The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1937-01-20

trip easier that way, and psle
up fast"
First Big Crowd
The beginning Of big inaugural
crowds was Just 100 years ago.
When Van Buren, came into Of
flee in 1887, the railroad from
Baltimore had Just opened, and
the capital saw an influx such
as It had never known before.
All the city's hotel accommoda-
lions were taken, and BARRIERS
chairs were used as beds.
Previous 70 this, an out-Of-
town throng Of 10000 was re-
garded as phenomenal Prepare
lions for the present inaugural
were based on an expected
100000 visitors.
The recent increase results from
the greatly enhanced general mo-
bility Of the population - plus o
factor that few realize. Negroes
are coming in great numbers.
Strongly pro-New Deal. they
turned out heavily in 1882, will
have much larger representation
this year.
In 1882, a budget Of $3.50 was
allotted to the committee charged
with entertaining Negroes, called
the Special Entertainment Com
.mittee." OF this sum consid-
cradle portion was allotted for
taking them to local theaters, and
staging a "Colored Ball" at the
Government Printing office. The
affair was one Of the hits Of the
Inaugural.
No Cabinet Wives
The cabinet wives are very very
sore at Senator Mathew M. Nicely.
The dressy, grandiloquent West
Virginian is In charge Of the in
augural ceremony and controls
the seating arrangements at the
capital. In this capacity, Nicely
banned the wives Of cabinet menu
bers from the rostr1iln where the
President and Jack Garner take
their oaths Of office.
The cabinet will be there, but
their wives will sit elsewhere.
Reason several Of the ladies
snubbed Nicely and he Is return
ing the compliment.
Merry-Go-Round
Because his term ends January
20 instead Of March 4, the Presi-
dent will lose S8,035.64 in salary.
The only time that the
Inauguration ceremony has been
driven indoors was in 1908 when a
raging blizzard made the outdoor
induction of Taft impossible. i.
Chairman OF the Special Enter
tainment Committee" Is Negro G.
David Houston, principal of
Washington,s Armstrong high
school and o classmate of Roose-
velt's at Harvard The first
Inauguration to be reported by
telegraph was that of Polk In
1845. Inventor Morse had an
instrument on the platform and
personally sent out the news
The observation platform erected
in the middle Of the Capitol plaza
is for the use of cameramen.
Never before permitted in the
inaugural setup, 1t was allowed by
Architect David Lynn on request
Of newsreel companies a.. Deco
ration OF the Presidential stand
in the past has always been with
cotton sheeting. This time 1t ~
with paint After Lincoln
took the oath Of office, he per-
formed the further duty of kiss
ing "a girls who stood at eX-
pectant attention one for each
State of the Union Over
the past 40 years, the mean t. IL
perature on January 20 has been
80 degrees, on March 4, 80 degrees.
During the past decade, the noon
temperature on January 20 (the
hour Of the inauguration) has
four times bene higher than the
noon temperature Of March 4.
-. Distinction for coming the
greatest distance to the inaugural
goes to Macedo Suares, Brazil's
Minister of Foreign Affairs, who
flew from Rio de Janeiro TO see
Good Neighbor Roosevelt" sworn
In One Of the most generous
contributors to the District of Co.
lumbia fund for financing the in
auguration was Attorney Frank j.
Hogan, who gave $500. Hogan
Is defending Andrew w. Mellon IN
the governments 100000 tax
suit against him.