckinly, accompanied by the Presidents
private secretary, j. Addison Porter /,
and Charles Bell, chairman of the in
augural committee, arrived. They were
met at the west entrance by commit
tee and were escorted to the reception
room on the second floor. A mum Der OF
distinguished people we're presented to
| the President and his wife.
A little later Mr.. and Mrs. Mark Hanna
arrived.
| Vice President Hobart's arrival fol-
| lowed that of President Mckinley. He
was accompanied by Mrs. Hobart. At
ter brief recer'io1 at the apartments
assigned him, he and Mrs. Hobart
Joined the Presidential party and assist
ed in renewing the guests. The President
and Vice President, accompanied by
theiriwives, - walked out to the balcony
overlooking the floor. They were re-
peatedly cheeTed by the 5000 ladies and
gentlemen who crowded the open space
beneath. The quartette bowed their
| acknowledgements the band played An in
spring air aud the ball was fairly opened.
At ten minutes before eleven the march
down stairs began, the President, Vice
President and their wives being escort
ed by General Miles, Mr.. Hanna and a
number of gentlemen connected with
th reception. committee. Following in
their train came an array Of brillian tly
dressed women and their escorts. The
Presidential party passed to the supper
room from the gallery along the north
sideaof the hall, marching in an aisle
formed by two lines of donsely massed
spectators.
AS the patty proceeded across the hall,
it's progress was marked by continued
cheering. Supper was served to the par
ty in private room. The table was
4 beautiful sight In the centre was an
| immense bunch of Americans beauty
roses, the blooms rising five feet in the
| air. This was fanked at either end by
small bunch Of roses of the same kind.
A souvenir menu card was presented
each of these guests of Mr.. Esner. AT
II. 30 the President and Mrs. Mckinley
left the building and we're driven to the
White House.
The remainder of the party returned to
the ball room and participated in the
festivities which were protracted until
an early hour in THE morning Prest-
dent and Mrs. Mckinley on returning to
the White House retired at once to their
private apartments.
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