The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-26
MARDI GRAs Ar MOBILE.
The Streets Gay with Masked Merry
Makers aud Parade.


Mobile, Ala. Feb. 25.-The Mardl Gras
carnival opened brilliantly here to-day
with an immense crowd OF strangers al
ready present, and added to by every in
coming train The weather was delight
ful and clear and the whole population
was out OF doors. All day individual
masxers and detached groups were about
the streets; the various clubs and other
buildings decorated and the whole city
In holiday good humor.
At 8 O'Clock the civic parade ordered
by Aellc. Emperor OF JOY, formed and
paraded the principal streets.
First came the bands, followed by the
entire police force uniformed and march,
ing in four platoons.
Then followed the entire city fire depart
ment, headed by It's chief and assistants
with salvage corps. the merchants fire
patrol and with all the machines, hose
wagons and horses specially decorated.
Then following another band came the
confederate veterans drill team, forty
strong. and marching by Hardee tac-
ties. This is the only uniformed and
drilled team in Gen. Gordon's command.
Following its team marched the entire
Camp Raphael Semmes No. II, United
Confederate Veterans, some hundred
SCARED and grlzzled old soldiers, in clt-
zens' dress, with badges and their war
time camp slouch hats Of gray The veter-
ans We're the great feature OF the day crea-
ting great enthusiasm as they passed and
were greeted with cheers and applause
along their march from old and young.
After a brief rest the great throngs
reassembled In ever more packed masses,
lining every sidewalk. gallery, stoop and
windows for the two miles Of the an
nounced route OF march Of the Mystic
Krewe OF Myrtle.
This Is the youngest Of the regular
Mardi Gras societies, and Il always pa
rades and holds Il masked ball on Mon
day preceding Mardi Gras. Promptly at
o'clock II moved through a glow OF col
ored fires and followed by applause and
cheers.
The subject OF the Krewe OF Myrthe's
ninth parade tonight was Vahalla. or
the Myths Of Norseland. II was pre-
ceded by a fine band. following the richly
! painted device OF the order, the subjects
Represented on the floats being THE
| Dragon of the Dead THE Rainbow
Bridge" 'Baldurs Funeral Pyre," "Loki'i
/ Punishment" "The Sea Gods Home, =
/ Regeneration" etc, detailed I'm most
/ glowing colors and beautiful shapes all
! dazzling with tinted foils and lavish gid
! ing. The costumes OF the characters
on these moving tableaux were
rich and magnlncently Jewelled. the
masks and properties being peculiarly
| fine.
The great point OF this pageant was It's
great mechanical ingenuity. Every float
was a working one Dragons and pythonl
spat fire. worked their jaws and fms and
tails and wrlthed as thought alive. Giants
rolled their heads and winked at beauties
on the galleries. butterflies waved theiI
wings and fishes swan through gauze
clouds and painted water.
The parade was far the richest ever
given by the Krewe OF Myrtle, and all
visitors said IL was the best ever seen
on Monday night. The streets are still
crowded with makers and merry-makers
and the grand bail Of the Krewe Is In full
glory at the First Regiment armory
A novel feature OF this carnival Is the
parade and ball tonight OF the first col
ored mystic organization ever known. II
ia called the o. o. D., and its members
must be the best class of negroes, 70 judge
from the excellence and richness OF its
costumes and the elegance OF It's pro-
gramme card.
Tomorrow will be the gala day proper
OF the carnival At noon the great fun
makers, the comic cowboys, will parade
Al the same time the famous knights OF
Revelry will give a magnificent pageant
representing the twelve Signs of the 10
/ diac' At night the greatest Of the car
nival orders VIII parade, the order OF
Myths, being the senior and the infant
mystics
strangers are still thronging into Mobile
bv every train and the crowds are esti-
mated as much larger than those OF last
wear