The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-27
CROWDS ALREADY ARRIVING.
The City Being Overrun with the
inauguration Visitors.

Although the inaugural ceremonies will
not be held for almost a week. the city is
rapidly filling up with visitors, intent on
seeing the sights before the rush begins.
The hotel registers testify to the number
of strangers already in the city. and there
is an unmistakable increase ia the size of
the crowds on Pennsylvania Avenue The
cafe proprietors say their business has
already increased % per cent, which is
indisputable evidence that other than
Washingtonians are in the city. From
the Bureau of Engrav wing and Printing
comes the information that there are now
more strangers In the city than at any
other one time since the Dewey celebra-
ton.
The Bureau of Engraving Rd Print
ing is one of the best barometers by
to the city is estimated, said official.
when we have few visitors. it is a safe
bet that there are not many strangers in
the city. When the building is overrun
with callers. you can rest assured that
the sightseers are numerous throughout
the city. This assertion can be proved
by talk with any one of the officials,
the printers. or the guides. principally
the latter. The officials and printers have
rothing to do with the visitors. except
to look them over as they pass, but with
the guides 1t is different. They have to
receive the strangers, pilot them through
the building, and explain the workings
of the different departments.
The various hotels are also beginning to
feel the pressure. Many of the prOspec
tive visitors, however, engaged quarters
Epnths In advance, so that now only
temporary accommodations can he Sc
cured by tourists. BY the end of the
week many who now occupy rooms In
the hotels will be forced to leave and
seek quarters in boarding houses. The
number Of guests thus forced to seek new
quarters Will run into the hundreds. ac-
~ al he
clerks, and the records Of the office,
which show that nearly every room in all
the downtown hotels is now occupied.
We are serving fully % per cent more
patrons this week than We have for a
long time past. remarked the proprietor
Of lunchrOom. AS it is now the in
crease is gradual and we are getting into
position to meet all corners. We are in
a position to Judge of the increase in
the city population, and | can say from
my own experience that Washington
population has Increased by many hun
dred persons since the beginning OF the
week"
Even the policemen on the downtown
beats have their little story about the
steadily increasing crowd of strangers
who are arriving in the city. At the
Pennsylvania and Baltimore and Ohio
depots the bluecoats have about the
same story TO tell. The arrival
is the statement they make The depots
are crowded with every incoming train,
and there Is pcrceptible decrease In the
number of persons who are leaving the
city.
The present condition of affairs re-
minds me very strongly of four years
ago. remarked Baltimore and
ohio railroad official. Just about
this time before the Inauguration
the sale of tickets began to fall
of. 1t seemed that no, one wanted to
travel out of the city. But we had plenty
Of work to do after the Inauguration. It
was then we learned the tremendous
amount of business we had been doing.
For days after M1rch there was line
of tourists reaching way ont into tht
81 rect. Every outgoing train was flled
There was scarcity Of seating room, and
you couldn't buy berth FOR love nor
money. But If you want to see how this
city - swelling its population. just stand
n this window and watch the crowds get
of the trains. | will venture the Sucs.
that before the end of the week there viii
be very little chance Tor man who was
not wise enough to secure lodging IN al
vance"
Pennsylvania Avenue. rs rule, With
the exception of Saturday night, Is al
most deserted by g O'Clock in the evening
During the day there are very Few per
sous on the street, compared To othCi
large cities. unless II be at q clock IN IN
afternoon, just after the department
nave closed down for the day ithif
N" past two or three days. however, IN,
lhorouEhfare has been crowded both day
and night and it is not a difficult tas'
70 separate the visitor from the nhtif'
Ndshiu gtonian.
The Sightseers have been everyWher'
md have interviewed everyone. from tn
department. chief down to the messenger
And as the day draws near for the IN
tuSuratlon ceremonies, the VISITORS
the various offices increase ana me-
luestlons multiply until the colored mea
seiigers are forced in self-defence
abandon their stations at the approach a.
every new face.