El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-08
THE PHOENIX CARNIVAL
ArIZona'S Lively City Enjoying a
Week OF Fertivltles-The Cost
OF the Affalr-SOme Pointers
For Our Chamber OF Commerce.

1
pages of it space to subscription of the
opening day of the big Phoenix Indian
and Cowbo Carnival. 1t Gays:
There was never such day in Ari-
zona The opening of the Phoenix
carnival was successful beyond the
widest expectation of even it's prOmot-
ers. A conservative estimate places
that not fewer that rs, 600 people wit
messed the greatest street pageant ever
seen in the southwest. The work OF
the carnival commit tees was more fully
supplemented by citizens than wss eX-
pectei. Within forty-eight hours the
town had been clad in red AID green
and white. Long tanners of the car
nival cOlors were swung across the
streets and, thousands of gay colored
around public grounds and in front of
business houses and residences.
At an early hour the city resounded
with inspiring strains by four brass
bands, and marsh ais rode swiftly along
the streets hurrying things into shape
for the great parade. There was no
confusion, no excitement, but every
thing had been SO we'll ordered that
the motion was as precise as that of =
machine.
Considering the vast number OF
guests, generously representing every
section of the territory, they were
reasonably we'll cared for. There was
some difficulty in housing them on
Sunday night, but they were all finally
lodged. Walters in restaurants and
hotel dining rooms were almost driven
to distraction yesterday in spite of
the fact that preparations
for the feeding of multitude had
been made.
Amid all the jolllty of the season
whose very name conveys license, there
was no disorder and very little drunk
enness, and altogether the day WAS just
such an earnest of the other four days
of the carnival as the managers would
have most desired. l
The carnival three years ago was
thought to be great event and a
monument to the enterprise of Phoe-
nix. In comparison with the present
festivities 1t was a very small and un-
important affair. The carnival may
now be regarded as permanent winter
institution of Phoenix.
The great parade is described by the
Republican as an event to be always
RENE bered. There was a mile and a
half of splendid floats, picturesque re-
presentation and wild Indians, review
ed by %, 900 people. Then the Indian
school cadets captured the competition
drill prize, and there was startling
San Juan Hill. The program for each
day was equally striking.
COST OF THE CARNIVAL.
Public meetings and resolutions do
not make carnivsls, says the Republi- |
can, In detailing the cost ofsthe carni- |
val, neither does the mere exercise of |
good will aud public spirit" raise |
money to defray the expense of great |
civic demonstrst ton. There was soma |
in Phoenix in spite of the
e enthusiasm which had marked all the
preliminary meetings that sufficient
to make q creditable display
would not be forthcoming. The ap-
orehensiOn was mainly caused by the
,oldness with which q proposition for
, carnival two years ago and then one
/ year ago, was received.
The experience of the first carnival
vas then TOO fresh. Merchants said
hat they bad not derived any benefit
rom it, but that the excitem ent of the
occasion bad positively injured their
rade. 1t was the opinion that, how
ever beneficial carnival might gen.
lerally be to Phoenix, it was not bene-
BODY but hotel keepers, proprietors
# restaurants and to saloonkeep- l
,re. /
But great change had come over
'hoenix within year, report to the Re- !
publican, that had been shown in the |
facility with which the {
,oard of trade fund was subscribed.
he carnival committee. when the I
ubject of subscription was 6
mentioned in merely inciden tai way, {
was taken up and discussed, each '
member offering to subscribe more
han any body else. A great start was t
Unexpectedly made and there was the {
nhesrd OF thing in a meeting in I
'boenix, or anywhere else, of the 6
hartman having to apply a cloture to r
u bscribers in order that other nee {
ssary preliminary business might be
That little episode though
every doubt OF the success of
he carnival, aud the next day the So
letting committee began work That
Tas October %. Within less tn an FIVE G
ours the committee secured subscrip- F
ions amounting to $4,000. k
1t bad not been expected and had not V
eally been desired that more than S. u
90 should be raised. That was be- o
eyed to be sufficient to defray all q
ossible expenses. Yet within a few a
ours the committee had obtained con- n
derably more than talf the sum from q
nly ffty-fOur subscribers. none of d
hom had agreed to pay less than $40. G.
he heaviest su bscriber was Hirschfield O
Perkins, $500. Bent Butler and J.
. Adams gave $3.50 each aud six
,hers 800 each There was besides long
st Of $50 and S25 subscribers After .,
lat four hours work the committee +
egup enlarging the scope of the enter a.
for there seemed no limit to y,
hat might be ACCOM- plished =,
The next day the soliciting commit q,
'e only had time to work a couple of II
ours, but the list was swelled to So q,
IS. Several subscribers hunted the
lmmittea I'D and said thew feared