The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-06-26
THE FEAST OF LANTERNS
wOODRUFF PLACE LIGHTED BY
THIRTY THOUSAND "JAP SPARKS"
over Six Thousand People Passed
Through the Gates-Artistic
and Financial Success.

Woodruff Place was a veritable fairyland
last night with its thousands of vari-
colOred Japanese lanterns swaying In the
breeze The annual feast of lanterns,
which has been a theme of conversation in
Woodruff Place, and, in fact. throughout
the city, for the past month or more, was
given last night. and the effect Of the beau
tiful park, lighted with 1900 Japanese lam
terms of every color and of every con-
ceivable design. one that will be long
remembered by the little folks, for they
were there in numbers, as well the
grown folks. The effect as one got off the
car was simply dazzling, and when one got
inside the gates, after much push
ing and jamming, for the crowd
all during the evening was i'm
mense, the systematic method of
decorating was seen i'm all its splendor
The three drives were differently deco
rated. The Middle drive espanade was dec
grated in zigzag fashion, strings of lam
terms passing from stakes over a wire, run
ming through the center and down an angle
TO the stakes at each side. The Middle
drive was decorated with numerous arches,
from which lanterns were strung on either
side The fountain at the intersection of
the drives was wired with countless mean
descent lights. which gave the effect of an
electrical fountain. Besides these thou
sands OF lanterns used in the espanades
every home In Woodruff Place, without
ceptton, was decorated more or less elabO-
rately, with strings of lanterns extending
from the housetops TO the ground below
strung along porches and forming border
along the walks. On almost every porch
merry crowds of young people were enter
tanned. and bands of music added TO the
general enjoyment of the occasion. Near
int q H. Ir;..
the much-talked-of side show, where Mr.
Charles a. Layman, as chief spokesman,
created much merriment One of the most
popular freaks exhibited was "Badwah
the Egyptian Priestess of the Sun" (Her-
bert Foltz); another attraction was "A Man
Of Mark" (Horace ColdwelD The strong
and the fat woman by Neal Campbell
Mile. Bondina, although unrecognized
was Miss Kyle, ana Millie-Christine. the
two-headed girl, was Dorothy Layman and
Marjorie Seeds. ''Zaza," the famous snake
charmer, was Helen Shepard, and the hu-
man ostrich was Miss Margaret Wild
Gerrit Ryan, and Tom Thumb and
his wife were Hayden Shepard
and zerelda Rogers. The clubhouse.
less lanterns, was the meeting place for the
young people. There Hart's orchestra
played for the dances. and across the way,
and. in fact all over the grounds. were
stands or booths where refreshments could
he had. over six thousand people passed
through the gates during the evening. al
though IL was difficult TO estimate the
crowd. as IL was constantly coming and
going. At intervals during the evening
and especially about 10 o'clock. a heavy
wtndstorm came up. which drove most of
the people 10 the gateways TO reach cars in
order TO get home before the storm which
seemed inevitable. The lanterns tossed
wildly in the wind and there was danger of
a fire. but the special policemen stationed
through the park were very watchful and
there were no serious results Numerous
automobiles were utilized during the even
ing by parties wishing to inspect the park
the charge being p cents a round trip
There were fortune telers and various
other amusements. The proceeds from the
feast of lanterns is the annual donation
from the Woodruff section TO the Free Kin
dergarten Society, but this year the amount
will exceed all other years. and much credit
is due to the women of Woodruff Place for
their untiring efforts TO make the affair so
great a success