The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-04
ROOSEYELT'S DAY OF DAYS,
GREATEST CROWD EVER 10 SEE
MN INAUGURiTED.
Al Least 400. 900 vlsiters-White House
Their Chier Attraction Weather
Promises TO he Fair-Hotcls Crowded
win Guests PAYING Famine Prices.

WASHINGTON. March 3-If this good
weather holds out, tomorrow WILDE all that
ANYBODY could desire for an Inauguration
day. Four years ago, when Mckinley
and Roosevelt were indicted into Office.
| the rain came down in torrents and every
! body was cold. wet and miserable.
Mckinley first Inauguration day, eight
years ago. was beautiful from weather
standpoint but when Cleveland's second
term began. four years before that, WASH
ington was visited by a blizzard and when
Harrison became President in 1859. cold,
hard. sleetv rain fell from morning until
nil ht, running the decorations and the good
temper OF the crowds
Tonight is warm for this season OF the
year, and this caiIses uneasiness 10 those
most Interested In having a successful
Inauguration. for rise IN temperature be
tokens rain There IL slight mist, not
low down, but evident from tho fact that
the stars appear dim The afternoon had
been perfect, following a raw, cloudy morn
ing, and everybody was led to hope that
tomorrow would be likewise. But every
thing concerning inaugural weather suncer-
tain. and tonight the Weather Bureau
while inclined to be hopeful, s not making
any positive predictions.
Those who have been working for months
TO make the inaugural festivities great
success are declaring that no such crowds
ever came TO Washington before. Two
hundred thousand visitors are here or
coming. they say. and the railroad officials
back themup. That il equal to and in fact.
a little greater than the entire white popu-
lation OF the District Of Columbia
The appearance Of the streets in the down
town section bears out this assertion. The
railroad stations are packed and iammed
with arriving thousands. The Capitol is
crowded with sightseeing humanity. Seats
| in the galleries of the Senate and the House
1 on this last night OF the Fifty eighth Con-
/ gress are 10 be had only by long and patient
waiting.
ALI EAGER TO SEE ROOSEVELT
Regiments, companies. batteries, polit
| ical marching clubs, glee clubs and brass
/ bands are arriving on every train. All tho
/ trains are late some OF them many hours
/ behind their schedules Nearly all the polit-
/ ical clubs regard It as their duty 10 march
! 10 the White House direct from the rail
way stations. or as soon as they have
! spruced up bit and had something 10 eat
D InelT members Httlll 70 AllliAh lllht Nllb
[ President wants 70 rec them right away
and that he is waiting. anxious to shake
HANDS and MAKE a speech about the good
work they did in the late campaign But
J tho President hands were tou busy for
| much shaking to-day. He il working late
tonight signing measures that are being
sent from the Capitol
Besides. be has made Il rule that he will
not receive any organizations or other
visiting coutingent4 until after the inaugu-
ration He broke it, however, many times
to-day. Once was when Gov. Higgins and
his stan called. and another time when a
rattling good glee club from Columbus
Ohio. came 10 show him how it won votes
for Roosevelt and Fairbanks in the cam
paign by sheer force Of the soothing charm
Of music over the savage Democratic
breast
HOTELS BEAPISG \ HARVEST
Tho hotels. big and little. fashionable
aud otherwise. are crowded Fancy prices
are being demanded and paid for rooms
Visitors who want sleeping uccommoda-
tions in the best known hosteries in the
downtown section are required TO pay
rental for a week at FIVE. and even ten,
times greater than the regular rates
Rooms in hotels not patronized ordinarily
by people with plenty OF money are oharg
ing $50 a day for 81 accommodations, and
the victim must pay for seven whole days
at that rate II man arrives here tonight
with the intention Of leaving tomorrow
he must pay $40 for the privilege Of sleep
ing In one Of these little cibbyholes that
next week he will be- able to secure for one
seventieth Of that sum These prices do
not include meals
I'm most barroom places the prices OF
liquors have not been advanced. bot signs
are displayed telling customers that no
mixed drinks will he served. In one noted
hotel beer il now 10 cents glass. and the
glasses are small at that But this hotel
bar has free lunch Of crackers and cheese.
while other drinking resorts have removed
their free lunch tables.
There is no doubt left IN tho minds Of
the residents and visitors that this il the
eve Of the 4th. The streets are already
packed with a slowly moving mass OF
humanity from curb to house front Many
take the middle OF the road perforce.
BEAUTIFUL MONT DISPLAYS.
The street cars are loaded with sghtseen'
and all up and down the length Of Ponnsyl-
vania avenue the electric decorations have
been switched on making far more beau
tifu display shan II the decorated city by
day An immense searchight on the roof
Of the Pension Building brings the dome
Of the Capitol into clear white relief against
the dark sky The Treasury Department
is outlined in an electric blaze
All along the avenue are festoons OF in
candesoent lights till the streets are almost
AS clear day Stars glitter on the house
fronts in blazes Of electric glory and here
and there the flag, with its field of blue and
silver stars il outlined in shlmmenng
lights.
But thee mock hags are pale and in
significant beside the real flag floating
against ne black sky and bathed in the
rays OF searchlight that follow 1t stead
tasty. II is common trck OF ilumina
ton. but one Of the most beautiful and
from n score Of roofs about the city the
illuminated flag IL waving
The Post Office Department building is
Illuminated and for the first time since II
was built there seems 10 be rational
explanation for the ugly central tower with
which it is crowned The tower tonight