The age-herald., 1898-02-21
THRICE WELCOME
 REX VULCAN His Majesty Mil Arrive at 2 O'clock
 This Afternoon. CITY IN HOLIDAY ATTIRE. The Royal ColOFS in a Galaxy of Cor
 geOuS Array.
MIRTH AND REyELRY HOLD SWAY
The Greatest Celebration in the History of the City. Many Visitors Have Arrived And Others Are Pouring in
 On Every Train.

Mardi Gras celebration of 1898. The city Is gay bedecked with the royal colors. Flags and bunting in a galaxy of gorgeous array are to be seen on almost every business house. The streets will be filled with merry makers and mirth and revelry holds high sway.
 The hotels are filled with visitors and every train is adding to the crowd. which promises to be unprecedented in the history of the city.
 The celebration will be inaugurated at 2 o'clock th4s afternoon, when Rex Vulcan III. in all his glory will arrive at the Union depot on a special train from New York over the Alabama Great Southern railway.
 His majesty will be met by the executive committee of the Carnival Society and will be escorted to his royal float in waiting. He will then take his position in the parade, which will form immediately after his arrival, and will move through the streets of the city.
 The parade will be in charge of Grand Marshall P. J. McCrossin and his aid-de- camps. A squad of mounted police will head the parade, followed by the grand marshall and his aids; the infantry. in command of Maj T. O. Smith; Troop D, A. N. G., in command of Capt. J. B. Mor- son and a band of music.
 Next will come Rex Vulcan III. in his royal state float, accompanied by his pages, porter and trumpeter; the royal baggage float, containing the many trunks and val uable caskets of his majesty, filled with gorgeous costumes, magnificent jewels and aromatic spices from the Orient.
 Following the royal float will be the president and vice-presidents of the Car nival Society in seven carriages; mayor and board of aldermen in five carriages; board of police commission in one carriage; band of music.
 Following these will come the eighteen magnificent official floats of the Carnivai Society, which represent subjects from history, fiction and mythology.
 These magnificent floats will rival In true delineation the characters and subjects represented and in artistic workmanship any attempt that has previously made in this city.
 Between each float prince of the realm will be seated in carriage
 Following the official floats will come an- other band of music, which will be follow ed by several beautiful floats entered by different societies of the city. Last, but not least, will come the trade floats repre-, senting the different mercantile and indus trial persuits. /
 ROUTE OF PARADE.
 Parade will proceed south on Twentieth street to Avenue D; thence countermarch on Twentieth street to First avenue; thence
 ,nrfb fr Second avenue; thence east along Second avenue to Nineteenth street; thence on Nineteenth street to city hall, where pa- rade will halt and the mayor and board or aldermen will leave their carriages and proceed to a grand stand and deliver to his majesty, Rex Vulcan III., the keys of the city of Birmingham, after which they will again enter their carriages, and the parade will proceed north on Nine- teenth street to Sixth avenue; thence east along Sixth avenue to Twentieth street; thence south on Twentieth street to First avenue; thence east or north side or First avenue to Twenty-second street; thence counter march on First avenue, where his majesty will review the parade from grand stand built in front of the banking bouse of Steiner Bros and with the judges award prizes. after which he will again arter his float and will be escorted by the ,,,,,,t,a and committee to the Morris hotel. rba narade will proceed to First avenue and Eighteenth street and there disband.
 Rex will then proceed to his royal head quarters and after partaking of a royal srnner will proceed to Elks hall, corner Fourth avenue and Twentieth street. where a grand reception will be given him by the Birmingham German Turnverin. G'
 STREET MASKERS. u46
 Tomorrow the streets will be gwen over to inc gay maskers, who will hold hlsh reyelry. Weary Willes, festive maloens' sons of the Emerald Isle, heathen Chinese noble red men and many other characters win minrle in a cosmopolitan aggregation of merry makers.
 At 7:So D. m. the grand night parade VIII move through the streets, headed py ms royal majesty, Rex. The official noats VIII he magnificently lighted and will present q most brilliant and startling scene. Ine following is the order and route or the night parade.
 Tha narade will form on Eighteenth s+reet with right column resting on Eighth avenue in the following order: Grand mar shal and his aids, cavalry. Troop D, Rex vu,can III. in his royal state float, official floats of the Birmingham Carnival Society, between each of them prince in carriage. Following will be the society floats dis tributed in the proper order
 ROUTE OF PARADE.
 The parade will start precisely at p. m. and march east on Eighth avenue to Nine- teenth street; thence south along Nine- teenth street to Sixth avenue; thence east along Sixth avenue to Twentieth street; thence south along Twentieth street to Avenue D; thence countermarch on Twen- tieth street to First avenue; thence west on First avenue to Eighteenth street; thence on Eighteenth street to Second avenue;