The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-26
BATTLE OF
FLOWERS.
Unique and Beautiful Feature
of the Celebration
Of the Anniversary of the Vic
tory of Texas
OVER MEXICAN HOSTS.
VOlleys of Roses Fired by the
Contestants.
A FusiIade of Lilies, ViOlets
and Chrysanthemums.
OVER MEXICAN HOSTS

San Antonio, Tex, April 26.-The rose
pushes OF southwest Texas must have
peen plucked bare to make the floral
FESTIVAL a dream of color and beauty
Devastation must also have been
wrought among the morning glory
vines, the sunhower stalks, the chrys-
anthemum and smilax bushes, and all
Other plants that give forth blooms of
hue and tint. 1t was the sixth an
nuaI battle of flowers to commemorate
the victory of Texas arms over Santa
Annals Mexican hosts at San Jacinto
sixty-one years ago.
When the long procession turned in
to the plaza of the Alamo it looked
like the realization of some fantastic
opium vision. 1t was a Kaleidoscope
of changing colors and shifting scenes
and a medley of beauty and gro
teSquerie. The pageant of Cleopatra
when she came to lobby with Mark An
tony could not have been much more
glittering.
Numerous bands at regular intervals
in the parade poured forth mighty vol
umes of music. There were scenes of
martial splendor to stir the soul The
long ranks of soldiery, with changing
bayonets, blaring bugles and all the
paraphernalia of war, was an astound-
ing sight to many and an impressive
one to everybody.
There were scenes of beauty to thrill
the emotions. The still-1ike beauty of
gorgeous colors and flaming blossoms
was but the background for the living
beauty of dangerous eyes, waving
| strands of hair and crimson lips. En-
shrined in garlanded bowers, drawn by
apOtheosized mustangs, were the reign
ing bellies of Texas, attended by caVa-
Tiers in new spring suits and straw
hats.
The brigade of uncurried, sinister
eye burros and their sombreroed rid
erS was a striking foil to all the pomp
and pageantry of the spectacle.
1t seemed as if the population of
southwest Texas had been turned into
the Alamo plaza. Massed within its
historic precincts were 10000 people.
The first excursion train arrived at
shortly after 10 o'clock in the morning.
From then on up to O'Clock in the
afternoon the trains kept laundering
in from all directions and the mass Of
humanity on the streets SWelled to i'm
mense proportions.
The crowds quickly became dissemin-
ated. They surged along the streets
in continuous, constantly increasing
streams, and merged out into the plazas
and parks, where they took a breath
of fresh air and wondered what the
flower battle was going to be like. They
thronged into the restaurants, public
buildings and saloons. They packed
the street cars until there was not
standing room on the sideboards. A
| great majority of the lady visitors
had brought their orders for their
spring dry goods with them, and took
up their headquarters in the big stores,
where they drove the clerks to the
verge of insanity.
Along toward o'clock the crowds
began to centralize on the Alamo plaza.
The principal point of interest was the
pavilion in the center of the park, where
the prize contest between the country
bands began at 1:30 O'Clock. In regu-
lar order each cOntesting band took
position in the pavilion and played a
cOmpOsitiOn of its own selection be-
fore a. board of judges composed of
prominent local musicians, who passed
on the various points of musical ex-
cellence of the performances. The Wis
itOrs gathered around and cheered their
home bands and shouted words of en-
cOurag cement.
The old fortress of the Alamo, splen-
didly decorated and fraught with heroic
memories, was another center of in
terest The most striking feature Of
the decorations were four large por-
traits of Texas patriots hung in row
just above the portal. The heroes thus
represented were Travis, Crockett,
Bowie and Bonham. Above the pic
lures a colored Texas star had been
formed from multi-colored electric
light globes. Twined in graceful shape
all over the facade were $50 yards of
wreathing made of natural flowers.
Flying banners, streamers and bunting
in unlimited quantities added brilliancy
to the general effect.
AS the hour for the pageant drew
near the influx of humanity into the
plaza became tremendous. The people
packed themselves along the sidewalks
from curbing stone to wall and in all
the vacant dOOrWayS and hooks and
crannies of every kind. Hundreds
made their way up to the balcony of
the federal building on the south SIDE
of the plaza and viewed the spectacle
from that high vantage ground Inc
tall Maverick building at the corner Of
Houston street almost staggered be-
meath the weight of the sea OF human
ity that surged over every one or It's
seven overlapping galleries. A multi
tude of faces looked down from the
gallery of Hugo & Schmeltzer's building
next to the Alamo. The windows, bal
of all the other buildings on the plaza
which are not open to the public were
filed with groups of chosen guests.
In the meantime the pageant that
was soon to pass IN all It's glory peIore
the delighted gaze of the multitude was
rapidly crystallizing. The parade was
| formed on avenue E. By $50 O'Clock
| the various sections of the mammoth
| procession had been ranged IN order
| and Grand Marshal H. Karber sent his
messengers along the line with the or
/ der to march.
| The appearance of a Gordon of
/ mounted police clearing line of march
gave the waiting thousands notice that
| the procession was moving. Then from
| near the pOstomce hoated strains OF the
! Fifth United States cavalry band. The
4 babel of voices on the plaza ceased as
/ if by magic and every eye was strained
! toward the point of entry at the corner
| of avenue E and Houston street. AS
| the splendid pageant came into the
1 plaza there were universal exclama-
| tions of surprise and pleasure
/ First came a Gordon of mounted po-
! lice. followed by the Fifth United States
/ cavalry band; Colonel Wade, post COM
/ mander Fort Sam Houston and staff;
| four companies of United States in
/ fantry four troops of United States
| cavalry, battery of United States light
/ artillery with six pieces; Carl Beck's
| military band; governors guard of
Qa1l Ri INT IN