Omaha daily bee., 1893-08-13
BOnEMIA'S DAY AT THE FAIR
Various Periods Of Czech History Repre-
sented in AllegoriCal Floats.
CHICAGO SHARED IN THE ctltsRArlos
All Parts OF the City Decorated for the
Occasion - Thousands Participate IN
tho rations--Somcthing
of tho Nations history.

CHICAGO, Aug. l2.-tSpecial Telegram to
The BEE. l-Bohemla's white and red ma
tonal emblem canoped In the southwest
wards Of Chicago today II floated from
window and cornice and lofty staff 1t
decorated the cottage OF the laborer and tho
pretentous business block 1t waved from
arches of triumph that spanncd Eighteenth
street and it fiuttcrod from the tops Of
church spircd, exalted but little below the
cross. In the streets, in marching columns,
were thousands of Czech men, and other
thousands OF men, women and children stood
in admirinV throngs on the sidewalks and
watched the procession go by.
Noisy bands played "Kde Domov Muj,'
the Bohemian national air, and many q
house front bore in letters of red ana white
the legends Ma zdar,'' Vitame vas" and
"Vitetje man," the most expressive forms
Of salutation known to the Bohemian tongue.
1t was Bohemian day at the Worlds fair
anc the thousands that congregated In the
vicinity of Eighteenth street and Ashland
avenue at o'clock, where Bohemians Of
Chicago who had accepted the invitation to
make their country's day at the exposition
memorable.
Splendid Turnout.
The hour for the parade to start was s
o'clock, and by that time most of the orgnni-
cations were at the rendezvous, which was
the streets OF Eighteenth street and east Of
Ashland avenue. The procession was a
splendid turnout. Fully 10000 men were in
line. All the Bohemian societies were rep
resented. The turner organizations were
out IN force and several hundred young
women and girls in turner costume marched
with their brothers, giving color ana beaety
to the parading column.
Many allegorca floats represented events
in Czech history and scenes ID Bohemian
| life There was a hunting scene and we'd
| ding ana u harvest field. On one float was
| pyramid on the apex of which hung chain
| and shackles of iron. On the sides of the
| pyramid were Inscriptions telling how Bo-
| hemia had first given to the world constitu-
| tional government; had founded the second
| university in the world; had destroyed mill
tarism IN the state; had invented the ship
| screw, and now the reward Of Bohemia for
| all this is, in the nineteenth century, chains
and shackles.
This float was loudly cheered by the
| Czechs, who long for the day when Bohemia
| will be n Independent nation of alliance With
| Austria. The procession moved promptly at
s o'clock. 1t required almost two hours TO
| pass given point.
Given the City's Freedom.
Arriving at the Worlds fair ground about
noon the Bohemians were met on the casino
pier by representatives of the Exposition
company. who rendered them the freedom of
|
crossed jackson park ana assembled at
| Festival hall, where the celebration was
continued. An address was made by Lieu
tenant Governor Jonas of Wisconsin After
! the Bohemians had been welcomed to the
| fair, other speeches were made by proml-
nent pembers of societies represented, but
! the feature of the day was the Bohemian
concert under the direction of Antonin
| Dvorak. Only works Of Bohemian masters
were rendered. The great composers, whose
music was played by the Exposition orches,
ira, were Dvorak, Smetana. Hlavac, Bendf,
Napravnik and Fibicn. All are we'll known
in the old world, but the people of the United
States have thus far heard and seen only
Hlavac and Dvorak.
To secure the attendance of DR.. Dvorak
the officers of the Bohemian-Americah
Worlds fair bureau had to obtain the con-
sent of the conservatory us well as that Of
the composer. At o'clock the visitors as
sembled again. This time it was IN the
stock pavilion, where the sokales, or
gymrastic feats, were given. For an hour
series of athletic contests and gymnastic
feats entertained the Bokemians. The
Bohemians remained on the grounds tonight
to witness the double illumination of park
and pyrotechnical display on the lake front.