The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-03-05
ON the AVENUE.
The Chicf Decorations which Gave
nrfliInncy To Washington.

The ttitcf Decorations Wbtch tuee
nriliInncy to Washington.
Tho center OF interest In the decorations
of the city In the ayenue--ponnaylynnia
Misunderstanding In an unbrokea sheet
of asphalt 100 feet broad and mile long
from tho foot or tho capitol to the foot OF
tho treasury, ana thence after the short
break at Fifteenth street another mile ana
a half past the White House and the state,
war and navy department, to Washington
circle There the Inaugural procession
turned Oh its backward march past tho re-
Viewing stand OF the grand marshal on K
street.
1t ~ one Of the most remarkable thor
oughfares among the capitals OF the nations
and Its decoration for the American oiyn,-
pads Is IA matter OF long thought and great
expenditure OF money. The avenue is u
wealth OF bunting. There are flags Of all
nations waving or floating from every
available flag pole Probably every flag In
| the international code Is represented, from
| the stars and stripes and blue cross OF 81.
George 10 the white elephant Of Siam aud
the black and yellow dragon flag of China.
The presence OF the crowds In the streets
lends Il good deal of briliancy and moyo-
ment to the scene and dctracts from tho
| need OF excessive decoration. From house
front to house front. except IA tho ounter
where the police have cleared the way, thefe
In n solid mass OF humanity, many colorcd.
| shifting n veritable human carpet Tor tho
great avenue through which the flood of thc
| inaugural procession rolled. Above tho
| heads of the crowd on either side rise tho
halls OF tho houses. enriched with every
variety OF flag and Btreamer that the mind
| Of resident property holders eau devise.
| There are sunbursts OF red. white and bluo
under every windowslll and when the Ma
| tional colors nro wanting thore IRE the ,el-
| low and black OF Russia, tho double headed
| eagle Of Austria. the red. white and green
OF tho Ijarbnry States and every National
combination that would naturally suggeat
Itself TO tho naturalizod population OF u
most cosmopolitan capital
| The decorations OF the avenue, In facts
may be divided into sections from the cnp-
| iiol 10 the Washington circle. At tho loot
| OF the capitol the Peace monument. that
| dry rock OF statuary that has waited a de-
cadc for tho Aaron's rod OF an appropria-
! ton committee to turn u into fountaia.
has been surrounded by neat white picket
| fence by the careful executive committee.
TO prevent the economical public FROM m9e-
| ing grand stand out OF the granite shout
ders OF Faith. Hope and Charity as they
! stand on a tempting emlneuce, from which
to gain view Of the parade. From tho
| summil Of the white picket fence, however,
| there are waving innumerabe banners.
| decorative tribute to the Isolated graccs.
| From this point TO Seventh street the deco
! rations are much the same. At seventh
! street, one OF the great business arteries,
| reviewing stands commence Reservations
| on each side OF the avenue have been oc-
cupicd by grand stands and embattled with
.l..tA In. ls..tf tist. nj
brown stone which tends to make an Inn
| posing display From thence ON to the foot
| OF the treasury ut Fifteenth street the dec
orations are OF n slightly different charac-
| ter. This Ia a region Of newer and moro
imposing buildings. though the avenue Is
| not the place In Washington 10 find the
| best specimens OF business architecture.
| Tho larger stores and office buildings nro
Weather than those to the eastward on
! Seventh street. and they decorate with real
bunting and less OF print muslin and cam
| brio. beside the banners floating from tho
| roofs there are streamers from the cornices
| TO the awning rods OF the sidewnlk---red,
| white and blue most frequently--but almost
| as often some other gay and striking cor =
| bination. Garlands in red, white and blue
incandesocnt light are mingled with the
| bunting TO be flashed at night into bril-
| liant display Of color and few shields ana
| painted emblems to I'LL In tho blank wall
| space.
The line OF march was longer than usual.
| full four miles. In fact. made so to ease
| the pressure OF spectators upon tho line
! in the central part, ana 70 insure the
maintenance Of the line unbroksn. Gem
eral Horace Porter, grand marshal. re-
viewed the parade from point on Vermont
avenue snd X street. we'll along toward
| tho place ret for disbanding.
To witness all this display there was 3
mighty gathering Of American people IN
| the cauifaI. and even uD TO noon today the
| railroads poured thousands Into tho city
| 10 swell tho great total Of strangers. Mares
| " has the morning Of an inauguration day
| opencd so prcnisingly. no far AZ weathQR
| conditions ere concerned. When The sur
| rose this morning there WRs 3 nt6a13
| brecso which hruught 3upt en6u8h frU1t
| b slinulse ~ eiscllattoa r ~ IN Y