The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-22
INAUGURAL BALLS
 IN OLDENTIMES
THEY WE'RE NOT VERY SIMPLE
 AFFAIRS.
Attracted the Brilliancy and Beauty of the Natien--Eirst Inaugural Rsll Held on March 1, 1s09--Mrs.
 Madison Present, but She
 Did Not Dance

the Nutton--Eirst Inaugural Ball
 Held on March 1, ls09--Mrs.
 Madison Present, but She
 Did Not Dance.
 -~ &FssF
 Washington Post.
 The inaugural balls of the past, from the time of that celebrating the second Installation of President Washington in 17ss to the great event in the pen sion office building in honor of MT. Mo- kinley in 1901, reveal a gradual in- crease in splendor.' commensurate with the growth and expansion of the na- ton. They were never simple affairs. even in the days when the city of Washington resembled one of the Wes- tern prairie towns of a later day, but were always the most important social functions. attracting the brilliancy and beauty of the nation. Nearly all prep arations. or lack of them, reflected in large measure the. character of the ad- ministration to be inaugurated, as in-s stanced in the case of Jefferson, when no ball at all was held Later on. not content with one grand social affair. two and three were held.
 The First Inaugural Dance.
 It was not long after the formation of the government that the custom of holding inaugural balls began. Just prior to the celebration of Washing
 
 the following card was inserted in the papers of that city:
 The members of the Senate and of the House of Representatives of the United States are respectfully invited to a ball on the 4th of March, 1793, to be given by the Dancing Assembly, in honor of the unanimous reelection of George Washington, the President of the United States; the anniversary of the present form of government of the United States and a parting leave with the members of the present Congress"
 The capital of the nation was moved to Washington, the new city, with few ,conveniences, and on March 4, 1SO9, tne first inaugural ball was held here It was a grand affair, was held at Long s Hotel, and was attended by President Madison, ex-President Jefferson and the foreign ministers. Mrs. Madison never dances" a chronicle of the time states, but she was an interested spec tator at the ball. Four hundred took part At the second inauguration of President Madison the event took place at the Davis Hotel.
 At the first inauguration of Presi- dent James Monroe, in 1877, the 'Octa- Ron House." which stood at the corner of New York Avenue and Eighteenth Street, was used as a residence, the White House having been burned prior to this, and, there, the President and his wife afterward went to the Davis Hotel, later the Metropolitan, where 800 people of social propinence In that day assembled. The second ball in 1921 was given under the auspices of the Washington Assemblies.
 The White House was again ready for occupancy when John Quincy Ad- ans came into power, President Mon roe having given the first public re- ception in it on the day Of the eiec- ton of MT. Adams. The ball was helo' as were many of the fashionable affairs of that day, at Carusi's saloon, after ward known as the Theatre Comique.
 No ball, was given when Andrew Jackson was inaugurated, put there was sufficient celebration, for, after the taking of the oath, great crowd gathered to pay its respects To the new President at the White House As A result of the effusive demonstra- ton of affection nearly all of tho glass and china was broken and the chairs were covered with mud, left as evil dence of the curiosity of those who wished to catch glimpse of the hero of New Orleans. After the second election of Jackson a ball was held at the Central Masonic Hall, between Third and Four-and-a-half Street, on Pennsylvania Avenue, attended by the mayor and the board of aldermen
 Two Balls i'm Van Buren's Honor.
 At President Martin Van Buren's Hnauguration in 1887 two balls were given, but the chief executive attended only one, that at Carusi's saloon, on Eleventh Street. Many Senators and Representatives were present.
 When President William Henry Har- rison assumed the reins of government an old theatre, in Louisiana Avenue, was secured for the inaugural ball. The building was purchased by com mittee and furnished with a dancing floor and supper room, the ball prov ing such d success that $2,000 was af- terward divided between the Protestant and Catholic orphan asylums. It was a brillinat affair and a feature was the President joining in the dance with Mrs, Gales, wife of the editor of The National Intelligencer. The gentle men were charged $10 admission, while the ladies were invited guests. Two other balls were held at the same time. the IPeople's Tippecanoe Inauguration BalI' and the Native American Inau- gdration Ball." These were attended by President Harrison.
 The ball in honor of President Polk in 1S45 took place at Carusfs saloon It was 0 brilliant affair, the attendance being limited to 600 persons. Like all of the early balls 1t proved financial success,
 Danced in Judiciary Square.
 Three balls were given when Gen eral Zachary Taylor, or "old Rough and Ready" came to preside over the des- q tinies of the nation. For the princi- pal one a temporary building was erected in Judiciary Square. On the evening of March 1t was splendidly decorated. and Professor Gungrs Aus trian band, celebrated in those days. Added n hn al was given at Jackson Hall, and the third at Carusi's' saloon President