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Show II dDdD Years Ago TTrodlay An expectant nation awaits inaugural ball by Bettina Mornvh Dooley The big news the week of January 24, 1885 was the preparations for the inaugural ball to welcome in the new president. Graver Cleveland - Set for March 4 in the Pension building on Judiciary Square in Washington, D.C., i! promised to be a star-spangied event that would have the v. hole nation on its ear for weeks. According to the Park Mining Record, tickets for the ball customarily custom-arily had been $5 for a lady and gentleman, and at President Garfield's Gar-field's inauguration, that price not only covered all the party expenses, but left a balance of $200, which was given to the Garfield Hospital. It was proposed this time, however, to set single tickets at $5 and to sell 12,000 of them, thereby collecting $fiO,000 in cold cash prior to the event. With this handsome sum, organizers or-ganizers planned to have the Navy department provide a huge canvas to transform the courtyard of the Pension building into a temporary ballroom. The Park Record noted that. "The galleries overlooking the courtyard will accommodate many thousands of spectators, and sixteen large rooms with lighting and heating apparatus complete, and all opening on to the ballroom, will be used for dressing and eating rooms." Dancers would be regaled with the li"ely tunes of a Marine hand, backed by up to 100 other musicians. Parkites warded off the mountain cold with the warm thoughts of that glamorous and faraway event. Outside, the snow was piling high, prompting the Record to observe that, "Wood is coming in from Snyderville in large quantities. The sleighing is good, and wood-men are taking advantage of it." Despite the current harsh weatner. the Record informed its readers that the roads between the Park and Salt Lake were in excellent condition. 'Kimball's Stages are making fast time over them and landing passengers at each end of the road in splendid condition," the paper reported. "They have plenty of robes to make passengers comfortable, and those who want to enjoy a good sleigh ride can now have a splendid opportunity." Considering that the trip took a minimum of five hours one way, passengers were apt to be travelling out of necessity rather than the thrill of a good sleigh ride in the snow. Pai-kites were delighted to read that a new skating rink would be opening within the month in the basement of Society Hall. They may even have read the news in the warm glow of one of the new street lamps that had been erected in the Park over the past week. The Recoid lamented that while there were not nearly enough lamps to sufficiently light the town, it thanked the city council for arranging for them in the first place. In an unusual note of apology, the Record staff admitted thai, "We have not had the opportunity to gather up the local news this week, only having time to go and come from our meals and to catch a few hours sleep, in consequence of so much job work. We are getting caught up again, and our friends wanting work done neatly and cheaply are requested to give us a call." It is curious that a newspaper would be more concerned with the printing of business cards and flyers than reporting the news. But as the Record said, "We aim to please." |
