The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1901-10-12
FIRST DAYS GRAND PARADE
'sA MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN FESTIVAL

Denver, October 2.-1Ee first day of ,
the festival was an unqualified SUCCESS
in attendance; fine weather and the
character Of the entertainment. The
principal features were the grand pa
rade In the afternoon and the amateur
circus at the grand stand at night.
The first division of the parade in
Guided floats showing the progress of
the state. First came the cliff dwell
aers, The representation was that of
{he crudest civilization known to man.
A huge cliff sheltered the rude home
Of these people, and several people
dressed in the garb OF the ancients
walked about doing work with their
rude tools A watch tower rose from
the front Of the float, just the kind the
cliff dwellefs used to erect to prevent
their enemies 'coming in upon thcm.
Ehe 'dusky persons acted their part
"A ;fat no better than did the stin
7ar3 band Of Indians on the next
fskS This was the float OF the Pu.
.eblo Indians. Indians were literally
crowded allpver this float, odd squaws
with little .pappoOses; Mary Euckskin,
granddaughter of the Ute chief, was
one Of the principal figures, and she
watched all the vast crowd with in
the soniber cliffs with tiny ladders
reaching from one ledge to another.
The period Of the Spanish domina-
ton WIS represented In The third float
and a quaint Spanish mission stood In
the background with 4 little chapel
Joined on one side. A Franciscan
monk stood at the opening of the
chapel counting his beads, while a
Mexican bull-fghter was watching
Spanish senOritas dancing to tile soft
music of guitar.
Rut how the crowds cheered At the
next float, a log cabin, and following
tia battered stage coach filled with
old Colorado pioneers grizzled and
wrinkled but smiling at the happy
/. crowds that cheered them. The float
represented a pioneers hog cabin and
Ia large family was busIly at work
upon 1t. 1t was typical. hut mt half
(: MS much so as the old stnge coach that
preceded 1t. Nothing else In the pa
rade surpassed the stage coach. with
Its load Of pioneers. Il touched the
hearts Of every one, 1t Carried the
spectators back. inevitably, TO fhe early
days when the stage travelled across
the hills and mountains. And no one
enjoyed 1t as much us did the old 'pio-
neers themselves. W. N Byers sat on
the top with eleven of 2is old pioneer
friends, and the old coach ratified
along, DUST and crenkmg, hut making
music to all their ears 1t was the old
Kit Carson coach, last used by the
Ben Holiday stage 3iue in tine Black
Hills In Wyoming.
Those on the coach. an having come
to the state In or before 1850. were:
W. N. Byers, William Lee. Nv. H.
Clark, J. C. Boyd, H. q. Hyatt, d. NJ.
Richards, John Eaxter, George Smell,
Michael Storms. Thomas Skerrett,
James Brown, E. A .WiliouRhhys G. Il.
Hartman, Hugh r. Steele. w. fP. Og-
den. ]. l. Lorah, T. @ Dixon. John E..
Lilly and Isaac McBr0wn. 4 sa
{ Then came thes dcat neprrssnting the
Colorado. Of to day. It &ussenshusias-
ticallE schGered. a Anatbln 4cGlpmned
tower occupied the uniin nsrt- of the
float and Represented the home OF
Col0raiO's state house. Mt The four
corners of the float were 'peaesta1s on
which sat the four gUd6esscs Of Colo
radios destiny, the hnuldmaidens of her
greatness: Peace, Health. Progress
and Wealth. These were represented
by four handsome madens. M
Next came BuckskzN tCiafiiesand his
band of Southern Utes.
What an array! Feathers. war paint
pappooses that blihked and .Bquirmed,
and squaws riding herses that carried
tepees, the poles dragging ;a3oug the
pavement. 'ie est>
Then came the motley array. of
rough riders. They were in,larxe force
and every small boy In the crowd vot-
ed. them the princippt ;attfactten- At
the grand stand they charged several
tfuNeA around fh, arena NyllOOfanN and