The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-15
For Five Minutes Electric Lights
Out of Commission.
THECROWD WAS LARGE
Unique Features Used Effec-
lively i'm Decorations.
Real Eagles, StOrks and Flamin-
goes on Duty.

state officers at the public inaugural
reception which they held in the large
rotunda on the second floor OF the
state house. Except for. five minutes
along about half past o'clock when
the electric lights refused to work and
left the entire building in total dark
mess, the reception was as brilliant an
affair of its kind as has been held in
this state. Although the lights we're
out for but q brief five minutes II
seemed as though the darkness reign
ed for hours 1t was not entire DARK
ness at that for as soon as the nSnts
went out the men got busy win
matches. 1t is easy to imagine now
much light 4 match would show IN such
& big space and as they h1ckered up,
only TO die in a second or so. one eoulu
not help thinking that hundred hre-
flies had taken life in the bug cases
on the fourth floor, filtered down
stairs and were doing their pest 10 re-
lieve an embarrassing situation TO
some. Others, however, OF the hand
holding society had just as soon seen
the darkness continue ad minimum
Seldom, If ever, have the oecord7
stions in the state house been so pro-
fuse and beautiful From almost the
top of the dome to the basement the
galleries and balconies. the ratings
around the pit, were covered Win
United States flags and buntlhgs Oh
red, white and blue draped ana res
tconed with great good taste: over IN e
United States flag spread out ana
Si1rmounting these flags were StuHeo
American eagles from the Goss col
lection There were two huge oahKs
of palms in the south and west ends
of the second floor rotunda, where the
reception was held, and in front OF
which the receiving line stood
rather unique decor alton, ana Wnlcn
was incident to the banks OF palms,
were two or three dozen birds from the
Goss archaeological COLLECTION, WhiSh
We're placed in standing position IN the
midst of the palms. There were bros
from every cline and it seemed a tribe
fncongruous to see sDoonb1lls, naTnln-
goes storks and a variety or otner
strangely feathered fowls hobnobbing
together, as it were under the same
bamboo tree Still the effect was rather
pleasing to the eye
party took up their stand and it was
remarked by more than one IN me
crowd that 1t looked a bit unusual tor
CONGRESSMAN Charles Curtis. who might
properly be termed United States sena-
for-elect and the members of his fam
lily, taking precedence in the nne over
Governor and Mrs. Hoch- But this was
When the reception began the
receiving party took their stand
in semicircle around the second
floor of the rotunda, with the head of
the line at the north, and it extended
clear around to the south entrance or
the rotunGa- At the head OF the line
stood W. H Vernon, secretary of the
Kansas Day club Next to him was ].
& Simmons, speaker of the house OF
simmons, was Congressman Charles
Curtis, Mrs Curtis, Miss Dcllie Curtis
and then came Governor Hoch and Mrs.
Hoch- the justices of the supreme court
and their wives and the state officers,
the retiring ones as well as the new
ones, with their wives or daughters
Mrs Curtis wore an elaborate gown of
. white Miss Dollie Curtis was in pink
and Mrs Eocll was dressed in a becom-
ing costume of old rose
A6jutant General ]. W. F. Hughes.
without his war toys on, content to
wear the conventional claw hammer,
was the master of ceremonies He
started the reception going by escort
ing some 80 of the officers of the ma
tioraI guard along the receiving line.
They were all in spick and span uni
forms, gold botto1ed and gold braided
and they presented quite martial ap-
After the soldiers had shaken hands
all around the senators and representa-
tives ard their wives and families fol-
lowed along the receiving line and then
came the hoi polloi- General Hughes
marShalled the callers on the first floor
of the state house and they assembled
to the receiving line by the northeast
staircase. Soon after the senators and
the representative and their wives had
trave-sed the line they assembled re-
spectivel- in the senate and house
chambers and held receptions On their
own hook A few minutes after nine
O'clock ell of the visitors had been well
coined and started for their homes and
the inaugural reception of 1907 was a
thing of the past The state officers
and their friends repaired to their own
offices and held little receptions of the
mutual admiration order, but by ten
O'Clock the building was about deserted.
Those in the receiving line, and the
order in which they stood, were:
]. s Simmons, speaker of the house
of representatives.; Congressman Chas.
Curtis. Mrs Curtis and Miss Dollie Cur
tbs: Governor E. w. Hoch and Mrs
Hoch, Chief Justice w. A. Johnston and
Miss Johnston, Justice A c. Greene
and Mrs. Greene, Justice H. F. Mason
and Mrs. Mason Justice r. A Rurch
and Mrs. Burch, Justice c. A Smith
and Mrs. Smith. Justice Silas Porter
and Mrs. Porter. Judge w. r. Smith.
former justice of the supreme court;
Justice c. B. Graves and Mrs. Graves,
s. c. drummer, private secretary to the
governor; Lieutenant Governor w. j.
Fitzgerald, J. r. Rurrow, retiring sec
rotary of state; Secretary of State c.
- Denton and Mrs. Denton, Seth Wells.
retiring state auditor; Auditor James
NJ Nation and Mrs Nation, Thomas T.
Kelly retiring state treasurer; Treas
urer Mark Tulley and Mrs. Tulley, c. c.
Coleman, retiring attorney general: At
torney General Frederick S. Jackson
and Mrs. Jackson, L, l. t-yhoff, retir-
ing superintendent of public instruc-
ton; Superintendent E. T. F'airchild
Miss Fairchild, superintendent of Insur-
Rnce Charles w. Barnes and Mrs.
Barnes, c. A. Ryker, railroad commits
sioner and Mrs. Ryker, Frank J. Ryan,
railroad commissioner, and Mrs. Ryan,
George w. Kanavel. railroad commits
sioner and Miss Ryker, J. w. Robson,
former member of the railroad commits
vion, State Printer T A. McNeal and
Miss McNeal.
Some excellent music was furnished
ny Steinberg's orchestra which was