Evening star., 1909-03-04
ABLAzE WITH LIGHTS
Pennsylvania Avenue as 1t
Looks at Night.
.CITY'S GREAT WHITE WAY
Broad Thoroughfare a Triumph Of
the Decorative Art.
SOME OF THE BEAUTY SPOTS
The Court of Honor, the Capitol, the
Treasury, Municipal Building and
the Peace Monument


which William Howard Taft and James
Schoolcraft Sherman were escorted 10
and from the Capitol. the commltteH
which has had in charge the details OF
illumination has worked out scheme
which has proved entirely successful.
Pennsylvania avenue by night is a thor
oughfare OF blazing arches from the
White House to the Capitol.
Overhung by great arches OF light. tie
city's great thoroughfare presents a scene
during the inaugural parade unequaled by
any other celebration. To bring about
the proper effect the matter was placed
In the hands of Bernard r. Green. super
intendent OF the Congressional Library
building. After selecting his assistant
committeeman many plans for illumina-
ton were discussed and the merits OF
each one were thoroughly canvassed. and
the fnal arrangements have had the deep
consideration OF every one connected with
the committee.
The illumination of the great court OF
honor has been left to the committee on
street decorations. to become an archi-
tectural feature OF that great item in the
city's celebration. From the Treasury
down 18th street and eastward to the
Peace Monument there are arching fas-
toons OF about fifty lights. each placed
l5o feet apart. making eighty arches. In
speaking of these lights one of the mem
bers Of the committee very aptfy de-
scribed it by saying that 1000 electric
lamps arranged as the committee finally
decided give the appearance of the
myriad twinkling lights always attrib-
uted to such light celebrations. The
arches have quadruple festoonS with
three points, the highest being thirty
feet above the street.
white Way of the Nation"
In addition to the lighting of the great
street, which may be said 10 be the
Great White Way" of the nation during
the time that the city is crowded with rep
resentatves OF every state and territory In
the Union, the business men whose build
ings line Pennsylvania avenue have done
their utmost TO make proud showing
for Washington. Many of the principal
buildings will show hundreds OF lights by
night, and their interest in the matter
has been stimulated by the work of the
men who have done SO much to make the
streets beautiful.
Situated as it is upon a hill the Capitol
building looms high above PENNSYLVANIA
avenue, great mass of white. beautiful
in design and compelling attention by day
But its beauty has never been more ap-
parent than by night, since the commit
tee has made part OF its scheme the
illumination of the dome. Two enormous
searchlights. whose powerful beams are
thrown from thirty-inch refectors are
trained upon the west side, showing thu
lines of the dome in beautiful outline
against the darkened sky of the east.
The Peace Monument.
At the foot of Capitol Hill, directly in
the middle of Pennsylvania avenue. is
the famous Peace Monument, and it has
been made a splendid detail of the night
! scheme of beauty by the use of s<feams
of water which gush upward and outward
and which are Illuminated by three
twelve-inch searchiights placed symmetri-
cally about it. AS the water plays upon the
marble of the statue the lights change in
color
The municipal building the home OF the
city government, one of the most beau
tful buildings in the country, faces Penn
sylvania avenue near the Treasury De-
partment, and its tasteful architecture is
! revealed to the throngs at night by Sc
ries of spot lights. similar to those used
in theaters. The broad streams of white
light reveal every foot OF the marble
! statuary upon the building as we'll as the
carved columns and other decorations.
To help IN beautifyng the building
through the broad front windows the
interior Of the building shine radiantly.
| The Treasury Department building is
penciled with lights which line the Cornca
just above the great columns. One thou
sand lamps have been used on this build
ing.
The work OF the committee on street
decorations is seen wherever a flag is
hung out i'm honor of the new President
and Vice President fer not only has this
committee planned and carried into effect
the beautiful court of honor which faces
the White House and extends from 18TH
street TO 18th street, but IT has given ad-
vice and made suggestions for the decora-
tions of private buildings all over the city.
Beautiful Court of Honor.
The court of honor will live long in
the memories of the visitors TO Washing
ton. II is a novel and beautiful thing. and
in it's simple details it embodies much OF
the beauty of classic architecture. Ed
ward w. Dom, ir., is the chairman of
that committee.
The court is one thousand feet long and
includes the stands on either side, the
viewing stand and the long lines of slen-
der columns. and the larger columns at
the 18th street end and in the center. In
designing the columns. ideals of Roman,
Grecian and Pompeian architecture were
followed to great extent. and in decorat
ing the American colors are so tastefuliy
ntermingled with green and white that
the color scheme of this inauguration can
not be described in any other word than
beautiful:
The architects chose green and white
for a good reason. 1t was that in build
ing q classic court. to be used for tri-
umphal occasion, they used the natural
color, green, so that living leaves OF
laurel could be woven into wreaths and
ropes and palm leaves. always used as
sign of triumph. could be placed with
artistic effect among the white columns.
As the court stands. the slender pillars.
utilized as fiagst affS. from which float
streamers of red and white, are con-
nected with graceful festOons of laurel.
Almost hidden by day. but very much in
evidence at night are long strings of cleo
,,.c lights which follow the fes -oons and
which prove to be of great splehdor when
lit In the center of the court are heavier
ropes of laurel, connecting the four large
pillars ard in the very center of ali Is
great overhanginS globe studded with
tights.
Borrowed From the Old World.
The lower third of the larger columns
las been painted orange. This idea is
taken from the ceiAprltions of the ED
WORLD where rcd or era 1se Is always
sociated VII great occasions. and where
are generally treated i'm that
way. From the tops of the large center