Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-10-04
Pioneer Day Executive Ball" Set Pace
For Subsequent Omaha Formal Functions

annual state ball, the circumstance an,
glitter OF which has made II criterion
for all formal functions in the kingdom
Omaha was the scene Of a fomal anc
important function that is interviewer
with the history Of the state. and one Of
the merriest chapters of its pionee
annals.
Il was the only executive ball ever
held in Omaha, and was given in honor
OF Mark w. lizard, who was named as
governor, to succeed Governor Burt, first
executive Of the territory, who had died
before he had entered upon the full dis
charge Of his office. 1t was an affair
somewhat impromptu. but nevertheless
was made as effective as the very limited
resources OF the budding metropolis could
afford in that far away winter in 1850 and
long furnished subject for Conversatio
It was in part reproduced by the pioneers
at their reunion in Omaha last week the
ball on Friday night being for the pur-
pose.
DR.. George L. Miller and Mrs. T. b.
Cummings are the only ones now living who
attended the lizard ball. and both were I'M
able, because Of infirmities, to attend the
pioneers reunion,
Account of First Ball.
Mr. Clarence II. Payne Of the state His
torical society furnishes The Bee the
following account Of the original ball:
For the most part, balls and socials
made UP the complement Of diversions
and this suggests an account Of the first
executive ball ever given in Omaha, for
a graphic description of which the writer
acknowledges his obligations to Dr.
George L. Miller of the Omaha Herald.
Mark w. lizard, who came into the terri
tory as United States marshal. was ap-
pointed successor to Governor Burt and
the ball was held in honor of his ex-
cellency. It might be here parentheticalIy
stated when the governor was to read his
inaugural message he arranged it so that
a negro was to announce his approach to
the legislative chamber in words substan-
TALLY as follows: Mr.. Speaker the gov
ernor is now approaching" but forgetting
his text, the messenger electrified the as
sembled wisdom with the sentence: Mr.
Speaker de- gubner has done come"
what DIR. Miller Wrote.
Quoting from DR.. Miller anent of the
ball: lizard was a stately character
physically. Mentally rather weak, and
felt a lively sense of the dignity with
which the appointment clothed him. lie
had never known such an honor before
and it bore upon him heavily. To the
few persons who then constituted the
population OF the city, the governor was
careful to intimate a desire to have his
gubernatoral advent suitably celebrated
The facetious and wary Cunning sug-
gested the; idea of giving lizard an ex-
ecutlve ball. The larger of the two
rooms, which then constituted the build
ing, was the theater of a scene perhaps
the most ludicrous that was ever wit
messed in the history of public receptions.
The rooms had single coat of what was
then called plastering, composed of a
frozen mixture of mud and ice, and a
very thin coating ut that. The floor was
rough and unplaned and not altogether
safe for those who preferred the upright
position. 1t had been energeticalIy1
scrubbed for the occasion. The night |
being dreadfuIly cold, and the heating APP |
paratus falling to warm the room, the
water froze upon the floor, and could not
be melted by any then known process |
Rough cottonwood boards on either side !
of the room were substitutes for chairs !
Scene at the Hall.
THE hour of seven having arrived the |
grand company began to assemble. Long |
before the appointed hour this Arkansas |
excellency appeared In the dancing hall. /
He and Jim Orton, the band of Council |
Bluffs, reached the scene at about the
same moment The governor was very
Polite to Jim, and Jim was tight enough
TO be correspondingly polite to the
NH =
nine ladies, who were all that could be
even for a state occasion, in
Omaha. They were Mrs. G. l. Miller,
Mrs. T. B. Cunning, Mrs Fenner Ferguson,
Mrs. j. Sterling Morton, Mrs. C. b.
Smith, Mrs. Fleming Davidson, Mrs. A.
j. Hanscom, Mrs. A. D. Jones and Mrs
S. E. Rogers, Two Of the ladies could
not dance, and their places were supplied
by the same number of gcntlement The
governor had a son by the name of
James. He was his eXcelency's private
secretary. and wishing to present a high
example of style, he came in at q late
hour, escorting Mrs. Davidson. His bear
ing was fearfully stately and dignified.
He wore white vest and white kids, as
any gentleman would do, but these were
in rather discordant contrast with the
Paddock. Poppleton, Cum
ing, Smith, Morton. Ferguson, Goodwill
Clancy. Folsom, and DIR. Miller besides
a large assemblage of legislators attended.
Jim Orton was the solitary fiddler. oc-
cupying corner of the room. The dance
opened, and'it was a gay and festive oc-
casion. During the dance several acct
dents happened. One lady, now well
Known in Omaha, fell fiat; others did
likewise. The supper came off about mid
light, and consisted of coffee with brown
sugar, but no milk, sandwiches OF peculiar
size, very thick and made up of a
singular mixture of bread of radical COM
Dlexion, and bacon. The menu was sup
Dlemented with dried apple pie, and there
being no tables in those days, was passed
around. The governor. having long lived
n a hot climate, stood around shivering
with the cold, but bore himself with
unable fortitude, buoyed up by the
lCnors thus showered upon him, and at
he proper time under a deep sense OF
lis own consequence, made q speech re-
Established 1891.