Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-10-06
! $4,000 BANQUET
London HONORABLE Artillery
Entertained by the An
clients of Boston
NOT EXACTLY JErFERsoNlAN
Porhably the Most Elaborate and Ex-
pensive Affair Ever Given in the
East-ccst SIS Per Plate-ssooo for
Lighting - $4,000 for Flowers =
Year of Preparation.

/ Boston, Mass Oct 6.--The Honor
I able Artillery company OF London Was
| entertained at II banquet in Symphony
hall last night by the Ancient and
Honorable Artillery company of Bos@
ton. according TO plans first conceived
five years ago.
/ The function was the most elaborate
ever given in the United States. and
no trouble or expense was spared to
make the event a notable one.
Thousands of electric lights We're
used, and miles upon miles of smilax
and vines were woven in and out among
the globes and the flowers which con-
I stituted the decorations.
| The banquet coss about 100000, of
which $4,000 Went for lighting and half
as much for flowers
| Two score of the Honorable were
guests, and they marched into the hall
accompanied by the Ancients. each
Ancient escorting an Honorable.
| The speeches whith followed the dim
ner had as their text the firmer welding
| of the bond OF friendship between the
! two countries. That of Senator Hoar
was the most scholarly, and that of eX-
Gov. John D. Long the most entertain
| ing.
| After toasts to the president and
the king. Gov. Bates spoke for the
commonwealth and Mayor Collins for
the city.
United States Senator George F..
Hoar responded for odd Mother Eng
land" He referred feelingly to the
death of Sir Michael Herbert.
Continuing, Senator Hoar said:
when you go back to old mother
England tell her her boys are contented
and happy and growing. Give her our
best love-
Each guest wher he rose from the
table carried with him silver plate
fittingly engraved with the story of
the banquet and The occasion for it.
In addition to the souvenir silver plate
each guest had tucked away In his
pocket silver cigar case filled with
rare cigars and cia;arets, according to
the personal tastes of the possessor.
This souvenir is fashioned after the
style of the cartridges box of the hon
Durable company tf the earliest pat
tern.
The decorations of the banquet hat
We're one of the most pleasing features
of the ensemble.
Above the center of the stage, upon
which was arranged five long tables
for the notables OIL the occasion, was
suspended likeness OF the English
crown, len feet high and eight feet
l ,,,tx. , .,;
colored, representing the jewel effects
of the figure.
AT the base was band of gold,
studded with precious stones and
pearls. above was represented the
fieur de-lIs, and alternating Herewith
four maltese crosses.
From these crosses sprang four Inn
perial arches of blazing gold, termin-
ating under mound surmounted by
maltese cross. The inner cap of Grim
son velvet, borderad with ermine, all
done in lights. completed the resplen-
dent effect OF the piece.
From the crown radiated seventy
five streamers OF soft golden lights
forming a dais above the tables of
honor. Suspended within this dais and
resting above the heads of the diners
was a magnificent panoply of the arms
of the city OF London (Which are those
of the Honorable Artillery company,
made of tiny electric bulbs, and on the
right and left OK this shield were
crossed the silk flags of the national
colors of England and of the United
States.
Directly facing This piece at the OPP
posite end OF the hall, in front of the
second balcony, was a similarly lighted
panoply of the arms of the Ancient and
Honorable Artillery company OF Mas
sachusetts, surmounted by an enormous
American eagle In electric lights.
There We're sixty-four tables, and the
middle portion of each was a bed of
flowers and electric lights. the lights
only half an inch above
the surface. The flowers and lights |
We're so cleverly interviewer it was al
most Impossible to distinguish one from
the other.
The bill of fare was the best the
best chefs in Boston could devise, and |
diamond black terrapin, canvasback |
duck, and other such delicacies were |
merely incidentals OF the whole.
1t required four hours to serve the
banquet, and little OF that time was
spared for anything but eating.
More than a thousand of Boston's
best known society women had been
invited to view the banquet from the
galleries, and in their opera costumes |
they added to the beauty Of the
scene.
Concealed bands and orchestras d.
vided the musical program.
The visitors intend going to Niagara