The Butler weekly times., 1913-01-16
MAJOR TAKES OATH
OF OFFICE IN HOUSE
A BOWER OF ROSES.
Hundreds Unable to See Ceremony, as
Capacity 'of Hall is Limited
to 500.


to 500.
Jefferson City, Mo-, Jan. 13-EI-
liott W. Major took the oath of office
and became Governor of Missouri in
fact at l2:l .. m. today. The "mys-
terious stranger had been ousted
from his temporary abode, and in
his place stood a Democrat, elected
by the largest plurality ever given
candidate for state office in Missouri.
Gov. Major entered the House of
Representatives chamber at 1908
o'clock and marched on the right
side of the retiring Governor, Her.
bert S. Hadley, to the Speakers
Stand. Following them were the
other state officers and detectives
sent from St. Louis headquarters.
After administering the oath to
Gov. Major, Chief Justice Henry
Lamm of the Missouri Supreme
Court administered it to Secretary of
State Cornelius Roach, State Auditor
John p. Gordon, State Treasurer f.
p. Deal and Attorney General John
T. Barker.
Gov. Major then began his inaugural
address.
A salute of seventeen cannons was
fired from the Capitol grounds be-
ginning one minute after the new
governor took the oath Of office.
Eight Hundred Admitted by Card
Hundreds of visitors arriving from
both east and west were disappointed
in their desire to hear Gov. Majors
address because of the limited capaci-
ty of the Temporary Capitol.
Announcement was made that only
$50 persons could be crowded into
the hall, but it later was decided to
admit 800 persons by ticket. Hun
dreds stood outside the doors until
the plastering on the floor beneath
cracked, arousing the fear that the
weight would be more than the struc-
ture could stand.
With the aid of uniformed police
men detailed from St. Louis the halls
were kept cleared. The reassuring
announcement also was made by the
architects and contractors who built
the building that it would withstand
the weight of as many persons as
could crowd in.
The House and Senate had con-
vened at l0:30s clock, but an adjourn
ment Immediately was taken until 3
o clock. An hour before the cere-
monies began every available space
was filled.
twenty-five decorators from St.
Louis had transformed the House in
to a gorgeous floral bower.
Picture in Floral Horseshoe
A five-foot horse shoe of red, pink
and white carnations surrounded
framed picture Of Gov. Major, over
the Speakers stand, and
above it on d red, white and blue BAN
her were the words "Our Governor"
in gold letters. The walls of the
House were covered almost entirely
with drapingS of Virginia smilaX and
huge silk flags.
StreamerS of smilaX were threaded
rom the center cluster of electric
lights to the sides and corners of the
walls. Silver gray mosses were the
oasis of the decorative scheme in the
Mansion.
In the balcony, over the Speakers
stand, an orchestra of twenty-one
pieces from Kansas City played until
1ov. Majors arrival. The first State
'fficerS to arrive were the Supreme
Judges and Supreme Court Commits
ioners, led by Chief Justice Lamm.
They were seated on the front row
t the right of the Speakers stand.
hen came the Senate, led by Lieut..
iov. Gmelich and President Pro Tenn
wilson. Special reservations also had
cen made for them.
Huge bouquets of American beauty
oses and floral wreaths from admir-
lg friends were used in the decora-
ons of the Speakers stand.
Clark is Doomed For 1916
Washington, D. c. Jan. IL. Speak
r Champ Clark and Missouri were
ulOgiZed last NIGHT at the regular