Evening star., 1909-07-11
PARADE ON THE RIVER
Many Brilliantly Lighted
Canoes in Procession
MOVE IN A DOUBLE COLUMN
Thousands Of Persons on Shore and
Bridge Cheer Paddlers.
NIGHT IDEAL FOR THE EVENT.
Dances and Entertainments at Boat
houses After Disarmament OF
the Aquatic Pageant.

One hundred canoes, brilliantly LIGHTED
with Japanese lanterns and decorated
with fags, club colors and festoons Of
flowers, took part In the lantern parade
of the Washington Canoe Club last even
ing. Spread out IN double column ane
led by the war canoes of the canoe clut
ana the Analostan Boat Club, the lint
extended for half mile and It'll UP thu
river from bank to bank, as 1t moved
from the government wharf near tht
Analostan club to q point beyond th'
Three Sisters.
Thousands Of persons lined the bank!
OF the river and crowded the Aqueduc
bridge to watch the parade. Expression'
Of admiration at the brilliant displa.
were heard on all sides as the lines o
lanterns moved silently forward and cir
cled in loops as a salute before eacf
clubhouse.
From the Aqueduct bridge the parad'
resembled city of lights moving swift!
and silently up the river. It was not un
til the fiotilla approached the bridge tina
the occasional Indian cry Of the pad
dlers. the putting of q motor boat or tn'
cheering Of the spectators broke the 81
lence.
Leaders Of the Column.
The two lines were led by w. r. Garre
Of the Washington Canoe Club and L. r
Eberbach Of the Analostan Boat Club
each in single canoes. acting as pilo
boats to the war canoes. each OF Whici
was manned by sixteen paddlers. Th'
line started promptly at o'clock. will
nearly a thousand lanterns lighted. Th'
boats carried about four hundred per
sons, about half of whom were young
women. There was not an accident u
mar the occasion, although there were
several narrow escapes from unlightet
craft on the river and from an unidenti
fed motor boat.
The night was Ideal for the parade, al
1t was just dark enough to show up the
lanterns well, and there was suhcien
breeze to make it agreeable for those
handling the paddles. The river wa!
rather rough. but the canoes were han
died so well that after the parade startet
not a lantern caught fire from being
tilted too much.
Washington Canoe Clubs Event.
The parade was arranged by the Wash
ington Canoe Club, which contributed
about fifty boats. The Analostan Boa
Club. the Potomac Boat Club and all tht
public lighthouses entered canoes to aiG
In making the affair a success. Presiden
Whippie said last night that the members
Of the canoe club were much gratified a.
the assistance that had been given then
by the other clubs.
Each club and boathouse along the rivel
was lighted and decorated with JAPANESE
lanterns, and the balconies and floats
were crowded with spectators who re
turned the salute of the boats with cheers
and applause. After the fotilla circlec
the Three Sisters the officers of the clubs
turned their canoes out Of lire, and the
parade passed in review.
Disarmament Feature.
One of the features of the evening was
the disarmament of the parade. just above
the Aqueduct bridge. when the hundred
small craft spread out over the river
gliding silently in all directions to theil
respective lighthouses. Crowds OF friends
received the paddlers with congratula
tions, and willing hands lifted the canoes
from the water and slowed them away
promptly. so that every one could gel
ready for the dances or other entertain
ments that were given in the clubhouses
after the parade.
There was large attendance OF mem
bers and invited guests at the dance
given by the Washington Canoe Club
The dancing began the moment the pa
rade was over and one couple after an
other, as soon as they reached the float
hurried from the canoes to the ballroom
The Washington Canoe Club will hole
a regatta July "a. Plans are now being
carried out TO make the affair big even,
among the canoeists Of Washington.