Los Angeles herald., 1905-03-05
ROOSEVELT AGAIN
TAKES THE OATH
ASSUMES HIGHEST OFFICE IN
NATIONS GIFT
Not One Hitch or Unfortunate Inch
dent Occurs to Mar the Day.
Affair spIendldIy
Handled

1t passed, there were elements of spe-
ciai interest. The Ninth cavalry, that
splendid colored regiment, received
marked attention. The crowds went
wild over the section Of Rough Riders.
Scouts and Porto Ricans
The scouts and the Porto Rico bat
TALON excited intense interest. The
brigade cadet battalions from many
states, organized by Gen. Chaffee, at
tracted universal attention and received
unbounded applause.
The civic grand division of eight bri-
gades in three divisions, made up of
over fifty organizations, was in every
respect better organized than ever be-
fore.
Turning from the pageant of the day,
the doubled population Of the city dis
persed itself for the three imposing
spectacles of the night-the promenade
at the pension Office, misnamed ball;
the fireworks on the White House lot
and the dazzling street decorations.
The attendance at the ball was limited
to 1900 or $4,000.
The street decorations were viewed
by a solid marching column filing the
wide pavements Of the avenue and the
street itself reaching for two miles and
q half.
Fireworks Are Elaborate
The dome of the capitol stood white
against the darkness, the illuminations
of searchlights in the top of Washing
ton monument being made visible for
many miles. The fireworks exceeded
all previous displays. The set pieces
were of large dimensions-such as
wheel more than hundred feet in
diameter, a presidential piece 200 feet
in length, and a national flag 300 feet
long carried up a thousand feet by
balloons and there developed in the
sight of the city and beyond. The
decorations of the ballroom success
fully conformed to the agreement that
the Inauguration should surpass all
previous efforts.
In Difference to Sunday, all cere-
monies stopped at midnight, but it was
we'll toward morning before the lights
were turned down on the most bril-
liant spectacle that Washington has
seen in it's long line of notable oc-
casions. Till long after midnight the
gathered thousands walked, wander
ing and enthusiastic, on Pennsylvania
avenue, through the long reaches of
fairyland. With the wee small hours
the lights faded and the citizens rested
after their months of labor.
Grandly had the District of Columbia
entertained the nation.
The great crowd, assembled for the
, crowning event of day full of fea-
lures, cannot be estimated even by
comparison. 1t extended far beyond the
reach of the voice and was so densely
packed as to carry the stage out of
the sight of many. The capitol plaza,
resourceful in accommodating the
thousands eager TO view the ceremony,
was completely filed, People came by
it's numerous streets and avenues,
which, like so many yawning, ravenous
maws, greedily swallowed the throng
until every ceign of vantage was occu-
pied. The trees, barren of foliage,
carried their human burdens on limbs
capable of bearing the weight of man
or boy. and so. far away as the ter
races and marble steps of the library
of congress thousands stood.
Hours before the ceremony could be
expected to take place the people
sought the most advantageous posi-
tions. They came by every means of
conveyance. carriages discharging
their occupants blocks away, and cars
in steady stream unloading their pas
sengers within the prescribed area
from which the unlicensed vehicles
were excluded. The number of con-
veyances of all kinds was totally in
adequate to meet the demands of the
public.
Whole Country Represented
The scene was one of remarkable
animation. Those who sought places
maintained a running fire of raillery
and pushed and jostled one another
the SOunQ OF lnelf voices 1nlnBllnB
with the shufhing of feet on the as
phalted plaza. 1t was a cosmopolitan
public. varied and inclusive, taking
in those who from force of circum-
stances and lack of opportunity were
unable to gain desirable places to view
the grand procession that was to fol-
low.
Although the ceremony differed little
from those that have preceded it. in
the great sea of spectators probably
there was a larger number of repre-
sentative Americans than any inaugu-
ration has brought to Washington. The
eastern states were rivaled in point Of
attendance by reason OF President
Roosevelt's great popularity in the
middle and far west. Delegations were
present from every one of the insular
possessions. Many of them had never
seen the capitol and to large num-
ber. the inauguration Of president
was wholly strange.