The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-05-02
Sacramento Grand
Floral Fete.
A Pageant of Remarkable
Beauty.
Growing of the rIay Queen and
Other Features.

Sacramento distinguished hefSelI yes
terday in her splendid celebration OF
Dewey Day, gotten up and managed
by the Native Sons and Native Daugh-
ters of the city. Considering that wind
and rain threatened to upset every plan
and that the weather eighteen hours be-
fore the event would have made a deep
sea sailor swear, the. success of yes
terday's floral parade was phenomenal.
, 1t was due to logged perseverance
decorative taste and the quickness and
dexterity of the patriotic hands that
woye the garlands, twisted the bunting,
and arranged flowers and flags into
countless forms of beauty.
In the haste of the arrangements
(made necessary by the aspect of the
weather., in the dash of the patriotism,
and in the final success of the achieve
ment, there was much thatwas symbolic
of the American spirit-the same spirit
that dashed to victory under the thun-
ders of Cavite just a year before.
The morning was cold and the north
wind was unreasonable, but in spite
of the draughty streets hundreds of
paraders were at the appointed places
of formation on time, though the pro-
Thousands of men. women and chill
dren lined the streets, stood in door
ways or crowded upon verandas to see
the parade.
BY 8 o'clock l. street was crowded
from Tenth to Fifteenth-a beautiful
sight of decorated vehicles, many buried
beyond recognition beneath wilder
ness of flowers" Even old buggies took
on the youthful appearance of the
morning transformed by the freshness
of blooming roses. The sight became
more beautiful and inspiring as the day
grew warmer, and in the ripening sun
the throng of vehicles, laden with per-
fumed blossoms of all shades and va
rieties, glistened like a wildwood Of
color trembling in the breezes. The
wealth of floral harvest was as pleas
ing to the eye as a landscape garden,
and behind all doomed the glorious
background of Capital Park. with its
symmetrical palms, its stately pines and
wonderful sequoiS-a fit theater of
natural grandeur to make a pleasing
foil for the better exhibition of the en-
biems and arts of marching men, beau
tiful women and enthusiastic young
America.
Lovers of the beautiful saw much to
admire in yesterdays decorations
There were wreaths and banks of floral
grandeur represented by countless
growing shades and forms-green leaves
and plumy pampas grass; girls in the
reddest of red, amid American beauty
roses: bowers of immaculate white
surrounded by pinks as delicate as
cameo. or purples as charming as rain
bows and mid yellows as rich as gold
And when the parade was under way it
was panorama of pleasing colors all
radiant in the sunlight amid the deli
cate perfumes of the rarest of flowers
Over it all mans handiwork had woven
the great emblem of patriotism, and for
that word. for the immortal Dewey's
achievement, the spectator could see
that flags and flowers had been made to
speak the language of the American
heart.
1t was a cosmopolitan sort of parade
after ALL full of lessons to any man who
awoke from his musings to read them
Two-wheeled carts ran next to six-seated
carryalls, phaetons jostled close to BIZ
cycles. designs that looked like ships
and roof trees, propelled by bicycle
power followed stately carriag es-and
behind all dogs, an elephant, then the
rough democracy of the
parade.
A pleasing feature of the parade was
manifested here and there along the line
by the spectators, who showered roses
and paper stars upon the paraders, and
at Seventh and K streets the effect
was particularly striking as the colored
bits of paper filled the air and glistened
in the sunlight as they fell upon the
passing paraders, then carpeted the
read
At Oak Park, too. the day -~as one
of great merriment True to old ira.
ditions, there was a may-pole dance
and all its pleasant surroundings
beyies of children, dancing little cher.
ubs, and all the pretty mock heroic:
of the May Queen and her suite. The
Queens reception, the carnival of ath.
1etic games, and all the varied program
of the afternoon and evening marked
happy day of rest, a genuine mingline
of patriotism and pleasure for TIL,
masses.
The arrangements at the Park en-
frances We're badly planned, and tn.
ticket selling was conducted in so crud,
a way as to cause much disorder PEG
pie alighting from the cars naturally
went to the usual park gates-many no