The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1902-02-26
CENTENARY BIRTH OF VICTOR
HUGO WAS CELEBRATED IN
PARIS TODAY.
WAS ONLY COMMENCEMENT
Festivities Will Last Until Sunday
and Will Be Participated in by All
the High National Dignitaries
General Porter There.
(Ry Associated Press.)

Paris. Feb 26-The series or festivities
to celebrate the birth of Victor Hugo.
which will not be complete until Sunday
next. opened this morning with n grand
ceremony within the Pantheon, under the
auspices OF the government.
President Loubet. the members of the
cabinet. the senate and the chamber OF
deputies, representative delgations from
tn institute and other state bodies, In
Guiding the leading lights OF art science
and literature In France and deputations
from the various educational institutions
were present President Loubet was
warmly cheered along the route as he
drove to the Pantheon. escorted by
squadron OF curasiers.
The president ana cabinet ministers
took their seats In the official tribune
erected I'm the chamber, while In the
transcpt beneath the dome were two
others tribunes, one to the right. re-
served for Madame Loubet and wives
OF ministers. ana the other to the left,
on which the members of Victor Hugo's
family were seated. The United States
ambassador. General oPrter, sat in the
front row OF seats set apart for the
diplomatic corps.
Bust of Hugo.
Exactly beneath the center of the dome
rose, from out OF a. cluster of palms and
flowers. the bust of Victor Hugo by the
celebrated sculptor David dangers, and
this was the symbol to which the eyes of
the thousands of the spectators assem-
bled Within the east hall were directed.
a few steps behind the bust was "a little
platform, from which the artists of tho
comedie francais recited verses for tho
poets work
Trlbunes for the senator's, deputies,
academlcians and Other principal guests
were ranged around the nave. about
5000 persons in all being present.
privileged portion between the bust
and the front OF the presidents tribune
was reserved for about 80 young men
and girls selected from various schools
TO typlfy the youth of France.
The decoration or the interior OF the
Pantheon, for which parliament voted
$4,000 francs, was very simple but Inn
pressive, blue being the dominant color.
The sides were dnapcd with blua
velvet, ornamentcd with the Initials
"V. H.," and beneath the dome was sus-
pended an enormous gilt laurel wreath,
matched TO the surrounding walls by
light gara.ids of foliage
The walls were completely hidden by
velvet hangings embroidered In gold I'm
the center OF which stood out large
wreath, incloslng within 1t Tyre and
the initials ". H." beneath being the
dates "I802-i902."
The principal facade was also hung
with blue velvet, bearing the name OF
the poet. while clusters OF palms ana
flags heightened the external color of
the effect.
The ceremony began shortly after 10
o'clock IN the morning and was con-
Guided at 1.45 "a m. The program in
Guided eulogistic addresses by NJ. Ley
CUES. minister OF public instruction, and
M. Hanoteaux, president Of the institute,
and the rendition of the hymns based
on Hugos works by NJ. Delmas of the
opera and a choir of 1870 men and women.
The band Of the republican guard, an
orchestra numbering 100 persons, per-
formed the instrumental part OF the ex-
ercises.
The scene vi hin the Pantheon was
most imposing and full OF color, owing
to the brilliant toilets OF the ladies
and the uniforms OF the officials.
I'm all the public schools OF France the
day VIII fbe celebrated by lectures on the
life Of Frances national poet and by
reading from his works by the pro-