The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-03-28
IN ELECTRIC PARADE
Sixteen Electric Floats Built
in New Orleans
AT A COST OF $4,000
TO be Used in Wichita Street
Fair in October.

Wichita is TO have sixteen electric floats
for the next street fair, TO be held Oc-
tober !. q g. 4, and 6. These floats were
built for the Mardi Gras parades in New
Orleans at the enormous cost of $4,000.
They have been sold to Denver for an
exhibition there, and from DenYer they
will come here They are the first and
only electric floats ever built in the world
and one Of them, named 1.-The Era Of
Electricity," is said to be 50 dazzling
that one cannot stand within fifty feet Of
it and look at it without injury to the
eye. This float alone cost $1,000. The
others are, Of course, less brilliant, and
also less expensive. They are run on the
street car tracks and appear to have
neither motorneer nor trolley. They are
built on car trucks, have motors and are
run by a current just the same as street
cars but they appear to move along the
street without control or motive power
Each float weighs about one and half
tons. The best are the Era Of Elec-
tricity," buccaneers, % Transit OF Mer-
curry" Star of Bethlehem Christian
Prosecutions" Band Car" 'Nereus,"
Landing OF C Umhus" and Birth Of
the Republic" The band car moves along
the street in a blaze Of light while a
band inside plays in lively fashion. The
floats used in the parades here last fail
cost $1,000, and any one who saw them
can form some idea Of the beauty of the
electric floats which cost more than ten
times as much and which ought to be ten
times as attractive and brilliant. Secre-
tary Lockwood, who has about brought
the plan to a successful consummat ton
was in consultation with Manager Nelson
and Superintendent Church, Of the street
railway, yesterday regarding the matter
OF getting the use of the lines here for
producing the floats and the matter will
probably be successfully arranged short
". Wichita proposes to climb up on all
western records with both feet and tram
pie them all out of shape at the next
street fair.
The Street Railway Review. of New
York City. says Of the New Orleans
floats on the occasion of the opening pa
rade Of the New Orleans carnival Febru-
airy q: The floats were all mounted on
electric trucks and were driven by the
overhead trolley system. While the feas-
ioility Of thus employing electricity for
light and motive power in carnival pa
rades has often been discussed. it has
never before been attempted. The pio-
neer was the Prince Nereus and he and
his krewe scored a great success. To the
spectators the tableau moved along with
out any apparent motive force. The tab
ed platforms placed upon car trucks. The
controller and brake were placed in the
forward part and the trolley post and
pole towards the rear. Each car was
equipped with switch to control the
lights and the current for the motive
power. It tested the ingenuity of the de-
wiser to conceal both the motorman and
the troueymen and so disguise the trolley
Pole that it would not be recognized It
was difficult piece Of work especially |
on account Of the radical difference of all !
the tableaux, but it was accomplished |
admirably. Due regard had to be exer- |
cised as well to give both men ample |
room to work in and to see ahead. |
Though each tableau had cave in front |
and larger one TO the rear the design /
CT comprehended this so cleverly that its |
purpose was altogether lost in the gem |
eral effect. Take, for instance Nereus. |
The motOrman was concealed in the head /
Of the fish. and a small and inconspicu- |
Gus aperture gave him full opportunity |
TO see ahead. The trolleyman was con-
cealed in the tail Of the fish. while the
trolley pole was hidden by several sea
gulls in fight. In the car showing the
burning Of the Templars the motorman
and trolleyman were concealed in the
flames, while the trolley pole was huge
tongue Of flame which swayed to and fro
with the vaccilaton of the wire
THE New Orleans Railroad company
donated TO the carnival association the
use OF two large car barns to build and
store the parade the use Of twenty
trucks complete with motors. controllers
Ind in addition furnished the skilled la
Dor to operate them in the parade. Grand
success was more than realized"