The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-01-06
NOT THE WICKEOEST CITY.
WASHINGTON ON THE LAST NIGHT
OF THE OLD YEAR.


How II Was Spent by the People Mt
the National CapItaI-The Church ~
Were ThrOnged-The Reception at
the White HOuse--SOme of the PeO-
pie who We're There--A Brief De-
scriptiOn of COstumes-Many We're
NoticeabIy HandsOme-Other Mat
tiers of General Interest.
Washington, Jan. 2.-It used to be the
fashion to speak of Washington as the
wickedest place in the country; but the
most uncharitable critic would have
changed his opinion had he made the
rounds of the city dn the last night of
the year. The dawn of the twentieth CEN
fury found large majority of the popu-
lation on it's knees in the churches, pray
ing the old year out and the new year In.
Every religious organization in Washing
ton, down to Spiritualists and Free
Thinkers" held services of some sort, and
orthodox churches were crowded to their
utmost capacity. OF course, the greatest
magnihcence and elabora accompaniment
was found in the Romish churches-Pope
Leo XIII having ordered that the opening
of the new century be observed with SOL
emn high mass in all the Catholic church
es of the world. Admission TO st. Pat
rick's, ST. Andrews and all the rest Of
our prominent Romish churches was by
card; and the crowds that blocked the
street in the neighborhood of each showed
she futility of trying to gain entrance at
the eleventh hour, though holding the
coveted pasteboard. Therefore your cor
respondent confined herself to Protestant
services, and after looking in at half a
dozen flower bedecked sanctuaries, finally
brought up at The Presidents Church.
The Metropolitan Methodist. away down
on Four-and-a street in one of the
most questionable quarters of the CITY,
An old time "love feast" was in progress,
conducted by the presiding elder and a
women evangelist; and it warmed ones
heart TO hear the good Old hymns of faith
and triumph, and to see gray-haired men
of wealth and standing, and weh-known
women OF society, arise in their places
and give testimony to the comfort of re-
ligton. Then on the stroke of u the
chimes pealed forth, while every bell in
the city Joined in the joyful clamor and
the irrepressibIe small boy fired off his
Meanwhile President Mckinley and his
brother Abner kept watch in the Execu-
tive Mansion; Lord Pauncefote, surround
ed by his secretaries and attaches, with
their families, watched the exit OF the old
century in the British embassy; and at
midnight, according to New Years Gus
tom, sent a congratula tory cablegram 20
Queen Victoria. A number of the diplo-
matte represen ia tives of Continental Eu-
rope met at the German embassy to well
come In the century and to send congrat-
ulatory messages to various crowned heads
in the Old World. Other watch meetings
were he'd by the representatives of Mex
leo and the governments of Central and
South America; and so all along the line
from palaces where the rich and mighty
meet to where the poor and lowly were
congregational alike impressed with the
extraordinary significance of the time.
New Years day is always one Of spe-
cial brilliancy in Washington when the
diplomats of all nations, the army and
and the power wealth, beauty and learn
ing Of the capital, together with thou
sands OF humber but equally patriotic cit
liens, assemble at the White House 70
pay their respects 10 the President and
his wife. This first official function OF
the twentieth century, while formal, as
usual. but characteristic OF American
simplicity. must have been a great con-
trast to that which took place under the
same roof a hundred years betorel On