The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-03-04
INAUGURAL PREPARATIONS
EVERYTHING IN READINESS FOR
THE INDUCTION OF MKINLEY
INTO THE WHITE HOUSE.
CROWDS ARE HOURLY GATHERING
The Decorators Are at Work Beauty
ing the Nations Capital-Quarters
for the Mckinley Party-In-
auguratiOn of Past Presidents.

Washington, Feb. 2s.-Inaugural prep
aratiODs come on apacc. Within the pas
twcnty-four hours the crowds have begun
streets. The depot platforms and hOtc
Hobbies are becoming more and more con
gcstcd with each incoming train. Decor
atoms begin to flaunt along the Avenue
that is, of course, Pennsylvania avenue
which no Washingtonian ever thinks o.
calling by its full name.
The grand area in the inaugural dis
play will be the short section Of the
Avenue between Seventeenth and Egh
tccnth streets flankcd on the north by
the White House and on the south by
Lafayette square. Here are the stands
This year the stands are of uniform
character, except that of the president
for reviewing the parade. This is sup
ported by columns with several classic
outlines. and is not unlike u miniature
White House in its appearance. This
and the stands for the multitude are coy
cred with imitation stone work, rooted
over against the possibility of bad
weather They are wrapped with gar
lands, the square bristles with Hagstaffs,
which will soon be filled with huttering
flags.
The decorations are so far but sug-
gcstion of what they will he. Now there
are bunting over the fronts of the larg-
est stores and hotels. and flags floating
from building that own poles. These are
but symptoms. There will be more to
follow. After nightfall, too, there are
already 10 bc seen garlands and clusters
Of incandcscent lights, but these, too, are
only forecast of better things to come.
The inaugural committee has practical
ly wound up its work, but the hcadquart-
tiers in the Glover building are still open
for the reception Ct more or less distin-
gushed visitors. Among those today
were Gen. Horace Porter. Gen. o. o..
Howard, National Chairman Mark Han
IN and the president-clccts private sec
rotary, j. Addison Porter.
These gentlemen expressed themselves
as well satisfied with the arrangements.
SO far ms the launching of the new adj
minstration can be- provided for in adj
vance, there seems nothing left undone
10 assure success.
Practically all of the southwest corner
has been reserved for the Mckinley
party. The suite of three rooms that
have heretofore been set apart for the
president-ccct have been arranged with
excellent taste. Blue and white are the
prevalent colors. All the desks and chairs
are Of cherry and birdseyc maple, while
the piano, which will stand in one cor
ncr is of white maple with fluffy white
Angora maple ON the carpet in front of
il. Tropical plants are grouped in the
corners Of the rooms. The whole is not
too large, but homclke and may be APP
proprately described as cozy. The side
halls leading to this part of the hotel
have been boarded up, and the entrance
stantly guarded by factotum, which
will insure the president from Interrupt
ton from those wno have no real bust
ness III that part of the house. Further,
and this is not generally known, there
has been n special dining hall set apart
for the Mckinley party. 1t is n small
hanQuctng hall in the rear of the main
dining hall. II is capable of accommo
dating about scventy-hve persons and is
the only thing needed to insure the COM
lat ,,riv If hn ,,is
The general police arrangements in
Washington have also been perfected
-Four hundred special officers have been
sworn in for inauguration week, and
Chief of Police Moore has been in cor
rcspondencc, as is usual at such seasons,
with the chiefs of police in all the large
towns of the country. Details of dctcc-
tives from the big cities will be sent to
Washington In keep watch ON whatever
members of their own criminal popula-
ton drifting this way, while the different
bureaus have massed Il number of their
own detectives under their respective
chiefs along the roads TO the city in each
direction in hopes of catching any crimi-
nal of prominence before he reaches the
city.
The ever increasing crowd of arrivals
included many prominent men. and the
lohbies of the hotels, TO which they natur-
ally drifted, soon presented their usual
aspect nj such times.
National Chairman Hanna was the
most sought after person in the group
of politicians. No less u figure was Rus
sci \. Algcr, who is TO be- the next sec
rotary of war. Others who figured in
the thfong We're Governor Bushnell of
Ohio and his staff. who reached the city
during the afternoon, Standardized
Spooncr of Wisconsin. Abner Mckinley
brother of the new president; 4. &. platt
Cornelius y. Bliss and Gen. Sicklcs OF
New York
During the afternoon Mr.. Hanna and
Governor Bushnell accidentally met ii
the lobby. Mr.. Hanna has just returned
from walk in the brisk air when h,
noticed the Bushnell group As he espict
the governor there was only an Instant
hesitation and he walked straight To tn,
governor, and stretching out his hand
said:
Hello governor: glad to see you"
The governors response was equal,
as cordial. but there was an unguarde,
delay on the part of both for the mex
word. This was happily broken by Gen