The morning call., 1894-04-27
BUSINESS WAS SUSPENDED.
In the Battle Roses Were Flying
Thick and Fast,
AND COVERED ALL THE STREETS
The DAYS Festivities Wound Up by
a Grand Illumination
and Ball.

Queen Flora reIgned. By her orders the
wheels of trade were clogged and the busl-
ness streets were tran sfOrmed into drives Oh
floral grandeur and loneliness. The long,
broad avenue leading from the hills to the
sea no longer heard the voice of the trades
man. 1t was ahoiday in Santa Barbara and
memorable one at that. 1t was day OF
novel floral parade and the Battle OF the
Flowers.
The weather was an Improvement on yes
terday and outdoor sports were held IN the
bright, warm sunshine. Thousands of
people throDged the streets all day. and
great crowds of people were anxious to
secure places where they could witness the
afternoons doings.
An excursion from southern towns
brought in thousands of people, and by the
time the parade started it was Impossible
to pass along the streets. A brisk wind
sprung up during the morning and was
he only thing to mar the pleasure of the
day.
The decorations along State street,
which Yesterday received so much praise,
had been made still more gay by placing
for the time being potted palms and
shrubbery along the driveway every few
feet for over mile. aud on both sides
large spreading fan and date palms could be
seen, which tended to make the business
street seem more like flo wer garden tn an
anything else.
Another striking feature which was
added during the night was fish net drape
trimmed with hundreds of Duchess de
Brabant roses against background of
a H., MI
artistically across the street.
On the Tribune's building an enthusiastic
crowd waited the coming Of the process
sin. Goddess Flora, enshrined in mas
of roses, appeared at the foot of State
street surrounded by her suite of fifty chill
dren dressed in white and wreathed in
flowers. They proceeded to the grand
stand, followed by the Queen of the
Flowers in costume rich with floral trim
mings, on float of La France roses, with
a canopy of the same. This latter float
was the most artistic Of them all and re-
ceived the first prize.
A symphony in white carnations was
the carriage entered by the president of
the association. Even to the wheels
wreaths of smiax relieved the pure white.
A surrey covered with pink roses took first
banner for its class.
The brownie coach was another prize
winner. 1t was mountain stage, covered
with Duchess roses, and occupied by rep
,resentatives of Palmer Cox's little people,
from top to bottom.
A phaeton covered with Caroline Custer
roses inside and out, occupied by two
young ladies in costumes of corresponding
oh do of ha
smaller vehicles. There were over 100 en-
tries in the procession and it was fully n
hour be fore the judges could make the Sc
lection of winners.
In the meantime the battle of flowers
was on. Commencing with ote from a
bugle the firing at first was only at ran
dom, but the fight soon commenced in
earnest and roses were flying thick and
fast. Bouquets such as only Santa Barbara
can furnish were coon whitening on the
pavement.
Conspicuous in the participants was a
carriage load of sailors from the monitor
Monterey in navy uniform and the fight
was novel to them.
The Santa Barbara club rode in an old
camp wagon which was hidden beneath a
pr0fusioD of flowers. Four forlorn mules
which drew the outfit were wreathed with
daisies and the whole was an amusing CON-
bination of the life on the plains in 40 and
day in garden of lover of flowers.
The afternoon passed off without an ac-
cdent. which seems almost miraculous
considering the confusion when the rose
battle was at It's height. The awarding of
premiums finished, the crowd went home
to wait for the illumination in the evening
The festival is q complete success thus
far Flowers ara plentiful. and the people
of the city enter enthusiastically into the
event. which has become an annual fea-
ture of Santa Barbara and which is be-
coming more and more widely known. 1t
is strictly flower carnival and is not in
tended as a procession where merchants
can advertise their wares, but where the
city can make known to the world her
wealth of flowers.
Tomorrow will end the festival, when a
dance will be held at the pavilion.
End OF THE CEC SION