The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-01-02
At THE WHITE HOUSE
-rw PRESIDENTS FIRST PUBLIC
RECEPTION.
EVERY ONE WAS ADMITTED
TUE AFFAIR IN EVERY WAY Sue
CESSFUL.

49,, weather Delightful, the Deco
dout in Excellent Spirits-Diplo-
,nnt. and Common People Alike
shook Hands with the President
aud Received His Hearty Wishes
eoo Happy New Year-Mrs. RoOs-
.veIt and Miss Alice Roosevelt
Took an Active Part.
washington, Jan. president
Roosevelt's first public reception was
attended more largely than any New
years reception in a number of years.
I, all 500 persons filed through the
While House and shook hands with
4he President. Mr.. Roosevelt on be-
,ng apprised that the crowd in line
outside the White House was unusually
large. gave orders that the gates should
mt he closed until the last person
desiring to do so. had an opportunity
IN nav his respects. The reception
hogan promptly at IL o'clock. and it
was $50 o'clock before the last per-
son in line had been presented to the
President, and a quarter of an hour
later before the reception came to an
end. The weather was delightful, be-
ing clear and crisp, so that no hard
ship was suffered by the throng that
waited for hours before admission to
the White House. The reception was
in every way successful, the attend
snce not only being large, but the dec
orations really beautiful, the arrange
ments perfect and the President in ex-
ceHent spirits. To each person he ex-
tended a cordial happy New Year, and
Mrs Roosevelt was equally pleasing
to each of those who filed past the
line in the Blue Parlor. where the re-
ceiving party stood. Miss Alice Roose-
welt was conspicuous among those as
sisting at the reception. A party of
her young girl friends by invitation
also participated in the function.
The interior of the mansion was
aglow with myriad of electric lights,
and to this was added the beauty of
profusion OF flowers, plants and vines,
banked about the mantels and draped
from chandeliers and walls. The floral
decorations reached their hight OF
effectiveness in the East Room. Here
the great crystal chandeliers were
looped with smilax, while the recesses
of the chamber were banked with poin-
setta blossoms, begonias and tall ferns.
In the Red and Blue parlors there was
the same effective disposition of flow
ers and plants. the flaming red of the
poinsetta being most apparent every
where.
ROtir Engineer snti Marine Bands.
In the outer corridors. just within the
the hand nf the Engineer
Corps, u. S. A., sixty strong, in their
brilliant uniforms, were arranged in
tiers. while further along in the con-
servatory was the full membership of
the Marine Band, in bright red uni
forms. While the musicians were TAX
Ing their places the Roosevelt children
were having a merry time through the
corridors, and one of them could be
heard playing the Kangaroo March in
the private apar tments of the presi-
Dental family.
Shortly before II o'clock the throngs
Of distinguished callers began to as
semble in the main corridor. First came
the members of the diplomatic corps
IN their rich court uniforms, resplend-
cnt in medals and decorations. 1t was
most cosmopolitan throng, with the
oriental silks of the Chinese minister
ard his suite, the red fez of the Turk
ish minister, and the more modern but
equally gorgeous attire of the Japanese
and Koreans conspicuous amid the
groups of diplomatists. The members
OF the corps gathered in the Red par
Tor preparatory to being presented to
the President and those about him.
Exactly at IL o'clock a fanfare from
three trumpeters, stationed at the
further end of the main corridor, an
nounced the approach of the President
and the receiving party. At the same
moment President and Mrs. Roosevelt
appeared at the upper landing of the
corridor, and arm in arm descended
the stairway, while the marine band
broke in with Hail to the Chief"
The President bowed as he passed
along, frequently giving a CHEEKY re,
Spouse to the New Years greetings
extended to him from those in the
line. Mrs. Roosevelt held in her hand
superb bouquet of pink orchids. She
wore a gown of white satin, heavily
pleated, with lace yoke and diamond
ornaments, and in her hair sparkled a
diamond tiara. The President was in
the convential black frock coat He
mao no boutonnieres and the gray
striped neck scarf was the only bit OF
rolor in his attire. Following the
resident and his wife came the mem
gers OF the Cabinet and their wives
lSSiuSllbldi LOOK up Intil
5.dtlon In the Blue parlor, with the
resident and Mrs.. Roosevelt immedi-
atey alongside the entrance, ready t.
gasp the hands of callers as they were
anhounced. AS soon as the President
took his position, he turned to the
many ladies invited behind the line
anu gave each of them i'm turn, a warm
seetlng and the well wishes of. the
Jay, Then the signal was given for ad.
nl'uhg the distinguished official call.
~, VINO by this time filed the outer
'o' rldors to overlooking.
LADY Pauncefote Led the Way.
ms as dean of the diplomatic corps, the
4. n.lsh ambassador, Lord Pauncefote
usually the first of the foreign callers
greet the President. To-day. how.
yer he was absent from the line. hav.
.s conveyed his private greetings &c
W resident, and the head OF the line
Nc taken by Lady Pauncefote and III,
,eh Pauncefote and the many mill.
NJ; naval and civil members of tho
sJs,ush establishment, all Of the OH.
rs ~ full uniform. The French am.
r1'osSsaor' NJ. Cambon. with all the
A. ,iDers OF the embassy stan. was next
uhe. Following him came the Ger.
~ 80 ambassador. DR.. Won Holleber, ac.
,shpanied by a retinue OF dashinf
Ing oiiicers OF the German army and
80 Inc Russian ambassador. Count
,,ll' the Italian ambassador. Sig.
a. mayor, and the Mexican ambasga.
g., senior Approx, were similarly &C.
i.panled BY large oficial staffs. Fol.
ssts me ambassadors came the min.