The herald., 1894-04-27
THE BATTLE OF The ROSES
Fan and Date Palms and
POtted Shrubbery.
A Wonderful Flower Display
at Santa Barbara.
Floats and Floral Devices Which
Win Admiration.
Description Of Flower Carnival Which
Attracted Many Thousand Visitors
and VIII Terminate To-
night With Ball.
Nv the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
SANTA BARBARA, April 26.-Excur-
sions from southern towns brought in
thousands of people, and by the time
the parade started at 2 80, it was almost
impossible to pass along tbs streets. A
week ago not good seat was left on the
tribunes, and all benches were packed
this afternoon with people from all
points.
A brisk wind aprang up during the
morning, and was the only thing to mar
the pleasure of the day.
The decorations on State street, which
Yesterday received so much praise, had
been rendered still more gay by placing
for the time being potted palms and
shrub5ery along the driveway every few
feet for over mile, and on both sides
large spreading fan and date palms can
be seen, tending to make the business
! street seem all the more like flower
garden. Another striking feature added
| during the night Was fish net trimmed
with hundreds Of Duchesse de Brabant
roses against a background of maiden
hair ferns, till it was nothing but
mass of green and delicate pink. This
so that the f1ower-screened floats and
carriages today passed under four beau
tiful arches before the reviewing stand
was reached.
On the tribunes an enthusiastic crowd
waited the coming of the procession.
The Goddess Flora, enshrined in the
midst of roses, appeared at the foot of
State street surrounded by suite OF
prettv children dressed in white and
wreathed in flowers, and passed to the
grand stand, followed by the Quesu OF
the Flowers in costume rich with floral
trimmings, in a Aoat OF La France
roses, with canopy of the same. Thia
tns m9fs aiKtsStlIs tlIGdaei e thAm
A symphony in white carnstions wal
the carriage entered by the president Of
tho association. 1t was one aolid mass
of these pretty flowers, which covered
the carriage, even to the wheels, while
wrsatbs of smilax relieved the pure
white. Another surrey, coversd wi' Il
pink roses, took the first banner for its
class. The Brownie coach was another
prize winner. 1t WAS q mountoin stage
covered with Duchesse roses, and occu-
pied from top to bottom by Representa-
tiVes Of Palmer Cox's little people. A
phaeton lined with Caroline Custer roses
inside and out, occupied by two young
ladies' in costumes of & correspondents
shade, was the most attractive of the
smaller vehicles.
There were over 100 entries in the pro-
cessi0n. and it took fully an hour before
the judges could make their selection of
the winners. In the meantime the bat.
tie OF flowers was on, coz msncing with
a note from bugls. The firing at first
L. k,,k
commenced in earnest, and the roses
flew thick and fast Bouquets such as
only Santa Barbara can furnish were
soon whitening on the pavement, Joined
in the next minute by hundreds and
thousands more.
Conspicuous among the participants
was carriage load of sailors from the
monitor Monterey, in naval uniform.
and the fight was novel to them.
In the novelty class several peculiar
turnouts and equestrians formed one of
the most interesting divisions. The
Santa Barbara club, composed OF the
elite of the young men of this city, had
entered an old camp wagon, but the
material OF which it was made was hid
den beneath flowers. Tho four forlorn
mulea drawing the outfit were wreathed
in daisies. and the whole was an am as
Ing combination OF the life on the plains
in '49 and of day in the garden of an
artistic lover Of flowers.
The afternoon passed OF without a
single accident. which may eeem almost
miraculous, considering the confusion
that rsigned when the rose battle was
at its height.
When the awarding of premiums was
finished the crowd went home to wait
for the illumination in the evening.
The third annual festival thus far is a
success. Flowers are plentiful and the
people Of the city enter enthusiastically
into an event which has become an an
nusl feature of Santa Barbara, and
which is becoming more and more vide
ly known. 1t is strictly flower carni-
val, not procession in which merchants
can advertise their wares, but an event
by which this city can make known to
the world 4 wealth of flowers, such as
no other place can show.
Tomorrow evening will end the festi-
val, when the dance OF flowers will be
held at the pavilion. In the afternoon
the people will be entertained by a polo
game between the Riverside and Santa
Barbara teams.