Birmingham state herald., 1897-02-28
SUCCESS NOW IS ASSURED The Carnival Will Go Down in
 History AS AN AFFAIR OF GRANDEUR And Rebound to the Credit of AIabama's Great Magic City. REXVULCAN Il NOW EN ROUTE Message Read at 0'Brien's Opera House An- nouncing Departure from Tampa, fla. Grandest Display of Flags and Bunting ln the History of the state-Coliseum Absolutely Safe, Say Two Reli-
 able and Well Known
 Architects.
XVULCAN Il NOW EN ROUTE
Message Read at O'Brien's Opera House An-
 nouncing Departure from Tampa, fla.

All is now ready for the coming of His Majesty, Rex Vulcan II.
 The city is robed in holiday attire. The throne is prepared and thousands arc gathering in the Magic City to offer him a welcome according to his station.
 He is now speeding toward the city as rapidly as steam can bring him, and promptly at 1.30 o'clock tomorrow he will arrive.
 The following letter announces his re- ception at Tampa, Fla:
 Tampa, Fla, Feb. 26, 1897. MT. F. Lesser, Governor Province of Bir-
 mingham:
 Early this morning the United States vessel Chase signaled from St. Peters burg that His Royal Majesty, Rex Vul- can IT., on the steamship La Grande Duchesse, of the Plant Steamship Line, accompanied by the private yacht, Magic City, and the six men-of-war, Terror, Invincible, Cyclone, Terrific, Inferno and Desperate, were in sight of the quaran- tine station. Immediately the entire gulf coast Plant Fleet, consisting of the steamer Margaret in command of Ad- miral John Fitzgerald, accompanied by the steamships Olivette, Capt. N. F. fOWeSi MaSCOtle, capt Freuerlck ROUSE, Florida, Capt. M. J. HeWson; Halifax, Capt. c. E. Pye; steamer Tarpon, Capt. R. $. Warner; steamer Lawrence, Capt. P. A. Washington steamer Clara, Capt. Herman Fischer; steamer Apalachee, Rear Admiral Branan; steamer Helen Denham, Capt Jacobs; steamer Sam Pyles, Commodore Bradley and steamer A. J. Lane, Capt. Gonzales, which were anchored in Tampa Bay expecting the arrival, got under way with screaming of whistles to meet His Royal Majesty and salute him with salute of fifty guns. The Margaret had on board His Excel lency, Governor Mitchell of Florida; Hon. and Mrs. H. B. Plant, and Mrs. Wood, the Hon, J. H. Fessedon, President Board of Trade, of Tampa, and the Hon. M B. Gillett. mayor of Tampa, with numerous officials of the Plant Line and citizens of Florida. On meeting the La Grande Duchesse, His Majesty was saluted by all of the vessels running up the colors of His Royal Majesty, purple, yellow and green. Never was a prettier sight wit messed in American waters than this meeting.
 The king with this escort proceeded and dropped anchor at Port Tampa, op posite the Belleview hotel. where His Royal Majesty disenlbarked and was greeted by the representative citizens of Florida, and was escorted to the hotel, where His Majesty and suite partook of a royalty served fish breakfast. Special yellOW Ilne Rlanl lTalnS were Ill WdltluS to convey His Majesty, attendants, suite and baggage to Tampa, where grand preparations had been made for his re- ception at the Tampa Bay Hotel, where the special trains arrived at noon. Here the Louis XIV. parlors and the room ad- joining had been reserved for his com- fort. Never has this hotel shown off to better advantage than upon this occasion. The out and inside of the hotel had been gaily decorated in the colors of Vulcan Hot f1Nu hn grand art hall and dining room were made bowers of beauty with tropical plants and the colors of Vulcan II.
 At 4 D. m. dinner was announced by the royal trumpeter, Al Hasen, and the royal party, accompanied by Hon. H. B. Plant and his wife, Hon. R. G. Erwin and Mrs. M. A. Wood, Gov. Mitchell, Mayor M E. Gillett, Hon, <; H. Fessedon, presi- dent of the board of trade; Col. George Adadr Gen. A. V. Clubbs. the Hons H. Flemming G. DuBignon, D. F. Jack. M. J. O'Brian, Franklin J. Brown, H. A. Ford, F. del Sullivan. Rempson Craw- ford, Geo. H. Tilley. R. B. Smith and T. to the grand dining hall, where the ta- bles were set in the form of a star and crescent, his royal highness. being seated in the center, and on his right the gov ernor, the mayor of the city, and Messrs. H. M. Flagler, J. E. Ingram and J. R. Parrott, and on his left Mrs. Plant and her guest, Mrs. Wood, and MT. Plant This dinner will be long remembered by the participants, it being one of the grandest ever served in this royal hotel, the service being all of solid gold and silver, and the wines being of the oldest and rarest vintages. The entire dinner was under the supervision of his majes- tvs chef, Jean Buffet.
 Before rising from the table. his maj esty expressed his great satisfaction at the royal reception accorded him, and proposed the health of all present, which was responded to by the Hon. Femming G. du Bignon in his usual graceful style. On rising from the able the royal party repaired to the Louis XIV parlors, where Rex Vulcan II. conferred upon Mrs. Plant the grand diamond diadem of Un- linda; upon Mrs. Wood the diamond col lar of Matan upon MT. Plant the decora- tion of the grand cross of Mugunda, with the title of royal prince; upon MT. Flag Ter the grand cross of Monfia. with the title of duke; upon the Hon. J. R. Parrott and the Hon. J. F. Ingram the Star of Salaam. with the title of baron; upon MT. Erwin the Grand Star of Kaenda with the title of royal prince and the other participants in the banquet his majesty decorated with the star and created them Knights of Karenga.
 After inspecting the beautiful illumi- mated gardens, the royal party boarded the royal yellow Plant trains, especially equipped and decorated for the occasion, and left at g o'clock sharp this evening for Birmingharn, Ala, where his majesty will arrive at f:30 D. m Monday. The people of Birmingham. so it is under stood. are making grand preparations for the reception of thts royal visitor. un- derstand the train will only make two stops, one at Thomasville. Ga, to deco- rate and knight the Hon. s. G. MeLendon,