The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-05
VAST THRONGS AT
THE INAUGURATION
Simple But Impressive Ceremonies Attend the
Taking of the Oath of Office By Roosevelt
and Fairbanks.

mittee the best effects were produced
The light and airy stands conforming
| everywhere to elementary architecture
al rules as to construction, painting
and decorations, supplanted the huge
and unsightly lumber piles which were
formerly tolerated as outlooks for the
crowda For this the public owe;
John B. Larner thanks.
The scene by Gay was magnificent
/ by night, and the committees scheme
of illumination, the tremendous
crowds wandered in fairyland.
Heretofore the decorations of the
avenue have been chiefly flags. stream
ers and bunting. To these today were
added palms Of large growth and in
endless abundance. by car loads from
| the South. and shiploads from Porto
| Rico.
| The Court of History.
The Presidents reviewing stand. in
! front of the White House, was the
| center of the Court of History which
extended two long blocks from Fiji
teenth Street Along each side of the
avenue We're noted historical figures
in great numbers. from tn st. Louis
Exposition.
This triumphal pathway. along
which the kings of the earth might
have deemed it an honor to be con-
Quoted, was cleared and closed to cars
and vehicles at an early hour. The
police management was perfect such
as Washington has long been accus-
toned to under the able manage
ment of Major Sylvester, it's chief of
metropolitan police. 1t was a royal
highway upon which the President
carly enteral and proceeded to the
Capitol to sign such bills as Congress
might pass in its closing hours.
General Chaffee had provided n
we'll ordered and perfect cavalry es-
passed over the line and made
possible the prompt re-opening of the
streets to the car lines and the public
in order that the residents of the SUI
burbs and the greater portions of the
city might reach the centers of inter
est with the least delay. But the
grand army, as is its habit insisted on
acting with this escort, and the Pres
ident sharing the universal apprecia-
ton of its past deeds. yielded, and
his rate of progress to the capitol was
reduced to the pathetic pace of men
who were fast approaching the scrip
ture limit of life. But the delay had
it's compensations. Many thousands
had opportunity to see and greet the
President, as his cortege slowly passed
along the two miles from the White
House to Capitol Hill.
The five minutes remaining at the
close of the Senates SESSION were
given to inaugurating the new Vice
President. He appeared at the main
entrance escorted by the joint COM
mittee of arrangements and as the
Senate and it's guests rose he was
escorted to a seat at the right of the
presiding officer. where he delivered
brief inaugural remarks and repeated
the oath of office after the prsiding of
ficer, Senator Eyre.
New Session Organized.
Then Immediately began the open
ing and formal organization of the
new session in the Senate Chamber.
In this little box. whose galleries seats
about S00-Seats eagerly but vainly
sought for by at least a hundred
thousand pcople--the Senate. after q
dull roll call. and 6uller reading of
the Presidents proclamation assemb-
ling the body, began it's work. Packed
like Sardines in the restricted space
of the little chamber were the official
visitors, the President and Cabinet in
plain clothes; the ambassadors and
ministers, gorgeous in gilt braid and
decorations; the Supreme Court in
deep black, the army and navy in
silver and gold and swords and last
of all the members of the House of
Representatives banked about the
walls or crowded into cloak rooms.
Each of these grand divisions of Off
cial life, or official death was an
nounced and saluted by the Senate
rising. All this prolonged form with
it's solemn progress and weighty dig
nifty was preliminary to the ceremon-
les outside. and the march at once
began to the immense platform
where the President was to deliver his
II ,lyc he n Nf
Here the great pageant for the
benefit of the public began to unfold
itself and the people were on hand
to sec For the day. a long winter
had given way. and the never more
welcome sun blessed the occasion.
Men Everywhere But in the Sky.
The windows of the Capitol were.
crowded; there WAS a deep fringe of
spectators along the roofs of Senate
and House, and the portiCoeS OF the
dome. The trees of the park were
loaded with boys and men: the broad
acres of the park itself were crowded
with thousands upon thousands. Back
of this the windows, roofs and
porches of the Library Of Congress
accommodated a multitude. and every
residence fronting on the park added
to the imposing scene. Surrounding
the plaza in front Of the Presidents
platform We're the forming lines of the
main parade, while from the adjacent
streets everywhere projected heads of
columns, military and civic. waiting
to fall into their places in line.
With the appearance of the Presi-
dent from the Senate Chamber the
shouting began. swelling into a roar
like Niagara, rising to cy-
clonic effects, and continuing
while the Senate and members of
the House, the Cabinet, the Supreme
Court, the heads of the army and
navy, Ambassadors and Ministers,