The herald., 1896-01-02
Thousands of Los Angeles Peo-
pie Saw II Yesterday
1T WAS A GREAT FESTIVAL
Some OF the Features of the Big
Day
Handsome Turnouts by the Score and Flowers
in Profuslon-Those Who Won the Prizes.
A Lack of Street Decorations

Pasadena took a leaf out of the book of
Los Angeles yesterday, and, with several
leaflets of her own finding, made book,
which has auspiciously set the pace for
1896 for the various flower fetes and car
nivals for which California as a state Is fast
earning worldwide reputation. They call
the pretty show with which the Crown OF the
Valley has been wont for the six years past
to begin the new year rose tournament.
This term is, however. something OF mis-
nomer, as the affair is not tournament,
and as for the rose end of the celebration,
while that particular flower was, it is true,
very much in evidence yesterday morning,
It was on the whole but an incidental part
of the fete.
Pasadena never before presented such
really metropolitan appearance. or the
25,OOO people VINO were estimated to have
crowded the line of march of the multi
colored procession, at least $4,000 came
from this city. The crowd journeyed to
the scene of the festivities in all sorts of
vehicles. Nearly every bit Of livery in
town had to be pressed into service, and
the private conveyapces utilized numbered
into the thousands The bicycles used for
the trip could not be estimated, and the
Pasadena and Pacific Electric COM
pany had not cars enough
even with those upon the Bellevue avenue
division of the system pressed into use for
large part of the day to accommodate
all who desired to take advantage of that
method of conveyance. The cars or the
sy stem began early To be crowded to their
roofs and beyond, and men, women and
children we're by 8 o'clock walking several
blocks to intercept incoming trolleys, and
others secured even standing room. Soon
this idea was passed along the line, and it
u 4 l,,ptt ttr, <,<~d
to he accomplished fell short of the result
desired to be at aimed. The members of
the city council had expected
to have a special car for the trip,
but this courtesy had early in the day to be
given up. The Santa Fe, Southern Pacific
and terminal roads all ran special trans,
and ali of them we're patronized to point
pretty close beyond the limits. The large
crowds were entirely unexpected, hence
the inadequate preparations which had
been made in some quarters to receive
them.
The bicycles, livery vehicles and private
conveyances, which made an endless pro-
cession to The festival for several hours,
raised the dust SO thai their riders
and occupants all looked as if they
had just passed successfully through
a Colorado desert sand ,yphoon when they
arrived at their destination. The sprink-
ling of Pasade avenue oy the city, which
has finally become a fixed fact, appears
to have fallen short of its purpose, the
contention always having been that if the
city would do it's share, the driving be-
tween Los Angeles and Pasadena would
become ideal in all particulars.
by the time that the major portion of
the Los Angeles contingent had arrived at
the scene of he fray, which was nearly 10
o'clock, Colorado and other important
Pasadena thoroughfares resembled just a
bit the flower day of the local fiesta while
the procession is just til ming Broad
way into Sixth street to be
reviewed at Central park. The only thing
lacking to make the picture a real Thing of
beauty and joy forever was all almost EN-
tire lack of decorations. Here, and there a
store had made pretense in the etfort to
m Ike the picture of general festival COM
plete, but it was generally sad failure.
ad there been an arch or two constructed
at some few points CT advantage. all of
them fiecked and bedecked with few bits
of bright color, the general fitness OF things
would have been so much improved that
the experiment would certainly beco ne a
solid fixture of the day for all time in the
fu.ure.
lue weather yesterday must have been
especially distilled for The occasion, for a
day more perfect from sunrise to sunset
has never before ushered in brand-new
new year anywhere upon earth.
START OF THE PARADE.
As is customary upon all similar occa-
sons, the flower parade was trifie late in
starting. and just why it is that a process
sion never begins to move according to the
schedule made and provided is one of the
conuntirums near,y ali of US have guessed
at, hut which only very few of us SO far
have solved. This particular parade was