The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-12-08
.GRIDIRON CLUB
GIVE. BANQUET
About $50 Distinguished Guests
Gather Round Board,
BURLEsQUEs AND sATlREs:
Railroad Men Present Brought Out in Com.
petition for Beauty Prize.
Amusing Skits lu-
dulged In.
(By Associated Press J

(By Associated Press.
WASHINGTON. D. c., Dec. THE
Grioiron Club, composed Of forty, Wash
ington correspondents, scored another
notable success tonight on the occasion
OF the December dinner. About $50 guests
assembled around the Gridiron table at
the Arlington Hotel which was beauti-
fully decorated for the OCCASION. AS
usual, the entertainment consisted OF
burlesques and satires upon public events
and things, and numerous public men
and prominent guests were treated to the
usual course Of Gridiron broiling. which
is always of a good-natured kind.
Mr. Arthur W. Dunn, the president of
the club, at the beginning of the dinner
announced that serious affairs of the
world would be reserved for other times
or treated in lighter vein7 and this
was the keynote Of the subsequent pro-
ceedings. The features, as usual, touched
upon public events in a jocular way. and
began with men1. which was New
Alice in Wonderland" By the most DEL
icate inference the Illustrations and quo
tations could be applied to some Of. the
events in the life of President Roosevelt
The arrival of the Collier Merriment''
(AIerrimac), with a supply of champagne
to fill the bunkers OF the diners, was a
laughable sllit, and the selection Of a
delegate to London to attend the cere--
monial furnished amusement for a num-
ber Of the guests.
BEAUTY PRIZE.
There was quite large number of rail-
road men present, and they were all
brought out In a competition for a beauty.
show. and finally the prize was awarded
to B. ". Wrenn. The comments Of the
members Of the club upon the various
qualifications and appearances of these
railroad officials caused the room TO re-
echo with laughter
Another laughable skit was a fake
meeting OF an alleged cabinet. in which
various sporting characters appeared and
tried to pass themselves off as the real
thing. They were finally hustled out un-
tremendously. Among those who made
excellent speeches were Postma Cen
eral Smith, Senators Allison and Mitchell.
the Chinese Minister. ex-senator Carter
and Governor Francis. both now con-
nected with the. Louisiana Purchase Ex-
position; Representative lands OF IN
diana; Solicitor-General Richardson, of
the, Department of Justice, and others.
The musical programme, as usual, was
excellent consisting Of solos, quartettes
and choruses, as well as catchy topical
songs.
Among those present We're:
THOSE PRESENT.
CndrleS
Smith, the Chinese Minister. WI Ting
Fang; Senators Allison Burrows. Hanna,
and Mitchell. Representatives Foerderer.
Underwood, Joy and Lands. General
John r. Brooke. General Henry c. Cor
bin. General j. F. Weston. General Fran
els v. Green. f. n. Barksdale. OF the
Pennsylvanias Railroad: ex-Representa-
&, tive James Belford, of Colorado; Mr..
& Charles a. Boynton superintendent east
ern division Of The Associated Press John
H: Boyd. ex-Secretary Cornelius n. Bliss.
OF. New York: Ludwig Won Colenbers.
secretary Of the Austrian .Legation:. r.
E. L: Bunch. seatoard Air Line: Thomas
H. Carter. chairman vs. hfent, Com
mission Louisiana Purchase Exposition:
ern Railway; David r. Francis, president
Louisiana Purchase: Exposition: Arthur
Hale and ]. II. Maddy. of Baltimore and
Ohio Railroads: Assistant Gem