The times., 1899-05-26
THE NATIONS HISTORY
IN CANVAS and Wigs
Continued from First Page1


senting prominent personages identified
with American history, were arranging
their costumes and enjoying a MONDAY re-
past in an adjoining building. Pages.
courtiers, soldiers, and privates military
and naval heroes of the three wars. min
sled with each other and cheerily chat
tered in anticipation of the part they were
to take in the prime event OF the after
noon.
After lunch they were assigned to va
rous places in line. Everything was sys-
tematically arranged. 1t would not have
done to have the soldiers of the COnti-
LeEtal army at the tailend of the pageant
and the heroes of San Juan at its head.
There was place for every character and
every character had to be in place. In
this manner the committee completed the
chronological order of the whole process
sion.
The preliminary arrangements were
placed in the hands of Washington Dam
nenhower. who was called upon at the
last moment to succeed V. Baldwin John
son. Chairman OF the Historical Pageant
Committee. The strain of the past two
Jubilee days had brought an attack OF i'll
Eess on the latter and he was not able to
ride at the head of the parade.
scenes at the Den.
The scene at the Den was extremely pic
turesque. Four centuries gave up their
discoverers, explorers, monarchs, and
fighting men that they might march across
the Capital in honor of the memorable
achievements of a fifth American war.
Columbus, who had bowed in supplication
before the generous Isabella and induced
her to pledge her jewels that he might
seek the mysterious Indies, lent his arm to
that sovereign, and mingled with the
crowd, Grant and Lee stepped down from
the temple of fame and chatted like COM
rades over the battles of the late Rebellion.
Generals and admirals forgot the require
ments of military discipline. boxed with
sailors and privates and jocuarly cr.ti-
cised each other.
All were merry and happy under the in
spiration of the occasion. In her desire 10
assist the Jubilee promoters in every pos
sible manner, the muse of history seemed
to forget that there was but one Columbus.
even If others had disputed his claim TO
the discovery of America, and that sim
gle Grant led the armies of the American
Civil War. She furnished doubles for each
OF these historic personages. There was a
Grant to lead the Civil War section OF the
pageant, and another Grant for the North
and South float. One Columbus stood be-
fore Ferdinand and Isabella on the float
representing the destined discoverer b fore
the Court of Spain, while another Column
bus was represented as landing on the
shores of America. Then there were sew
eTal Washingtons but all were necessary.
For more than an hour all these historical
characters revelsd in happy reunion, while
tire curious public mingled with the i'm
mortals. Shortly after ] O'Clock the grand
marshal, Washington Dannenhower. al
nounced that everything was in readiness,
md hTns1 1pshf f,ntf ttrl yirlry -
characters from one end of the line to the
other. Several troops of Third Cavalry
men from Fort Meyer covered with dust
dashed along neighboring street after a
hard ride from headquarters, having been
ordered from their post by General Miles
at noon. They took up their position at
the end of the procession, forming a part
of the section devoted to the period of
1898.
First came Major Richard Sylvester.
Chief of Police, riding at the head of a
platoon of mounted policemen whose duty
1t was to open the way. The crowds fell
back to the sidewalk and the pageant
commenced its slow pace across the city
turning from Fourteenth Strest into U
Street, then into Fifteenth Street. and fol-
lowing the line of marcn as follows:
Fifteenth Street southward to Rhode Isl |
and Avenue, Rhode Island Avenue west to
Eighteenth Street, Eighteenth Street south
to Pennsylvania Avenue, Pennsylvania Ave
nue. east Peace Monument. countermarch-
ing to Seventh Street, seventh Street north !
to Street, + Street west to Fourteenth Street. |
Fourteenth Street north to II Street, Street /
west to Fifteenth Street, Fifteenth Street north
to Street Street east to Fourteenth Street,
Fourteenth Street north 10 W Street.
The Float ..Hi.toryu
The first float represented History" 1t !!
ha
ceded by a company of Continental soldiers !
and Jack tars, the latter furnished by the |
vessels Fern and Dolphin. now lying at
the Washington Navy Yard. Six heraIds !
announced its coming, and as many ap- |
costumed men led the horses t
which drew it along. The steeds to every !
float were fully caparsoned and covered |
with fancy blankets. On the front of the !
float sat a golden sphinx, and a delicately |
colored pyramid, rising out of a bank of |
clouds. Clio. the Muse OF History was
seated upon a throne, around the base of /
which were the names Of Herodotus, Thu
cidides. Hume. Gibbon, Guizot and other /
historians. CiiO was attended by four
muses., who were posed around the |
throne. and in the rear, riding on the
cloud bank. were two dark -hued. mystic
Egyptian sages, carrying
scrolls of lotus.
Six mounted couriers. with aaring red
and six Crusaders in attractive
garb followed. preparing the way for the
second float, representing Columbus at |
the Court of Spain" 1t contained a re-
production of the throne room of their
Royal Majesties King Kerdinand and
Queen Isabella. They were seated side by |
side and were attended by four halber-
diers and guard of honor Bowing be-
fore them was Columbus. He was unfold
ing his plans for the discovery of the New /
World. Elaborate candelabra were at the .
four corners OF the float, and the canopy |
over the throne was made out of rich
cloths. in keeping with the idea of royal
pomp and glory. As the Queen passed
the reviewing stand in the Court of Honor
a courtier was entrusted with her sceptre
and directed to forward it to the Presi-
dent. In surrendering this emblem OF for
mer power the Queen also presented the
President with a parchment scroll. deco
rated with the royal seal and yellow and
red ribbons and reading as follows:
Great and Good Friend:
In bequeathinE to YOU my sceptie, of the West
eru World. | but ask that the power symb0lized
thereby Ae used with the justice and lnodara-
tiou that has ever characterized your life.
FERDINAND Y isabella.
As President Mckinley received this do
nation of new power score of knights,
and heralds gailoped by OH
horses, announcing the float picturiug the
Il I.anding of Columbus" It was full of
realism and contrast In a small boat
which had just grounded on the shore
stood two followers OF Columbus. The
discoverer himself had just landed and
was planting the banner OF Spain on the
land in the presence of two indians. who
were kneeling in mingled awe and wonder
ffent before the strangers.