The Globe-republican., 1908-10-15
H|STORYIN PARADE.
MEMORIES OF 225 YEARS RECORD.
ED IN GRAND, PAGEANT
AT PHILADELPHIA.
CROWDS VIEW SPECTACLE
Estimated That 100000 Persons Wit
messed the elimination of the
Quaker City's Celebration
of Founders Week.

Philadelphia, Pa, Oct. 1O.-Like
pages out of the past, torn from the
great book of history and heavy laden
with the memories of 225 years, the
living scenes of the first great his
torical pageant ever planned in this
country were unfolden Friday before a
concourse of perhaps 100000 people.
In this wonder drama of the centuries
the eliminating feature of Philadel'
phia's notable celebration Of Founders
week, there were 5000 men and wom
en- in costumes.
There were 70 mammoth floats rep
resenting months of careful study and
faithful TO the last detail In their por.
trayal of the scenes selected from the
long span of years that have marked
the passing milestones Of the city.
Following the scenes of early settle
ment there came the period Of William
Penn and the Quakers. From this
time on events moved rapidly and
BENJAMIN Franklin soon followed Penn
upon the scene. 1t was not long I'M
til the spectators found themselves
gazing upon Washington, Jefferson,
Lafayette, John Paul Jones, Rocham-
beau and others in the various scenes
of their patriotic activities. They
looked upon Betsy Ross as she toiled
upon the flag; they saw depicted the
scene of the voting upon the Declara-
ton of Independence In the old state
house; they saw the Virginians COM
ing to congress with Washington, JEFF
ferson and Patrick Henry at their
head; they saw the New Englanders
arrive with John Adams, John Han
cock, Samuel Adams and Robert
Treat Paine riding in the lead and
then, out of all this pageantry of make
believe, there came touch OF real
history. 1t was the old Liberty Bell
On carefully guarded truck and part
ly buried in straw the old relic itself
was shown as it was being hurried
away to Allentown in hay wagon for
safekeeping in 1777.
On the heels of the departing bell
came the entrance of the British
troops into Philadelphia under Sir
William Howe and Lord CORVALLIS, |
both of whom were pictured in Fri
days parade. The advent of the red
coated troops was an imposing feature
Of the spectacle. There were about |
900 well drilled men in the lines and |
all were costumed in the period of the
revolution. Following this came the
march of the Americans to Yorktown.
Another thousand men made up the
continental troops. Rochambeau and
the French allies, in respondent uni
form, added further color and interest
to the revolutionary period.
The period of the Civil war gave
another opportunity for military dis
play. The sons of veterans pictured
the departure Of the troops and ir
uniform and equipment they complied
with historic accuracy. The selling OF
war loans by Jay Cooke was followed
by visit of Lincoln to Philadelphia
and lastly by the return of the sol
Hers
People fought to get a glimpse Of the
spectacle and hundreds of women
we're taken crushed and fainting from
he congested corners. Every ambu-
ance in the city was brought into play
md every hospital was filled. The
eight miles of grandstands, covering
every foot on either side OF
he route traversed by the pageant
we're fairly stormed by ticket holders
while spectators reaped harvest at
,XOrbitant prices.