Evening star., 1945-11-18

night"
Noted Band Leaders
Two well-known band leaders we're in
attendance at this ball, with their re-
spective organizations-Victor Herbert,
the noted Irish-American composer, and
our own Will Haley of fond memory.
The former brought along the band OF
the 22d Regiment of New York, and the
latter furnished the dance music with
an orchestra of about $50 pieces.
When Strauss named one of his most
celebrated waltzeS. Wine, Women and
Song" he knew we'll what appealed most
to the human heart and mind. At this
ball there were plenty of women, from
the most cultured and refined to most
any one who could raise the price of a
ticket, and the music supplied the song.
There was no wine, but an elaborate
menu was served.
Following the Mckinley inaugural ball
of 1897 came another to that same
President in 1901. Then followed the
one given to Theodore Roosevelt and
Fairbanks in 1905, and the final one
held In the building on March 4, 1909,
for President William Howard Taft and
Vice President James S. Sherman.
President Wilson and the Chief Execu-
tives who have followed him dispensed
with this early custom. which produced
a great deal of pleasure and enjoyment,
and provided, to considerable extent
at least, a means for the Inaugural
Committee to pay its expenses. which
largely fall upon the local people.
The Mckinley Ball
Before the Pension Bureau, now the
Veterans Administration, moved into
the building in Judiciary Square, it was
housed in number of places in Wash
ington. In the Shepherd Centennial
Building, at the northeast corner of
Pennsylvania avenue and Twelfth street,
where the Hotel Raleigh stands; in the
National Republican Building, which
stood on the southwest corner of Penn
sylvania avenue and Thirteenth street,
and in the May Building, sos Seventh
street NV.
Before the Department of the Interior
was established, in 1849, the affairs of
the Pension Bureau were handled BY
Commissioner James L. Edwards, under
the War Department, and the IA or Is
clerks then employed on this work oc-
cupied quarters in the basement of the
old War Department Building, which
stood for many years, approximately
where the north end of the State. War
and Navy Building now stands. Later
the bureau moved into quarters oppo-
SITE quite likely in the Winder Build
ing.
When Thomas Ewing was commits
stoned the first Secretary of the In
terror, and assumed his duties, he found
the bureaus assigned to his department
somewhat scattered. The Land ONCE
was in the third story of the Treasury.
the Patent Office in its own building.
The Office Of Indian Affairs in the War
Department and the Pension Bureau in
the Winder Building.
This building, which is still standing
at the northwest corner of Seventeenth
and F strets, was in course of construc-
tion during the year 1847, as noted In
Sessford's chronicles for that year.
First Commissioner
James L. Edwards was the first Com
missioner of Pensions, his commission
being dated March 8, 1885, He received
$4,000 year, and his entire force in
ciuded George w. Crump, chief clerk;
Benjamin L. Beall, Richard Ella, William
L. Allison, French s. Evans, Henry "A.
Sylvester, Vinal Luce, Nathan Rice, d.
Brown, J. D. Wilson, William r. Palmer.
E. D. Bullock. D. D. Addison, John T,
Sprague, D. Boyd, John Cromwell, w. I.
Williams, N. Bergman, F. r. Franciosa
and William NJ Stewart.
Prior to this Commissioner Edwards
was designated, In. 1920, as FIRST clerk.n
1t may be interesting to note that on
June 80, 1859, there were still 165 Reyo-
lutionary soldiers on the pension rolls,
and that the last soldier OF this war to
draw pc l was Daniel Bakeman, Of
FREEDOM. + who died April 5, 1859,
aged 109 years, and the writer under
stands that there is still one pension
being paid to an issue ,of soldier of the
War of 1872. So 1t is likely that the
successor to Gen. Omar N. Bradley will,
n the distant future, be paying pensions
o veterans of World War II, at least for
he next s6 years.
The history Of Judiciary Square,
where the old Pension once Building
till stands. Is locally an interesting one.