Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-02-25
THE INAUGURATION.

The lNAUi UhA llON.
As the time for the second iuaugura-
ton of William Mckinley as President
draws near it is apparent that the
forthcoming celebration will eclipse
any heretofore Of like character and
Mr.. Mckinley will witness the largest
throng OF strangers thet has ever been
entertained in Washington. 1t is esti-
mated that over O hundred thousand
visitors will witness the inaugural cere-
m lnie,, the procession and the fire.
wJrks, attend the inaugural ball, etc.
Almost every sv,ilable room In
w ,s hipgton hss,slresdy been engaged,
hotels will be taxed to their utmost
capacity, q ilIziDg halle, parlors, writ
ins rooms, aud, Ia fact, every possible
space where cot cen be put. All the
public halle, armories and great many
public buildings will be turned into
boarding and lodging houses for o
week or ten dsys. Military organiza-
iions. clubs, civic organizations, college
students, numbering 10 all about thirty
thousand men, will take part 10 the pro-
cession. Along Pennsylvania avenue
people will assemble In stands, erected
for this purpose only, 10 wind0we, op
housetops and sidewalks to witness
the greatest parade OF the sge. The
stands which have been erected for
this purpose will accommodate, 1t is es.
,imaled, so 600 people, and twice that
L. 10 frnF M
ii :ewalks on both sides of the avenue,
While there is no possible way TO form
4ny idea OF the numb r that will be
gathered elsewhere along the line OF
msicb.
The total number OF soldiers listed to
parade 1t this date is, regul re, $500,
apd ate mill 10, 81 900 Almost every
regiment or every State representation
will bring several bands along, and al
most every civic organic z,tion will be
accompanied by musical orRan'zation.
TIE events leading up to the insugu-
ration of the President are most inter-
esting. Tue President and Vice. Presl-
Dent will leave their respective resi-.
isuces on the morning of March 4th,
tho V ce-President-elect going to Il Q
White House, wnefe, 10 coDJuDhtiou
with joint committee of Congress, he
will take carriage, and all will pro
ceed in their respective places 10 the
hue of escort between United States
troops and the National Guard of the
Distric- OF Columbia. The escort will
ne under the command OF General
Francis V. Greeno, and will consist of
United States troops, marines, and
-ailors, and a troop OF cavalry from the
Presidents own State. The escort will
then proceed along the avenue TO and
around ,he north side of the Capitol,
and TO the esst front, when the presi.
Dental party will proceed to the
senate chamber and Participate 10 the
inaugura ion ceremonies. At high
noon, on the east porlico OF the Capt.
ol, before thousands OF citzsns, the
Pres dent will have administers to him,
Oy the Chief Justice of the United
States, Hon. Melville w. Fuller, the
oath prescribed for this occasion, which
confirms him ss President. Preceding
this eveat, the President pro tempore
Of the Senate, William P. Frye, Of
Maine, will administer the oath OF Of.
fee to the Vice.P President.elect, Theo-
dore Roosevelt, in the Senate chamber.
All the newly elected Senators will at
this time be sworn in after the President
has been sworn in and has concluded
MS inaugural address, the procession
will star from the east front of the
Capitol, and for hours will be heard the
tramp, tramp, tramp OF the soldiers.
The ball, which takes pace on the
evening of Inauguration day. will be
held in the Pension building, which has
been used for the same purpose four
times heretofore. The building is well
adapted to the grand function.
The decorations of the ballroom will
be beautiful, and embrace an artistic
combination of plants and flowers, the
effect OF which will be heightened by "a
background of gold bunting, and the
delecale rays of thousands OF small
electric bulbs. The foral decoration /,
are given the place of prominence, and
then the bunting and electrical display.
By subordinating the bunting and elec-
,ricai displays to the floral decorations,
the beauty of the latter is enhanced,
and the same can be said of the cos
tunes of tho ladies, the colors Of which
are freq iently nulified by the dszz ing
effect OF many lights. The President
will be escorted by the chairman and
yice-chairman of the Inauguration
com mittee from the Execu i've Man.
sion to the Pension building.
and will there be received by
the chairman OF the reception commit
tee. Lieutenant General Nelson A.
Miles, and the members OF bis commit
tee. and escorted to rooms reserved for
him and bis party. The President later
10 the evening will make tour OF the
ballroom.
The Illumination of the avenue and
the fireworks display will be Q great
feature OF the evening entertainment.
The avenue will be illuminated by
thousands of electric-!igbts OF all siz ,s,
ranging from the small incandescent
light to aro-lights. The "Court OF
Honor" on the avenue, between
Fifteenth and Seventeenth streets, will
be one grand mass of color. This court
will coosist OF pylons, arches, and
festooned stands, which will Re covered
| with ratorad .i..ka- hfnu . cfohk Al :