The San Francisco call., 1896-06-20
Wonderful larine Parade
at the santa Cruz
Carnival.
FLOWER)ECKED ROYAL
FLOATS.
Cruising Singers Shipwrecked
in View of Applauding
Thousands.
MIMIC SHIPS UPON a MIMIC
OCEAN.
Pvroechnic Battle of the Paint-Clad
Monitor and Lath.Ribbed
Merrimac.
MIMIC SHIPS UPON a MIMIC
OCEAN.

SANTA CRUZ, CAL, June 19.-To-day
the Santa Cruz Venetian Water Carnival
wss distinctiveiy worthy of the name.
Nothing but the Adriatic city itself could
have been more Venetian. Had one OF the
Doges of old returned to earth and ap-
peared in the city of the Holy Cross he
would have felt entirely at home. Indeed,
the blue sky and balmy air of this Cali
fornIa's most beautiful seaside city, IS
reminiscent of sunny Italy.
The third day of the fiesta dawned glori-
Ously and hundreds of people were early
on the streets or promenading the beach
watching the waves break on the cleaning
sand. There was happiness In the air and
a great Joy in the mere fact of living where
Nature is at her best
This was in reality water" day. All
of the festivities took place upon the
Laguna. de Carnival and the people who
witnessed them were mum bered Id the
thousands.
One o'clock was the hour set for the
commencement Of the performance, and
by that time all the seats on the shores Of
the lake were a mass of color. Bright
faces and beautiful costumes were set
o4ul III a DdChSIOuuu VI waving ldl1s SNd1C0
by the hands OF the lovely women OF Cal
ifornia.
A few minutes past 1 the Venetian
river fete commenced. 1t was a magnif-
cent pageant of floral floats and artistic
novelties in watercraft. Life and beauty
were the order of the day.
1t was scheduled that Governor Budd
and Queen Josephine would review the
proc ession as it passed the royal palace.
The Governor, however, failed TO arrive,
and as a consequence her Majesty was at
tended only by her prime minister, B.
X. Knight. They did their part, however,
as well as if the Governor had been there.
The beautiful procession of hower-covered
floats passed by in perfect order, each
seeming lovelier than its predecessor. The
audience not only had view of each float
as it passed but also a duplicate of it as it
was reflected on the clear surface OF the
water.
The first event of the day was the liberia
ton of a number of homing pigeons,
which were brought from San Francisco.
The birds were not very lively when first
liberated, but they soon assembled to a
great height, hovered in the atmosphere a
few moments until they got their bearings,
and then started toward the north. At
late hour tonight nothing had been heard
from them, although it was supposed that
they would reach their destination within
three hours. 1t was beautiful to see the
dozens of pearl colored creatures when
they first realized the joys of liberty after
their long confinement. They seemed
surprised and uncertain as to which way
to fly and hovered over the lake few Sec
onds before making their swift ascent.
The procession started with a grand
overture from "Raymonde" by the or
chestra.
The floats came from the low er end of
the lake, passed in front of the grand
stand and then under Queen Josephine's
throne. Round and round they glided
again and again, and yet the audience
never tired of them.
Each float came in for its share of praises,
but Mrs. J. r. Chace's seemed to strike
the audience as little more original than
the others. 1t was California beyond a
doubt. 1t was called the Poppy float"
and was occupied by Mrs. J. r. Chace
Mrs. Jeter and party OF friends. In gem
eral shape the float resembled an ordinary
saiIboat, but the sails were made of wire
netting with countless yellow poppies
sewed upon it.
The sides were covered with California
flowers and the general effect was original
and beautiful, and called forth rounds of
applause.
All of the floats were beautiful, but of
course some were more pleasing to the
audience than the others. The barge from
the Holy Cross School came in for a good
deal of applause. 1t was in white and
silver and appeared to be drawn by butter
flies. No details were neglected. Its gen.
eral form was graceful and pleasing and
the color scheme beyond criticism.
Within the float number of young ladies