Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1901-03-28
MILES OF ROSES.
Brilliant Flower Parade to be One
of the Big Features During the
Memphis Reunion.
Magnificent Street Pageants and stipend
Gus Fire Work Spectacles on the River.
How the Problem OF Entertaining
100000 Visitors Is Being
Carried On.

| Carried On.
Memphis, Tenn, March 24,-Now that
the Finance Committee has practically
completed it, task of securing the ncces'
sary funds with which to promote the
| Confederate Reunion to be held in Mem
| phis next May. the entertainment, amusc-
ment. decoration and illumination and
parade committee, are determined to do
their part in making the gathering OF the
veterans the most successful ever held III
| the South, and for that matter III the
whole United states. With plenty OF
money at their disposal, everything will
be gotten up ON a grand scale, and al
ready the preparations show that the
whole affair will be solid week of rare
exciting pleasure and bcwildering mag
nicence.
\ careful and conservative estimate
| has been made which promises that the
Bluff City will be visited by 100000 Wis
| itors during the week of the reunion, and
| for all those of this immense gathering
| there will not be an idle moment provid-
ed for in the way Of entertainment and
amusement. Prominent among the great
er spectaclcs will be the largest and
most beautiful flower parade ever held
in this country, and a realistic naval bat
| tie on the river, which will be illuminat
cd with all the grand color scenery Of
war and the spectacular paraphernalia Of
striking realism.
The Memphis Architectural Club is
taking a commendahlc pride in planning
for the decorations of the city, and novel
and beautiful features will be seen by
the visitors along the streets and ct
every turn. The colonnade scheme for
street decoration is being particularly
considered. This novelty was what made
the Dewey reception in New York and
the Queens Jubilee in London such a
success. One can scarcely imagine
more striking or beautiful display than
to gaze down a long thoroughfare, lined
on either side by lofty white columns.
rejecting the sunlight. surmounted by
mazes of colored electric lights and join
ed with long festooDS of national EN-
blems and soaring bunting This is but
one feature of decoration at present be-
ing planned for.
Already State lEigades are making
ready to march on Memphis in May. Old
veterans are polishing up old buckles
and buttons. and gray heads are begin
ming to nod at each other from dis
lance. All of Western Kentucky is now
organized into a brigade with Col. III. :
Hale as colonel commanding, and will
arrive on a special train. Letters from
Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, Georgia
from oil ,u.- Al ..tiituiN sUutn ot'Ma-1
son and Diyon's linc--are pouring in, tell.
ing of different brigades, regiments, com
panies and dctachments that are looking
forward to the reunion, and which are
coming in full force.
The cost of coming to the reunion has
now been placed at the very lowest mini
mum. In addition to the cent mile
rate, the Southeastern Passenger Asso.
citation has granted a liberal concession
by extending the final limit of tickets to
June 3, upon payment of 5O-ccnt de-
post with the local joint railroad agent.
This rate and extension privilege in
cludes practically all of the roads in the
South over which it will be necessary for
reunion visitors TO ride.
The Grand Flower Pardde.
Miles OF roses, miles OF magnolas, miles
of every flower growing in the South.
This is what one of the chief features,
the gorgeous street flower parade, will
be, and which will transcend all like ef-
forts ever given in the South. There
will be traps, drags, landaus, stanhopes,
phaetons, suTey-, buggies, automobiles,
runabouts, tea carts, taly-hos, floats,
dog and pony and goat carts or wagons
and every conceivable vehicle that runs
on wheels in the immense procession,
and each and every one Of them will he
decorated, cntwined, smothered with
flowers, natural and imitation. The
flower parade held in Memphis during
cess, for it was as beautiful and at
tractive as eye could wish to see. But
this year it will pale into insignifcance,
for the parade committee is determined
to make the reunion spectacle simply
perfect, and OF much huger dimensions
than the affair year ago Letters have
been received from parties in Helena and
Pine Bluff, from far away Florida dis
tant points in Georgia and Texas, mott
flying the parade committee that they are
making preparations to take part in the
parade, and ASKING after details. A
brief description of the parade which
took place last year will serve to give an
idea of what may be expected when the
mammoth procession is arranged and
completed for the reunion.
When Admiral Dewey signified his con-
sent to visit Memphis last May floral
parade suggested itself to the arrange
,nenfs committo On ~ boinu In o,.o,,, ,,,,,