Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-02-15
INAUGURAL BALL
And Other Festivities Preparing
= for March Fourth.
WILL LIKELY BE BROKEN.

Indications That the Affair VIII Eclipse
All Former Inaugurations-Ball Deeora-
tipns-Tiekets Are o. and Anybody Can
Have One Who Has the ssSugars-Five
Grand Concerts ON the Programme-
Gossip About Congress.
Washington. Feb. 15.-The arrange
ments for the Inauguration of President
elect Mckinley two weeks from next
Thursday are rapidly nearing COM
pletion, and the indications are that in
point of brilliancy and attractiveness
the ceremonies, the decorations and the
festivities incident TO Inauguration week
will be more lavish than those of former
years. In the decorations of the ball
room finer results are expected than
ever before. All spectacular effects will
be avoided. and a more artistic and
harmonious arrangement of flowers,
lights and bunting will be secured.
About $4,000 will be spent by the in
augural committee in decorating
the main ball room and the private
rooms set apart for the use of the pres
idential and vice presidential parties.
decorations OF the Ball Room.
The great height of the court of the
Pension building, where the ball will be
held, will be overcome by bunting
festooned from the center from each
of the three divisions of the court, at the
top of the second gallery. The bare walls
everywhere and all Of the smaller pillars
will be covered with bunting as a back
ground for the flowers and greens
which will be the prominent features of
the decorations. The bunting and thou
sands of tiny electric fairy lamps will
be used principally to bring out in great
er relief the floral designs. The pres
ident and vice president, with their
families, will attend the ball and will be
in charge of a reception committee of
which Major General Nelson A. Miles
Is chairman.
Anybody who Has 30 Can Attend.
The cost of tickets to the ball has been
fixed at So for each person and 81 extra
if supper is desired. In answer to many
inquiries received at headquarters it
may be stated that no invitations to
the ball are necessary to secure tickets,
and none are issued except to foreign
ministers. Tickets are now on sale and
may be had by any one at the price
named. The promenade concert will
consist of six selections and the dance
programmes contain twenty-three num-
bers. The ball will be held on Thursday
night, and in addition a series of five
inaugural grand concerts will be given
in the ball room on the following FRI
day and Saturday The ball decora-
lions will remain in place.
Programmes for the Concert.
The first COMFORT will ba oiyov, OF IN. IN
O'Clock Friday morning, in honor of the
United States army, represented by
General Miles and staff. At this concert
the Republican glee club, of Columbus,
O., will sing a number of patriotic airs.
At O'Clock on Friday afternoon a con-
cert will be given in honor of the Unit
ed States navy, represented by Rear Ad-
mirals Walker and Ramsey, and at
night the concert will be given in honor
of the states of the Union, represented
by the governors of the states and their
staffs. The concert Saturday after
noon will be in honor of congress, rep
resented by the president of the senate
and the speaker of the house. The last
concert, Saturday night, will be in honor
of the people of the United States, and
will consist of music by the Twenty
second regiment band and a chorus of
500 voices. Admission to each concert
will he so cents.
Fifty Thousand Expected in Line.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
Pennsylvania National guard finds it i'm
possible to attend the Inauguration the
probabilities are that the parade will
be very large. General Horace Porter
of New York, with the members of his
staff, is busy with the details of arrang-
ing the divisions. General Porter will
act as grand marshal and will have as
his chief Of staff A. Noel Brakeman, of
New York city; Colonel H. c. Corbin, Of
the United States army. as adjutant
general, and Captain John A. Johnston,
U. S. A., as chief of aides, with Captain
William Edward Horton, of the D. c.
N. G., as special aide and military sec
rotary. The parade is expected to con-
tain 10000 to $4,000 persons.