Omaha daily bee., 1895-09-18
IT WAS NEBRASKA'S NIGHT
Another Great Parade Along 0maha's
Brilliantly Lighted Streets.
VIEWED BY THE ADMIRNG THOUSANDS
Cunning County's Float Walks Away
with the First, While that from
Merriclx County Captures
the Second Prize.

lZed by Such showing as would De possible
only in Nebraska. There were floats from
the various counties of the state, rich in ma
terial and artistic finish; there were bands
galore, and their music was a most enjoy
able feature of the parade; there were pretty
girls in charge of the floats; there were steam
engines and steam threshers with caliope
attachments, cowboys and Indians, a devils
furnace and a palace of Ceres, advertising
cars of the most unique design and crowds
that were in a mood to appreciate and ap-
plaud every attraction.
The parade was billed to start from Six
teenth and lizard streets at 1880 o'clock, but
1t was nearly an hour after that time before
Marshal Mount was enabled to give the order
to march The delay was occasioned by the
inability to get the heavy floats in line
sooner. The parade moved south on Sixteenth
to Douglas, east to Tenth, south to Farnam,
west to Eighteenth, north to Douglas, east to
Sixteenth and north to lizard.
All along the line of march the streets were
simply massed with spectators. and it was
only by herculean efforts and constant Wig
ilance that the police managed TO preserve
any sembance of order. On Douglas and
Farnam streets, and especially in the vicinity
Of the reviewing stands at the corner of
Eighteenth and Farnam, the crowds were
so dense that progress along the streets was
seriously impeded and efforts Of the police
to prevent delays were unavailng. The talk
ing features of the parade were most heartily
cheered all along the line Of march.
RED MEN WE'RE AT THE FRONT.
Sergeant Iler, commanding squadron of
mounted police in full uniform, cleared the
street from curb to curb. The Nebraska
State band of Lincoln, under the leadership
of Robert S. Browne, with twenty-six pieces,
led the long procession, Immediately pre-
ceding a band of the Independent Order of
Red Men of Nebraska The Red Men were
in full feather and blanket regalia, and were
commanded by Grand Sachem Charles War
ner, ably assisted by Sachem Fred Ahler
and Prophet F. e. Hodges of the Omaha
tribe Scouts e. j. Nslson and ]. w. Mer-
ram and thirty Rsd Men made up the con-
tingent. Then came the rough riders of the
plains, headed by Rattlesnake Pete, Long
Haired Burke and Kid Nuckols. These at
fractions formed the general introduction to
the spectacle which followed.
The first division of the parade was In
charge of Marshals NJ. H. Collins and H. j.
Penfold. 1t was headed by the First Regi-
ment band, Nebraska National Guards, one OF
Omaha's finest musical organ cations The
Kearney float was given the place Of honor
in this division 1t was a complete model of
the celebrated cotton mill, the only one Of
its kind in the west. The model which was
about twenty feet long, rested upon a base
formed of Nebraska products Of the field,
orchard and farm, the whole being tastefully
arranged. The Central City float came next,
representing a pair of sea horses drawing
a huge ocean SHE'LL the latter being filled
with agricultural products. Upon a raised
divan in the center of the shell rode Miss
Gertie Persons, one of Central Cty's charm
ing misses. The float was in charge of III.
C. Persons Thomas Hull and Howard Sell
man.
SOMETHING OF THE PRIZE WINNER.
The second division, in command of Mar
! shals Max Meyer and ]. c. Colt, was led by
the West Point band in handsome maroon
and white uniforms, trimmed with frogs of
| silver braid, and under the leadership of
Harry Rale. 1t marched ahead of the Cum
ing county float, one of the handsomest in
the parade. This float, designed by j. p
S. Neeley of West Point represented an
Ceres" liz was 10X15 feet in size. On each
corner rose a pillar surmounted by globe
There were four of these pillars, represent
| Ing West Point, Beemer, Wisner and Ban
croft, the four principal towns of the county.
| In the center of the float rose a dome
crowned dais, upon which was seated the
Goddess Ceres, impersonated by Mrs. Joseph
zaycek, wife of the popular county clerk
Of Cunning county. Mrs. Zaycek wore a
crown in which were encrusted 5000 worth
OF diamonds, furnished by Max Meyer. The
entire float was worked with seeds and grains
and so artstically had the mosaic work been
| done that one could hardly realize. that nature
had grown the material for such beautiful
handicraft. The Seventh Ward Military band
Of Omaha marched next and Just ahead Of
| the Beatrice float This was the largest float
| in the parade being forty feet in length 1t
represented the thirty years history of Gage
county. On the forward truck was shown a
| sod shanty, patterned closely after the home
| erected by Daniel Freeman on the first home
stead ever entered In the United States.
| Upon the rear truck was an allegorcal tab
| rpDrpSpntinp of he
city of Beatrice. Upon raised pedestal in
| the center and standing beside an enormous
| cornucopia was placed the Queen of the Blue.
At each corner Of the pedestal were living
! statues, marking the progress of Beatrice. The
| Queen of the Blue was impersonated by Miss
| Ella Cox, Miss Elizabeth Farrer representing
Agriculture, Miss Cornelia Shultz Commerce,
| Miss Mary Dean Manufacture and Miss Har-
riet Ewing Art.
| The Union Pacific was typically repre-
| sented by the next float, which consisted of
an engine, tender and a fast mail car, all
| life size" The engine and car were tie
| work of machinists of the shops in this
| city and were perfect reproductions Of the
| big locomotives which traverse the overland
| route. The train was in charge of Conductor
! Tom McGovern, Engineer George Everett,
| Fireman p e. Cusick, and Brakeman Fed
| Busch. Following came the Durant Hose
company. eighteen men in line, under COM
| mand of Chief John Reed.
| The Douglas county float naturally brought
out cheers along the entire line Of march.
1t was a mammoth affair, thirty feet in
| length and nearly as high Growing the
| float was an enormous ear OF corn, ten feet
| in length and four in diameter. Above the
ear OF corn was the legend, Douglas
| County the Key to the State" An immense
key nearly ten feet high and thick in pro-
! portion gave ocular proof Of the truthful
ness of the legend. The driver mounted a
pumpkin three feet in diameter. The float
was designed by E. G. Soloman and Oscar
| Picard.
FLOATS AND MORE FLOATS
| The third division started off with the
Hawkeye Independent Order Of Odd Fellows
band Of Council Bluffs, under the leadership
| of r. r. Touzer. There were twenty-five
| members, arrayed in cadet gray uniforms
| decorated with black braid and black fatigue
caps. Their playing was as good as any in
| the parade.
| The Cudahy float, which followed, was a
| huge display of the products of the firm,
| which were arranged in pretty effects. A
| great can occupied the center and was topped
| with an illuminated crown and adorned with
| tiny globes, which flashed out at intervals In
| the colors of the knights OF Ak-Sar Ben. In
| front and behind, facing the street were
| panels in yellow, red and green, in the center
| OF which was either the initial or name of
| the firm, displayed alternately in the same
| colors. Arranged all about were cans OF the
| different products of the firm. Crowning
l he hole nd ha