Middletown transcript., 1905-03-11
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
WASHINGTON, D. c., March 4th, 1906


| write you amid the fan fare OF trum
pets, the beating of bass drums ant
while the great procession is returnin,
from the Capitol to pass the reviewing
stand Of tie Presi lent. | have seeI
many pa'- IS go back and fourthon thi
| historic , ehue but this one I think ex
ceiled them altin pomp of drum majors
length and orderiiness of procession anl
in the numbers and enthusiasm of tht
throngs of spectators. The President
salute Of twenty-one guns from the Navy
yards and like number from Fort Myel
and from Fort Washington are still
booming
~
There were about thirty thousand mer
i'll line, six thousand regulars, twelve
thousand National Guards and two
thousand cadets There were over fifty
Civic organizations in the parade. The
presence of Porto Ricans and Fillipinos
added TO the picturesqueness of the scene.
~
The President left the White House al
eleven O'Clock and proceeded up the
Avenue to the Capitol accompanied by a
troup of his own Rough Riders, those
who had been with him in Cuba. They
were a fine looking group of men, but it
was only with difficulty they concealed
their chagrin at being mounted on heavy
artillery horses instead of having the
light and nervous mounts to which they
are accustomed. When the President
reached the Capitol he proceeded at once
to the marble apartment known as the
Presidents room. Here the floral dec
orations were elaborate The mantle and
windows were banked with roses and
orchids and the bronze bust of Mckinley
was surrounded by flowers and draped
flag. The bills were brought from the
Senate and the House and the President
signed them as fast as he could but not
without looking them over. Then ac-
companied by the members of the Cabinet
he went to the Senate where at twelve
O'Clock e-President Fairbanks took
the oath of office, and made short ad.
dress. The floor of the Senate was
crowded with Senators, Representatives,
members of the Diplomatic Corps and the
Presidential party. The Galleries in
which every seat had been reserved for
the families of the President, Vice Presi-
dent. the Speaker OF the House, and OF
Senators and Members were packed even
the steps which were utilized as seats by
the observers. After his address and
prayer by the Chaplain, Vice President
Fairbanks administered the oath of office
to the Senators-elect. At the conclusion
of these ceremonies the President took
his stand on the Inaugural platform fac
ing the great crowd that had assembled
on the plaza which extends from the
Capitol to the gold dome Library of Con-
gress. On his right sat the Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court who administered
the oath of office and the President then
delivered his Inaugural address. 1t was
very short taking not more than ten
minutes for its delivery and owing to the
of the crowd could be heard
only by those who sat in his immediate
Immediately after his address
the President returned to the Presidents
room in the Senate and after congratula-
tions and few words with his friends he
re-entered his carriage and was driven
rapidly to the White House.
~
The Iaving of flags and cheering met
him on all sides as he proceeded at
swift trot up the Avenue and he was kept
bowling from the right to left, acknow-
edging the enthusiastic salutes the en-
lire way. After luncheon to which
number of guests were invited but which |
was really hurried meal he took his
place in the glass enclosed stand which |
VAS IN the centre of the "Court of His
ory" and from this point reviewed the |
which filed past him for three |
Iours. Stands lined both sides of the |
Avenue and obscured Lafayette Park and |
wen the White House, but in order to |
make the scene as picturesque as possible
he stands had been painted and draped
With flags and statues from the st. Louis
were on specially prepared
about the "Court" The Ave-
lne as far as the eye can see is mass of
In the centre of the broad
lean street, soldiers, scouts, the National
iuard, West Point and Annapolis cadets,
ivic clubs and bands playing stirring
music as the gorgeous drum majors per-
orm their tricks which stir the soul of
he small boy along the route. On either
ide of the parade the spectators are
locked and packed, elbowing and work.
ng into more advantageous positions or
hanging from side to side to rest the
'eary feet which have held them for six
r eight hours The stands arranged
'ith seats of the soft side of planks and
Dofed over are filled for the most part
nd every window along the Avenue
,me of which rented for hundred dol
lrs each is filled with spectators. In a
lort time the crowd will be turning
for the end is in sight and the
reet cars are beginning slowly to run
yain and gather up the crowds eager to
toid the rush that will follow.
~ :
1t is now past midnight and the Inaug-
raj celebration is ended. At twelve