Evening star., 1949-01-19
Inaugural Throngs Pour Into City
With Peak Expected by Tonight;
Forecast Still Cloudy and Windy
Plenty Of Rooms
Are Available in
Private Homes

PaCrlOClC 1eTVOr anu SGl dASlll
carnival jolllty were counter
poised in the Capital today, as
more than 100000 inaugural Wis
itors were estimated to be circu-
lating in downtown Washington,
with the total mounting at a
rate of thousands hourly.
The Weather Bureau stood by its
prediction that Inauguration Day
tomorrow will be partly cloudy and
windy. The low temperature tomor-
row morning will be about "a de-
grees, and the high will be in the
middle 4os, the forecaster said-a
range appreciably above the Janu-
ary normal. Some sun can be ex-
pected, he added. and the mercury
probably will stand between Al and
43 degrees when President Truman
takes the oath of Office.
Political leaders, here to renew
acouaintanceships and assure Mr..
Truman of their fealty, mingled
with other visitors, taking the oc-
casion to inspect their Nations
Capital city or just here for
moderately boisterous good time.
They continued to corresponding
regional pride IN their banners,
lapel buttons, accents and dress.
And the peak was not expected
before nightfall.
Many Rooms Available.
DESPITE the sellout of hotel ac-
commodations, the Inaugural Hous-
ing Bureau reported thousands OF
rooms still available in private
homes.
Only about 1900 of the 270OO
available beds in homes had been
taken by noon today.
This was attributed partly to early
national publicity from the 1nau-
eural Committee that made no men
ton of the private accommodations.
Only IS persons had called the
bureau direct for rooms today,
although others were served at the
Union Station booth.
Many of the rooms are in fine
houses which never have been
opened to the public before" a
spokesman for the bureau said. The
usual range is $3.50 to s5 night
per person, but s5 is an exception
most rooms are lower"
Some of the home owners even
bought new beds and otherwise inn
proved rooms anticipating guests.
The number of untitled applications
might have gone higher had not the
Housing Bureau cut off the food Of.
persons offering rooms, it was said.
Electors Dinner Tonight.
President Truman, whose busy in
augural schedule began with last
nights Truman-Barkley Clubs DIM
ner, will return to the Mayf1ower
Hotel at $50 o'clock tonight to be
guest of honor at a dinner given
by the presidential electors.
He will have had luncheon there
earlier in the day with the Finance
Committee of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee.
Democratic, Republican and
States Rights Democratic electors
from the various State electoral
colleges will attend the banquet, &C
cording to the Committee on Ar
rangements. headed by Chairman j.
Howard McGrath of the Democratic
National Committee and Michael
Francis Doyle, president of the
electors organization.
At $3.50 o'clock, Mr.. Truman, with
Mrs. Truman and Miss Margaret
Truman, will 60 to the Armory for
the Inaugural Gala, the big vaude-
vile show and concert featuring en-
tertainers of Broadway, Hollywood
and the opera.
At 9 o'clock, the inaugural
fireworks show will begin on the
Washington Monument Grounds. 1t
will be repeated at the same time
tomorrow night.
Special trains continued to ar
rive today at Union Station. Among
those pulling in were a second
Texas train and one from Chicago
carrying members of the Cook
County Democratic organization.
Four Governors Waited.
Four Governors were Scheduled TO
arrive by train today with delega-
tions from their States
They are Gov. Okey L. Patteson of
West Virginia, Gov. Earle c. Glenn
ents of Kentucky, Gov. Ebert N.
Carvel of Delaware and Gov. Fuller
Warren of Florida.
Among other groups coming in
today we're the Coe College ROTC
Band, Danbury Comm Hatmakers'
Union Fife, Drum and Bugle Corps;
Seattle (WashD Police Department
Drill Team and the Miami (FlaD
Police Motorcycle Team.
Tomorrow will be legal holiday
In the District. The day off will
extend throughout the Washington
Metropolitan Area for Government
employees, however, and they will
!