The San Francisco call., 1897-07-23
Little Ones Have a Day
in the Utah Cele-
bratiOn.
Floral Tributes Are Deposited
at the Brigham Young
Monument.
Touching Ceremonies in the Ca
thedral During the Growing or
Pioneer Woodruff.

SALT LAKE, UTAH, July %. - Ten
thousand children of every denomination
in this city, Mormon, of course, predom-
mating slightly, to-day passed the statue
erected to the memory OF Brigham
Young, the founder of Utah, and as each
one of the future men and women of
sovereign State got within arms reach
they tossed at the foot of the pedestal
tribute of flowers, so that at the end of the
parade the hard, polished granite was
fairly hidden beneath a wilderness of
blossoms.
1t was children's day and right royalty
did they celebrate it, Notwithstanding the
fact that just as the parade started
slight rain began to fall, and the 10 900
Japanese parasols carried by the little
ones were soon soaked and the coIors
were transferred to the white dresses or
their summer hats. The procession to-
day was over a mile long, and was one OF
the most impressive scenes witnessed in
the celebration. There were many floats
in line, representing the fairy tales which
are so loved by children, including
Mother Goose fine portrayal OF the
nursery rhyme. The prettiest of all, how
being the State flower of Utah.
On raised platform, the sides of which
were ornamented with paintings of the
plant, were five huge sego lilies, almost
true to life, and in their fairy-like petals
sat ''fairies"-at least the nearest repre-
sentstion of fairies that mortals can pro-
duce. 1t was an exquisite sight TO witness
those baby faces and golden curls just
Keeping out of the snow-white petals.
Over each fairy head hoYered butterfly
in gorgeous colors. Then there came
Peter, Peter, pump pkin-eater," "Ding,
dong, dell" "Sunhowe-s and Indians"
Mother Goose, THE Old Woman who
lived in a shoe," THE papoose float"
the basket" and many others.
After the children had passed the mon
ument on the return all entered the Tab
ernacle, adults being held back by police
men until the little ones were seated
Once inside there was another revelation.
From somewhere each little one produced
an American flag, and as the chorus of
1000 childish voices started America"
10000 more little ones arose, and in the
balcony and on the floor the air was one
mass of glorious color. 1t was q scene
that caused admiration and applause from
the visitors ana supreme satisfaction to
the Salt Lakers.
The greatest applause of the afternoon,
however, came when Pioneer Wilford
Woodruff entered the building and took
his usual place upon the stand. He was
apparently very weak after his recent i'll
ness, being assisted by a couple of strong
men, who while nominally assisting him,
virtually carried him.
There were interesting ceremonies when
the crowning of Pioneer Woodruff as the
oldest surviving membe of the AT band
took place. The laurel was placed upon
the pioneer by Ida Taylor Whitaker,
grandmother of President John TAYLOR
and Mary Oakley Taylor, both pioneers.
She reveGentially spoke these words:
"As one of the descendants of Utah's
1S47 pioneers, l crown you, the oldest of
that noble band present here to-day, and
pray Gods blessing ON you and all your
pioneer companions"
As the wreath was placed upon his yen-
erable brow Woodruff reached up and
taxing the child in his arms drew her
down and kissed her, saying, "God bless
you"
Music followed, and the benediction was
offered by Rev. Mr.. Lockwood OF the
Methodist church.
Twenty thousand people crowded the
principal streets of the city this evening
to view the Illuminated parade. There
were many floats in line, but one that
probably appealed most strongly to the
hearts of the pioneers was 1.-The gulls and
the grasshoppers." 1t represented the
flight of a thousand seagulls into the val
ley of the Great Salt Lake in 184S, where
they made short work of millions of
grasshoppers that were threatening the
then scanty crops. Historians tell us that
the birds filled themselves so full OF grass
hoppers that they were com pelled to dis
gorge, only, howevar, to repeat the opera
ton many times. In this way were the
crops of the settlers saved in 1S48. But for
the gulls starvation would badly have
been very near at hand. Since that DAY
the seagulls, millions of which inhabit the
islands of the lake, coming ashore annu-
ally, have borne a charmed life. The
average old-time Utah man would as soon
think of disme bering his right hand as
to harm gull.
Victor, Colo, was represented in to-
nights parade By a very handsome gold
float n He'd with hoa1t;a.