The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-01-02
The President and Mrs.
Roosevelt Receive.
GREAT PU MPING OF HANDS
Lord High Ike and Ike of Low Estate Elbow
Through Happy Jam in Scene
Of Dresm-Like
(By the Associated Press.)

(By the Associated Press.)
Washington, Jan. President Roose-
velt's New Years reception was one Of
the most brilliant events in Washing
tons recent social history. All callers
were afforded the opportunity of greet
ing the President and Mrs. Roosevelt
and exchanging with them the compli-
ments Of the New Year. No distinc-
tions were made except such as were
rendered necessary in the preservation of
order; and the greetings extended to
all-high and low, rich and poor-were
alike cordial and sincere.
The general public for the first time
had an opportunity to see the widely
heralded improvements in the White
House-improvements which when COM
pleted will have cost about 100000. In
addition to a desire personally to wish
the President and Mrs. Roosevelt a
happy New Year hundreds of persons
were attracted to the reception by wish
to see the White House in it's new and
handsome interior finishings and furnish
ings. To many who were familiar with
the interior of the mansion as it was
revelation. While, in a general way the
form of the interior has been retained, in
beauty and effectiveness it is wholly diff
ferent. Just 102 years ago today Presi-
dent John Adams and his wife opened
the White House with a New Years
reception to their friends and to the
public generally. The dawn of the first
fete day within the walls, since become
icfn ind hHr ho
of saw and hammer as was this day
On account of the unfinished condition of
the lower floor President and Mrs Adams
received their guests in the room on the
second floor now occupied by President
Roosevelt as a library. While the i'm
provements now are more nearly COM
pleted than was the mansion itself at
that time, it will be several months
before the workmen will have finished
their task.
An hour before the time for the for
NAL reception to begin the mansion was
aglow with myriads of electric lights. To
the brilliance of the great crystal chan
deliers and the splendor of the new fur
nishings was added the beauty of the
floral decorations which although few
as compared with those of previous New
Years receptions at the White House,
were arranged with consummate art and
effectiveness. Towering palms of rare
variety were placed in inches about the
vestibule, main corridor and staircases
Two great square masses of American
and English holly were arranged between
the vestibule and main corridor. af-
fording a brilliant and effective back
ground for the handsome scarlet uniforms
of the Marine Band, sixty pieces strong,
which occupied tiers of seats in the
vestibule. In the Red, Blue and Green
rooms, and in the splendid East Room
were disposed a few vases containing cut
flowers, principally large white lilies
and lilies OF the valley. Here and there
poinsetta blossoms showed splashes of
flaming red.
1t was a merry day for the Roosevelt
children. Prior to the reception they
had a jolly time in the lower part of
the house. They manifested the live
liest interest in all the arrangements.
Shortly before II o'clock, the hour at
which the reception began, the Diplomat
ic Corps began to assemble in the Red
Room. The members of the corps enter
ed the mansion from the south side, as
usual. in order to avoid the crush of the
throng already gathered about the main
entrance on the north side.
Promptly at II o'clock the trumpeters
of the Marine Band sounded fanfare an
nouncing the approach of the President
and Mrs. Roosevelt and the immediate
receiving party. President Roosevelt
with Mrs. Roosevelt on his arm, descend
ed the main staircase and passing across
the main corridor and through the Green
Room entered the Blue Room, where the
guests were received. Following them
came the members of the Cabinet and
their accompanying ladies. The receiv
ing party was arranged in the arc of
circle in the bow window of the Blue
Room Facing them were the ladies in
vited to assist at the reception. Be-
tween the two sections of the receiving
party lane was formed by cordons of
old gold velvet. Through this lane the
callers passed from the Red Room, pro-
ceeding through the Green Room into
the East Room and thence down the
staircase in the East Terrace
The President was in excellent spirits
and Mrs. Roosevelt never seemed hap
pier or more gracious. The President
was attired in frock suit and the only
dash OF color about his attire was a
tie of grayish tint.
Mrs. Roosevelt wore a gown of eoru
lace oveY blue mousseline de sol. Miss
RooseyeT, a white silk gown with lace
The receiving party having assembled
IN the Blue Room the President and
MIS- Roosevelt cordially greeted each
one or the party and those behind the
line. The Presidents greeting to the
members OF his Cabinet was marked
by particular cordiality
This ceremony over, the reception prop