The San Francisco call., 1895-10-17
RETURN OF PROSPERITY
Colorado's Growth illustrated
by a Monster Pageant
of Progress.
PICTURESQUE FLOATS IN LINE.
Memories of Early Days Recalled
by the Exhibits of the
Pioneers.

DENVER, Colo, Oct. 16.-Colorado to-
day celebrated the return of prosperous
times by giving street parade called the
Pageant of Progress" the opening event
of the three days Festival of Mountain and
Plain. Twenty-Five thousand visitors from
over the State arrived during the night
and early morning on special excursion
trains. The railroads exhausted their pas
senger equipment, and had to use some
boxcars to accommodate all who wanted
to come to Denver.
1t was delightfully."- warm Indian sum-
mer day. The route of the parade was
long one, and fully 100, 900 people witnessed
the display. Governor McIntire and his
staff, accompanied by Brigadier- General
Wheaton and staff Of the Department of
the Colorado, reviewed the pageant from
mammoth grand stand located on Broad
way, opposite to which living flag COM
posed of school children made pictures
que sight.
The pageant was designed to show the
progress made by Colorado and was an
historical review, beginning with float
representing prehistoric cliff-dwellers and
ending with a parade of school children
carrying flowers, fruit and grain in sheaves.
The most interesting portions of the pa
geant were the bands OF Ute and Santa
Clara Indians on horseback, all decked in
their holiday attire of paint, feathers and
beaded buckskin suits. They were in
charge of Colonel Cooper who has been
recently elected member of their tribe,
and old Chief Savaro. A brass band from
the Teller Institute, Government Indian
school, with float exhibiting the handi
work OF that school, showed what progress
the Indians have been making.
Following the Indians were the mem bers
OF the Colorado Pioneer Society in old
Concord stagecoaches and canvas-topped
wagons drawn by OK teams, mule teams
and old horses. At the head of this divi-
sion rode old Jim Baker, the oldest trapper
and Indian scout now living, who crossed
the plains in 1888 with party sent out by
the American Fur Company. In this dIvi-
sion also were number of gaudily attired
Mexican riders from Southern Colorado
headed by Senator Barela of Trinidad.
Floats representing pioneer gambling
saloon. the first printing office in Denver,
the first church, the finding of gold on
Cherry Creek; floats showing mounted
wild animals. and beautiful allegorical
floats representing Colorado's mineral re-
sources, added to the picturesqueness of
the parade.
Cripple Creek contributed a number of
magnificent floats. The agricultural and
horticultural resources and the fruits of
irrigation were represented appropriately,
and the firms manufacturing Colorado ma
terials into useful products were out with
admirably executed floats. There were
twenty-five bands in the parade, including
the famous Cowboy band, now located in
Cripple Creek.
After the parade had ended the floats
were taken to the city park where they
will remain as an outdoor State fair until
the festival ends. In the park also are the
camps of the Indians and the two regi-
ments of the Colorado National Guards.
Tonight a trolley musicale was given,
bands occupying ten brightly Illuminated
cars which moved slowly through the busi-
ness streets and stopped at stations desig-
mated by the festival committee to give
open-air concerts to the crowds.
The second days programme consists of
military parade in the morning, with
the United States troops and cavalry from
Fort Logan and the two regiments of the
Colorado National Guards as the principal
features, and will include all military and
semi-military societies. In the afternoon
prize drills occur at the park and exhibit
tion drills by the United States troops.