The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1894-06-20
CALIFORNIA; FAIR.
CALIFoRNIA MRMINTER INTEREA-l
T1oNAL ExPosffI6N :. DEPARTMENf
OF PUBIIcIrY AND PROMOTION.


Decoration day was celebrated at the
California Midwinter Exposition in a
manner which was calculated to make
glad the hearts of all old veterans and
their friends, rather than to make them
sad. In San Francisco, as in every other
large city in the United States, Memoir
ial day is historical. There is always
procession in which the veterans play an
important part, and there are orations
and grave visitings everywhere. But
that portion of the celebration which
centered at the exposition followed on
after the downtown demonstration and
was of quite different character.
Rev. DR.. T. de Witt Talmage OF
Brooklyn Tabernacle fame, happening
to be in San Francisco for day or two
on his trip around the world, was in
duced by the exposition management to
talk for an hour at the exposition on this
occasion, and Festival Hall was packed
to the doors with an eager listening aud
fence. The well known pulpit orator
had no time for preparation of an elab-
crate speech, but he spoke extemporane-
ously as if from an inspiration. His ad-
dress was said by those who have often
heard him to have been one of the finest
efforts of his life. 1t had been preceded
by patriotic airs, rendered by the expo
sition band, but it was in itself at once
a requiem, an anthem, q symphony and
an hallalujah. There were hundreds of
old war veterans in the audience, and
widows and ophans of those who fell
upon their countrys battlefelds, and
eyes were wet with tears and faces were
wreathed in smiles alternately during
the delivery of this wonderful speech.
From the exposition standpoint Talmage
proved big drawing card. There were
doubtless very many people on the
grounds who were drawn here by the
fact that there was to be something in
the line of memorial exercise as well
as spectacular demonstration.
The spectacular demonstration con-
sisted of a grand afternoon and evening
parade made up of nearly a score Of
floats representing different features of
history during the wars in which Amer
lea has been engaged. These floats were
really magnificent creations of artistic
skill, and the whole affair was managed
with great success. One of the floats
represented Washington Crossing the
Delaware. The boat was in the midst
of an ice foe, and was manned by Off
GERS and men in old continental uniforms
and everything about it was in keeping
with the subject. Another float repre-
sented "Farragut's Flagship" at the bat
tie of Mobile. This was an exact repro
duction of the famous old war vessel,
and man looking for all the world like
the pictures of the admiral stood in the
rigging and gave his commands to a real
sailor crew. Another float represented
the "Surrender,of Vera Cruz" There
was a tent surrounded with shrubbery;
the Mexican and American flags, the
soldiery of both armies and all the ap-
purtenances for historical precision.
In addition to these floats represent
ing individual historical incidents, there
was an immense float called "A Tribute
to the Dead" entirely draped in mourn
ing, but relieved from utter somberness
by 4S beautifully dressed children and a
Goddess of Liberty, each child bearing
a floral wreath on which was the name
of one of the states or territories of the
United States. Another float represent
ed "The Soldiers Return. On it was
a cabin with trees and shrubbery in the
peering from the portal and the soldier
but crowned with victory.
There were other allegorical as well as
historical floats in the parade. One of
these represented "The Triumphs of
War" This was in the form of a floral
arch containing twenty scrolls, upon
each of which was the name of leading
American general. This float was pro-
fusely decorated with flowers of every
sort, as indeed were all the other floats
Flowers were utilized on every hand
and the entire parade was as much q
floral display as the grand festival fort
night earlier. A great deal of interest
also centered in float representing the
Ambulance service, where part of an
old ruin had been improvised into q field
hospital and where doctors and nurses
were ready to operate upon the wounded.
Other floats were "Crowning of the Vic
tors" Cadets and Marines, +" and "The
Battle of Big Tree, the latter represent
ing scene during the recent Indian
wars with real Indians in ambush be-
hind trees, brush, rocks, ETC., with an
attacking party of white soldiery in the
foreground.
This parade moved round and round
the grand central court of the exposition,
starting at $3.50 p. M. Three bands were
in the parade and an escort of military
to each float. The scene was decidedly
impressive and one of the most interest
ing thus far witnessed at the exposition.
In the evening the parade was repeated
mith the added effects of illuminations.
Fortytwo platforms had been erected
around the central court and red fire
and other fireworks were discharged
from these during the entire time of the
parade. The wonderful Bonet Electric
Steel Tower was brilliantly illuminated
at the same time also, and the entire
electrical illumination Of the exposition