The news & observer., 1897-03-05

Slleuce.
He looked out upon wonderful scene
The steps and balconies in every pro-
lection of the capitol front and dome
were crowded. 1t was as if that grand
facade was banked to the roof with visit
ing thousands. The front of the library
swarmed with people. From every street
and avenue looking towards the capitol
projected groups of homemen and the
heads of columns awaiting the order to
march. And everywhere shining banners
waved.
Maj. Mckinley. standing on raised
platform, well advanced to the front was
readily distinguished by his magnificent
audience, and those who could not hear
were well content to see. There was uni
versal silence as the black robed Justice
OF the Supreme court administered the
solemn oath which made William Nc
Kinley President of the United States
Then the seal of silence was broken by
the reign of sOund-deep swelling all-per-
yading, dominating sound, as if a surging
sea were rolling over the land before the
ldriving of the king of storms. As the
many bands joined the mighty acclaim
the organized columns marched into place.
the grand review was in motion and the
currents and waves Of humanity began
to flow toward the lines of its march.
Moving promptly in from all streets
and avenues centering on the park east
of the capitol, the column of parade was
quickly formed along the spacious plaza
extending in front of House and SEN
ate wings, and the central building. The
new President entered his carriage and
the column, circling the great white tenn
pie of the nation in and about which
the tribes had gathered with patriotic
purpose, passed down through its beauti-
full grounds, and wheeled into Pennsyl-
vania Avenue at the Peace monument,
where its real march began.
From this point to Washington circle,
two miles and half distant, this noted
avenue had been transformed into
triumphal way. Other American cities
with their narrower streets have been
as gayly decked. But this great avenue
with a width of 160 feet and a perfect
concrete pavement, doubly swept for the
occasion, afforded such space for decora-
tion and ease of movement Of columns
as cannot elsewhere be found in the land
Looking from the head of the line at the
Peace monument toward the Treasury
and White house. mile and a half
away, was Ike gazing into broad
Canon, whose high walls were mass of
men of women and flags. The buildings,
/ low and high, plain and stately, were
almost concealed from view by the spec
tators; and these in turn were as strictly
covered with streamers, banners and
bunting, waving in light or woven into
countless forms Of Feauty as are our
autumnal woods with the glories of au-
tumn. And everywhere, as in those
woods was coloring of gold twined with
the banners TO suggest the central plank
of the victory.
| AS basis for decoration the inaugural
committee distributed 10000 National
flags to all on the line of march who
would use them in their windows. So
great was the demand that there would
have been 100000 used if they had been
provided. Upon such a back ground
each individual owner builded and
wrought out such forms Of beauty as his
taste, his enthusiasm and his patriotism
suggested.
First was the clean swept floot of the
wide avenue, roped in throughout its
length and clear of every object save
I the lining of police who kept it so. The
wide pavements on either side throughout
the line of march were packed. Rising
above these came the crowds in the show
windows, then the thick rank of the bal
/ comics. Every window and cornice had
its full quota of spectators and so upward
to the fringes of men along the edges Of
the roofs, every eyailable point OF obsar-
vatin was not only filled but crowded to
/ its capacity.
The great stands which Lined all the
the parks and reservations were, for the
first time in the history Of inaugurations,
| both attractive IN plan and beautiful in
/ decoration. They were built under spec
/ ifcations approved by the inaugural COM
/ mittee from architects of standing and
/ taste, and the contractors carefully fol-
/ lowed these. Thus was removed, so far
as it was possible, the former horrid
effects Of the barn like structures of
rough lumber which have heretofore mar
red all attempts at a comprehensive de-
coration of the avenue.
| Over such triumphal way and thus hon
ored by magnificent preparations and
| the presence and thunderous applause
of unending crowds, President McKin-
| ley was escorted to the White House,
whence he soon proceeded to the stand
!
| in front of it to review the imposing
columns of marching thousands which
had followed him from the capitol, elicit
ing at every step unbounded admiration
and a wild acclaim which at intervals
drowned the music of their bands.
The Presidents reviewing stand Occu-
cupied two thirds of the front of the
White House grounds. 1t was a solidly
built and finished structure carefully de-
signed and tastefully decorated. The
back ground was white the columns were
twined with green and the national col |
ors in floating flags and woven and draped |
designs were the chief ornament. The |
stand seated 1000 The President stood
in a projecting area shielded by glass. |
The audience was notable in all its ele- |
ments.
The official life of the nation was fully |
represented The ambassadors and min |
ic4arS of all nations houorpd tho nena