Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1912-01-16
SOCIETY PRESENT EN- MASSE
PROMINENT CITIZENS FROM ALL
PARTS OF STATE WITH THEIR
LADIES, DANCED.
HALL WAS A SCENE OF BEAUTY
DECORATIONS WERE ELABORATE
AND GOWNS OF THE WOMEN
WERE MAGNIFICENT.

Santa Fe, N. NJ, Jan. 16.-Night
fall darkened the lay; the capitol ant
executive mansion, the Old Palace O.
the Governors and the armory blazee
forth in electrical splendor. The
great dome of the capitol stood oui
lined against the somber sky anc
from the historic old Palace of the
Governors cleaned the names oi
those governors whose names are
forever connected with the history oi
New Mexico: De Vargas, Percy
Onate, Bent. Otermin and Wallace
with that of Mills, the last territorial
governor, and Mcdonald the first
state governor.
The impressive ceremonies and the
gaities of the day gave way to the
festivities of the night. The dance
was on, the long anticipated and long
prepared for inaugural ball was at
r
hand
TEE trilliance without was but a
promise of the gorgeousness within.
Carriages ana automobiles lined the
way aud handsomely gowned women
una silk hated escorts crowded the
s,1s:adidly decorated entrance way.
The entrance room was one of those
recently improved by the Archaeolo-
gical society and was handsome with
great paintings representing the pre-
historic and historic ages of Santa
Fe and the coming of the Americans
over the old Santa Fe trail. Rich yel-
vet hangings, overhung with trailing
smllax decorated the reception room.
where stood Governor Mcdonald and
his party The decorations were
specially magnificent. consisting OF
smilax and flags with a profusion of
cut flowers lending their fragrance to
the air. The governor and his en-
tourage stood in front of an embank-
ment off greenery with a great silk
flag in front of them. The rich
gowns of the ladies were enhanced
by the beautiful background. In the
party were Governor Mcdonald and
Mrs. Mcdonald, Governor and Mrs
Mills, Lieutenant Governor De Baca
and Miss Mcdonald, Mrs. De Baca be.
ing Ill, and unable to attend, Secre
tary of State and Mrs. Lucero, Mayor
and Mrs. Arthur Seligman. Passing
the receiving line, the crowds wan
dered through the Puye and Rito de
los Frijoles rooms. distinctive for the
magnificent mural paintings and Lo
tave and the exhibit of rare old treas
lures. The historic old reception room
where the social drama has been SC
often enacted, attracted the crowd
also, many of whom fingered to ad
mire the Indian and New Mexican art
exhibits of Carlos viera.
The ball room and the armory was
connected by canopied way, and an
artists skill materially aided and
transformed the rooms into a verit
able fairland. The yelloW and white
which predominated in the color
scheme of the two buildings develop
ed especially elaborate decorations in
the armory. A dome of yellow hid
the ceiling, worked out with yards
and yards of bunting with pine and
balsam boughs forming a border and
giving woodsy fragrance to the vast
room. The walls were draped in
white with garlands of ivy and palms
standing out vividly against the snowy
back ground. Electric lights were
layishly used in the decorations and
1S4S, the date of the American occu
patton of the territory. was emblaz
oned on the wall with 1912, the state
year, opposite in starry brilliance.
Cut flowers added to the splendol
and the gorgeous costumes of the
ladies gave the finishing touch to q
scene of unparalleled magnificence