The daily sentinel., 1909-03-04
TODAY'SCOURT OF
HONOR DESCRIBED
[By Associated Press. !


from time immemorial, the newly in
Quoted president of the United States
has reviewed the inaugural parade
from a stand in front of the White
House. 1t is fitting that this should
be made the focal point of the great
function. Here, from Fifteenth
street to Seventeenth street on
Pennsylvania avenue, the Taft inaug-
ural committee has designed a Court
of Honor, which, in symbolical effect
and beauty of construction, surpasses
all previous efforts in street decora-
tive work in the national capital
This work has been the particular
care of the committee on street dec
| orations, of which f. w. Dunn, Jr.
| is the chairman. Associated with
him are many architects of national
repute. They have collaborated and
after much study have produced a
scheme which is masterpiece of
architectural art.
In nearly every instance hereto
fore, the criticism has been that the
decorations of the Court of Honor
were too sombre. There was not
enough of the character of the cele-
bration of victory, not enough of the
character of a joyous beginning of
an eventful era. This has been avoid
ed in the present court of honor. The
decorators have expressed admirably
their idea. The result is a superb
decorative scheme, beautiful in de-
sign and finish and thoroughly typ
ical of the strength and prosperity of
the country
From fifteenth street to Seven
teenth street there is stretch of
about 800 feet. Pennsylvania av-
enue, between these points. is in
tersected by two cross streets Mad
ison Place on the east of the axis of
the White House and Jackson Place
on the west On the axis of the
White House and directly in front of
1t is the presidents reviewing stand.
accommodating approximately 5000
people and opposite it is the, Lafayette
Square stand accommodating about
5000 people. The stands are de-
signed artistically, and. although
only temporary, are in keeping with
the architectural treatment of the
Court of Honor
Venetian masts, surmounted with
gilded baskets bearing greenery and |
flowers and festooned with gaily col |
ored streamers, extend the entire |
length of both sides of Pennsylvania |
avenue. They are spaced thirty feet !,
apart and are Joined together with |
looped garlands of laurel leaves and |
flowers. AT the intersection of Mad |
ison Place and Jackson Place. on each |
of the four corners are large Pylons, |
fifty feet high These Pylons have !,
the form of massive Doric columns on
tall pedestals and wide-spreading
bases. Eight in number, they form.
as it were. the entrances. and exit
gates of the Court of Honor.
The Pylons are constructed of
ana staff, painted white
and certain portions of the staff orna-
ment is gilded. All of the columns
are decorated with laurel leaf. flow |
ers and gilded rope. AT the base of
each column is a cartouche with the
American eagle bearing a trophy of
silk flags. Around each Pylon are
masts arranged in circle
and on them are trophies with the
gilded American eagle perched on a
golden label bearing the names of
Taft and Sherman alternately. Be
low the names is bas relief portrait
of Taft and Sherman.
The Pylons at each street inter-
section have stretched between them
and diagonally at height of fortyl
feet above the ground laurel leaf
garlands of massive size. and fes-
tooned below the garlands of leaves
are smaller garlands of flowers. AT
given points. the gariands are orna
l1tnltu with tiiutu WIN AppPtt
gilded rope and tassels. In the cen
ter of each span, directly over the
center of the street, are immense
trophies of the seal of the United
States. The diagonal festoons have
at their intersection an immense
white ball ornamented with looped
garlands of exquisite green. studded
with electric lamps White and
green constitute the official colors of
the entire inaugural ceremony.
Each Pylon is surmounted with
huge guided basket filled with palms
and flowers and lighted with incan-
descent lamps A line of electric
lamps extends along every festoon or
garland, so that at night the general
line of the decorations will be pre-
served in all of their artistic beauty.
Wherever the American flag is
used it is used properly, breaking |
free to the wind or grouped in form
of trophies. The general color scheme |
of white and green is preserved,
however. and natural greens and |
white flowers have been employed, |
in prodigal profusion. 1t was re
garded that as back ground for the |
brilliant streamers and flag! no more |
beautiful combination of colors was
pOScibip