, 1901-12-28
DENVER'S BIG SHOW.
ANNUAL CARNIVAL A GREAT EVENT
IN THE WEST.
In Spectacular Effects and ,JuIIIty IT
Takes the Place win the Mardi Ora,
of New Orleans and the Yelled
Prophets of 81. Louis.

of New Orleans and the Yelled
Prophets OF 81. Louis.
Every year but one since 1894 Den
yer has held a fall carnival known as
the Festival Of Mountain and Plain"
This event is to Denver what the
Mardi Gras is to New Orleans. or the
visit of the Yelled Prophet is to st.
Louis.
The name itself is a suggestion Of
the two classes of people whose pres
ence and intermingling have served
to make these affairs somewhat more
picturesque and less conventional
than similar festivals held in cities
older and farther east-the miner and
the cowboy. Yet neither is any
longer a terror in his association
with the urban and agricultural citi-
zens who now largely outnumber all
other classes in the Centennial state.
The principal features of these fes-
rivals have generally been about the
same; a grand procession of allegori-
cal floats, civil and military organi-
cations, etc, spectacular illuminated
parade of floats by the Slaves of the
Silver Serpent" followed by a fancy
ball; procession OF maskers and free
masking on certain streets, followed
by a grand masked ball; Indian
games, wild West" performances;
military drills and sham battles. To
these have been added at various
| firpnc hnrrA pbNur. ;nI,-trtn1 rnrnIac
rock-drilling contests by miners. and
other attractions. Music is provided
by a great number of brass bands
from Colorado and adjoining states.
The attendance from outside of
Denver is large considering the scale
OF distances that pertains to the
Rocky Mountain region, where neigh
boring towns are those not more
than two hundred miles apart.
The festival this year, which lasted
four days, surpassed in some respects
any of its predecessors. Furthermore,
1t was a notable success from a finan-
cial standpoint, writes a Denver cor
respondent One of the principal fea-
lures that contributed to this result
was the greatly increased size and
elaborate construction and ornamen-
tation Of the grand stand, or open air
amphitheater in which all the princi-
pal exercises were held and through
which all the professions passed. The
structure was made to conveniently
and comfortably seat II, 900 people
and enclosed an area of nearly an
acre, so carefully leveled and rolled
that when spread with anvas 1t made
a magnificent dancing floor. When
the anvas was taken up there was
room in the arena to display at one
time the whole, or nearly the whole.
of each of the leading features in the
professions. On opposite sides Of his
a"mphitheater were the large and
deliberately decorated pavilion Of the
queen of the festival and her maids
If honor and the immense band stand
in which the musicians were placed.
The most popular of all the events
that took place in the day time was
the cowboys tournament. On this
occasion the enormous seating capa-
city of the grand stand was entirely
inadequate and many were unable to
obtain admission after offering, in
some instances, five dollars apiece for
seats.
Liberal advertising and the offer OF
large sums had collected what was
probably the worst lot of bucking
bronchos and altogether vicious
horses eve brought together in the
Rocky Mountain region. To ride
these, attracted by the championship
belt and five other prizes, as well as
the hope Of fame, there was as
sembled as game a lot of cowboy
rough riders and "broncho busters"
as ever met In any arena. Each drew
by lot the vicious brute he was to ride.
The exhibition of human skill and
daring matched against equine temper
and violence proved interesting In
the highest degree to tine vast audi
ence Of men, women and children.
Although some Of the horses had to be
roped and thrown before they could
be saddled there was no wanton cruel
ty and brutality. 1t was simply man
against horse, and in all but three
cases the mar won Three men only
were thrown, but were not hurt. and
each would have gladly attempted to
retrieve his fortunes by another trial
had the rules permitted. Some of the
riders, while their horses were buck
ing and %plunging like demons. not
only kept their saddles but waved
their hats in salute to the plaudits
Of the spectators.
The masked procession in the after
noon and ball at night of the third
day surpassed anything of the kind
previously attempted, AT night the
vast canvas-carpeted arena was Gov
cred with thousands of elegantly CO.'S
TUNED maskers. who danced, chatted
and played merry pranks till tho ball
closed. To the lookers-on the scene
was dazzling and bewildering. From
one side of the amphitheater could be
seen the great state capitol building
rising near at hand covered with fes-
toons Of colored lights, and seeming
in the night-confused perspective an
accessory of the grand stand illumi-
nations, as did also the 0 o nearly
at its full, pouring its radiance upon
the scene from the left Of the capitol.
The great society event connected
with the festival was the ball Of the
Slaves and the Silver Serpent" at the
Brown Palace hotel, where the wives
and daughters of Colorado multi
millionaire miners and cattle kings,
together with former society leaders
Of many eastern cities, whose homes
are now III Denver and Colorado