The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-03-05
BRIGHTEST OF ALL
INAUGURAL BALLS
Dazzling Event Closes a Day Of
Gay Festivities.
WAS A PRETTY SCENE
BEAUTIFULLY GoWNED WOMEN
BEDECKED WITH JEWELS.
WAS A PRETTY SCENE

oA-DAOGAlO w LII II 4 w Ll-Aos
Washington, d. c., March 4.-The
eliminating event of the inaugural
festivities was the inaugural ball. held
tonight in the vast auditorium OF the
pension office, with the president and
Mrs. Mckinley participating. and with
men and women distinguished in every
walk of life touching elbows, dancing
and mingiing with the plain American
citizen. As a. spectacular event it was
unparalleled in the history of inaugural
balls, in the sumptuousness of arrange
ment, in the bewildering splendor Of
decorations and of marvellous electrical
effects, and in the countless throngs
taking part in the spectacle.
When the doors of the great struc-
ture were thrown open at O'Clock
eager crowds besieged every en-
trance, and lines of carriages stretched
into the surrounding streets and ave
nues. Platoons of uniformed officers,
mounted and unmounted, guarded the
entrances, keeping back the rush of
curious spectators, and bringing order
out of the tangle of carriages.
Through the long arched entrances
hung with bunting and vines, passed
the merry, pleasure-seeking throng the
women in luxurious gowns, with the
flash of Jewels in their hair and at
their Threats. Soon the vast interior
Of the building began to take on life
and animation The early Corners
busted themselves in viewing the ex-
quisite beauties Of the scene.
Decorations of the Room.
The decorations of the ball room had
yellow for their predominating tone. NO
cumbersome effects of light or color
were in evidence, but above and on all
sides stretched a WaVy ripping canopy
of yellow bunting that covered the
walls and skylight and was broken
only where the lining of the presidents
balcony at the west end stood out
white in bold relief. Myriads of yellow
electric bulbs glowed and blinked like
fire flies in the garlands of green that
entwined' the scores of pillars support
ing the galleries, and ShOne out from
the stars and bars of the big American
shields, which, in the midst of clusters
of American flags. hung high up in the
center of each side of the immense
crowded hall
This scene of decoration with yellow
as the all predOminating color was a
radical departure from the decorativ e
plan at the last inaugural ball. Then
three great floral bells, studded with
colored lights, were the prominent fea-
ture of the work. This wear the soft
| light effected by the broad expanse OF
golden color everywhere was in sharp
and favorable contrast. The Subdued
yellow glow from the thousands Of
frosted electric bulbs made the great
hall as bright as midday. The big
fountain in the center of the hall had
a bilfOWy mass of purple bouganillea
| the flower of the Philippines. In the
| midst roses, tall palms and ferns, bear
| ing scores of light blossoms and around
/ the border. fringed with the white spire,
I r11u
| and flowers.
The Presidents Balcony.
In the extreme west of the hall
stood the presidents balcony, decorated
| with groups of Roman wreaths and
! clouds of American Beauty roses. bound
| With bright colored ribbons. Above the
| executives stand flashed a big SHE'D
of hand-embrOidered silk, topped with
a fine stuffed specimen of the great
American eagle Down at the eastern
end was a big stand erected for the
musicians. 1t comprised an upper and
! lower story, the former for the stringed
1 orchestra and the latter for the accom-
/ mediation of the big inaugural chorus
/ and the brass band.
| Back of the singers and musicians
was a gilded sounding board. which
/ threw the strains to all parts of the
/ big hall In front hung a beautiful de-
] sign symbolic of the Muse of Melody
( in the shape of a giant green Tyre, with
/ strings of purple ribbon and on either
side crossed musical instruments; on
! the left a lutte and trumpet, and on the
| right guitar and pipe-alI fashioned
( of green leucOthe, with strings OF
purple.
The balustrades and archways pre-
! scented a brilliant scene. No less than
/ seventy-siX stars, formed each OF
| eleven frosted globes, were set between
the arches on the ground floor, and
| shOne radiant through d network OF
| green against a background glintine
/ with powdered glass. Suspended be-
I meath each star and below draped fes-
ICONS of smilaX, were shimmering trail
ers of green and electric bulbs tipped
| with a yellow globe. The gilt pillars
were enshrouded in vines and greens
and above the bright circlets of light
that crowned them were placed invis
IDLE boxes of growing tulips, daffOdils
azaleas and ionquils.
Brilliant Electric Lights.
In the second balcony the same seen,
of decoration was laid out, except tina
in lieu of the stars were hung electric
lights in clusters of three, covered will
soft. yellow transparent paper, ant
producing beautiful effect. Back un
derneath the balconies. on the GROUND
and second floors, wreaths of greer
were hung at regular intervals, linked
by loops of vines and smilax.
Seventy-siX additional posts had beel
placed on the top balcony, each on
surmOunted by a glowing bulb of light
Between them, and bordering the rail
ing of the balcony all the way around
were boxes of cut and growing flower
in great profusion of color.
Two endless chains of light studde
green below the balconies, topped an
swung completely around the immens
hall, each loop end a hive of brillian
yellow globes, each. trailing streamer
alive with tiny glow lights.
OFF to the side, on the second bal
cony, were the presidents and vic
presidents rooms. the diplomats roor
and forty other rooms appropriated
embellished for public reception an
promenade. The presidents room wa
draped entirely in white, and mad
beautiful with pink ribbons, with or
chidS and greens.
The other rooms held to the aIl-peT
vading yellow, decorated with fern
and smilaX. In the diplomatic roor
the flags of all nations were clustere
and intertwined, and lent a brilIian
; background for the gorgeous uniform
and regalia of the diplomatic official.
Alongside the main building had bee
, built a large dining hall, decorated wit
red and white, and trimmed wit
greens.
The expense of the decorations entiT
is set down at about $4,000. The flora
: and electric decorations alone came I