St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1901-03-13
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
The Inaugural tiOn-HOuse in Session
sunday-Vice-P President Roosevelt and
Family-DisIrict Board of Education
Names of Post Offices

yes The Inaugural tiOn-HOuse in Sessi,
to sunday-Vice-Presid II oOseveIt M
nc Family-District Board of Educat ion
Names of Post Offices.
w. (From'our regular correspondent.)
IA Editor of the CALIFORNIAN;
~ March 4, the long anticipated day fc
the Inauguration of President McKinle
e. and Vice President Roosevelt has no,
st become matter Of history. Although
S. heavy shower Of rain occurred in til
he early afternoon and married somewha
f. the closing ceremonies in front of tn
]. capitol, yet it did not prevent the triunl
i phal march of the grand procession from
t there later, to the reviewing stand il
+ front of the White House. The mass O
r the people in the United States are re
4 markedly patient and good natured or
t such public occasions and upon the whole
it was considered a great success
The chief Of the Weather Bureau
and his officers, who had predicted with
so much assurance, delightful day,
must have felt little uncomfortable
when they saw so many thousand people
caught out without an umbrella. Natu-
rally many insist that hereafter the day
should be changed to April. AS a rule
the troops conducted themselves admir-
ably, but some complaints were prefer
red against some of the companies OF the
Pennsylvania soldiers, as disordery, es.
pecially those who came from the mining
and oil regions, but the commanders
resent any such charges as unjust al
though it does not seem singular that
you should find some disorderly soldiers
from amongst 5000 and 5000 from a
state.
A rough estimate was made of the
number who visited the city at the time.
1t was thought that there must have
been 40 900 who came over the B. & o.
Railroad and $4,000 on the Pennsvl-
vania Railroad and branches centering
at that station. We noticed that one
hotel, The Raleigh, on 10Th St. and Penn
sylvania Avenue, had six governors and
Stats registered, while others were scat.
tered over the other hotels of the city. 1t
is said to have been the finest display
ever given president.
The receipts of the Capital Traction
Eiectric Company in the city on one day
exceeded that OF any other day since the
company began to do business. Their
highest record previously was during
the visit of the Grand Army in 1892, but
the men were able to meet all emergen-
,ies. There are two companies that
control most of the lines in the district.
The inaugural ball has become one of
The great functions Of inaugural day
since the time of James Madison. Will
lam H. Harrison and Zachary Taylor
lad each three balls given in their honor,
and attended them all, but when Frank
in Pierce was inaugurated there was a
erribe snowstorm and so there was
lone. 1t was wisely decided when lanes
Buchanan came into office that there
hould be but one ball, in one central
building, which practice has prevailed
yer since. President Lincoln was so
with duties that he was unable
0 attend the ball. There was none for '
President Hayes, owing to the contested +
lection. The large court of the pension t
uilding, 400 feet long, which was used for c
be first time when President Cleveland
anne into office, has been the favored place f
'r successive Inauguration balls. TWAS e
stimated that there were over s, 900 per- $
Ons there this year. President and Mrs. u
lcKinley were much delighted with the a
but were unable to form
line tor an opening march, but enjoyed il
he scene from the upper reviewing stand t
here their party was stationed. The s.
We concerts upon the following days I
lowed people generally to enjoy the il
atriotic music and see the splendor of Y
lie rooms. Between the hours of the Fl
)ncerts the managers permitted the 2
1ildren from orphan asylums to see the d
reat hall lighted, which is said to be "
ne greatest one of the kind in the world
nd it was vision of beauty. No one Il
an form any adequate idea of it simply o
ON description. 1t must be seen to tt
pprecate its beauty. The expense of ii
be decorations was set down at $45 900. tt
A common exclamation was heard, Ii
A veritable fairyland!" eyes, truly, a 81
lidsummer Nights Dream" responded d
mother. Adjectives were banded about, b
While others stood in an ecstacy of de- a
ght. The general verdict was that the a
rtist had produced a wonderful har. Ell
nony OF light, color and scene in the fl,
building. The thousands of yards of gold m
n drapery festooned from the ceilings. m
'rnamented with so many delicate vines m
md yards of smilax, and the set pieces fr
IT crimson azaleas, lighted by the nj
%, 900 electric lights, softened by shades al
vas marvellous triumph of art, and the T
tirring strains of patriotic music from =
he Marine Band appealed to the ear
md heart. Although the building was
is light as day, it was a sottened mellow
,,1a 4 - 4 IL Al. n