The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-14
T~omlinson Hall Has Been More Beau
tifuIIy Decorated than Ever BE-
fore in It's History.
THE OFFICIAL PROGRAMME
FOR THE INAUGURAL CEREMONIES
AT THE STATEHOUsE.
Governor Durbin Will Read His Adj
dress to the Legislature-The
Reception Tonight.

Tic 6Icdl duQllOIiuin VI lOLiiihooh A'
into q place of beauty and splendor suitable
to contain the throngs of notable men and
handsomely gowned women that will as
semble there tonight on the occasion OF
the greatest inaugural ball ever given In
Indiana's capital. The various committees
that have had charge Of this part of the
inaugural ceremonies, under the skilled
direction of Messrs. Charles Z. Coffin.
Archibald A. Young and Robert Martin
dale, have been lavish Of time, money and
labor in their effort to surpass all previous
efforts of the kind in the State and to make
the Inauguration OF Governor Durbin an
event talked about the country over.
The work of placing the decorations was
intrusted to the Berterman Floral Com
pany. The plan of decoration had not been
completed last, night, but the work had
progressed far enough 10 give an adequate
idea of the appearance the great auditorium
will present tonight when the hundreds of
incandescents scattered here and there in
the hall join their radiance TO that shed by
the powerful arc lights suspended from the
ceiling. The first impression received by
the admiring beholdsr of the scene last
night was that given by a wild, luxuriant
nook in the tropics, where Nature has
poured out her bounty with free hand. 1t
seemed as If the room had been heaped
with trees, vines and flowers until IL could
contain no more. A closer glance revealed
the artistic arrangement Of the whole and
the scene changed from the abandon of
natures bounty to the orderly pictur-
49,
THE ENTRANCE.
The entrance to this magic place is
through a beautiful gateway of trellis work
covered thickly with smilax, the delicate
green of which is brought out in pleasing
relief by a profusion of. red and white arti-
fetal roses placed appropriately in the
midst of the leaves. On both sides Of the
trellis gate are placed large palms AMI
evergreen trees and potted plants. all serv-
ing to enhance the general effect of natural
beauty. From the curb Of the sidewalk, ex-
tending into the building, up the broad
stairways n to the gateway described
will be strips of white canvas upon which
the guests will make their way to the ball
room on the second floor.
The east corridor will be devoted to the
service of the buffet luncheo in the inter-
inns between dances. The west corridor
will be the promenade. The scheme Of deco
ration Is alike in each corridor. The win
dows have been hung with white drapery.
which forms the background of running
vines of Southern smilax, mingled with red
and white roses. Swinging garlands of
laurel, of a rich deep green in color, depend
from the ceilings the full length of the cor
ridors. Half-buried in the greenery are
scores of incandescent electric lights. The
corridor floors will be covered with white
~anvas, which will harmonic effectively
with the varied tints of vines, flowers and
colored electric lights.
Delightful as is the Transformation thai
has been brought about on the stairways,
landings and in the corridors, infinitely
more so Is that which has been effected in
the auditorium. This immense room has
been changed into a ballroom of much
s%plendor. The woodwork in nearly every
part of the hall has been concealed from
view by running vines, masses of natural
foliage and banks of evergreen and flower
ing plants. Each OF the many doors Is
hung with smilax. brought into striking
relief by electric lights deftly placed amid
the foliage. On each side of the room,
reaching its full length. are waving gar
lands or laurel, depending from the chan
deliers. The balconies are buried In masses
Of wild smilax, mixed with roses of vary
ing tints. S~urmounting the balcony rail.
ings are baskets of natural plants and cut
poinsettes, whose fiame-colored petals will
stand out in gorgeous relief when the rays
from half a thousand incandescents beat
upon them. Immediately beneath the bal.
cony ratings swing electric light globes ar
ranged in wavy lines. The walls of the
balcony are hung with festoons of laureI
and each pillar is ornamented with two
small flags crossed, This being the onl,
place in the decorative scheme in which the
national colors are used.
STAGE DECORATIONS.
Turning to the stage the eye is confront
ed by a scene of luxuriance that serves ad
mirably to illustrate the capacity of decor
ators in whom the artistic instinct is highly
developed. The huge platform has beer
converted into a reproduction of the pa
vilion Of a thirteenth-century chateau. II
clever combination with painted setting
natural foliage, plants and flowers hav,
been employed to produce the effect of
splendid garden. Here and there in appro
pirate spots are placed %settees, divans ant
rustic chairs. which will doubtless temp
many a tired reveler from the ballroom
floor tonight. The front elevation of tn
stage has been artistically concealed by
strip of scenery painted to represent a gar
den wall. The seeming mass of masonr,
Is broken In the center by a broad ston'
stairway forming the entrance to the bowe
of natural beauty above and beyond. Tn
newell posts of this stairway will be sur
mounted by large baskets Of plants an,
cut poinsettias.
sist of many pieces and will be statione'
1uoI lta Il1 III AAl1 i1al vi III
hall. Here also will. be located the pro
gramme Of dances, which includes waltzes
lanciers and two-steps, in addition TO TIL
grand march with which the ball will open
The grand march will be led by Governo
and Mrs. Durbin and other prominen
State officials accompanied by their wives
1t will glide into a waltz, which will il
turn be succeeded by a two-step.
When the decorators have completed thei
work and turned the hall over to the com
| mittee this morning a force of people vii
he set TO work to thoroughly clean tn
floors of the building, after which the sur
face OF the ballroom floor will be CAREFUL,
waxed for dancing. The cut flowers vii
not be put in place until to-day on accoun
of their perishable nature.
Mr.. YOUNG'S STATEMENT.
In commenting upon the arrangements 70
the affair last night, Mr.. Youn
said: 1.-The committee has profile
by the mistakes made in similar func
tons in the past in making its arrange
ments for the inaugural pall tc-morro,
night. One of the sources of greatest com
plant has been on account Of poor refresh
ment service. We have entirely obviate
this difficulty by introducing the buffe
method of serving refreshments. Their
too, people have been exasperated by losin
various articles of wearing apparel. w
will have a checkroom for women and an
other for men on opposite sides OF tn
third floor of the building, and on that foo
will also be provided separate dressing
rooms Cor men and women. Ushers wi
be stationed at the second floor landin
10 direct people TO these rooms. We hav
secured a large force of ushers and door
terders and these have passed through sey
eral careful rehearsals of their duties, $
that there will be absolutely no confusio
| tomorrow night. Everything will wor
! with perfect smoothness. The publishe