Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1914-05-29
ST. LOUIS PAGEANT
HELD LAST NIGHT
SElENIN-FnE HUNDRED PEk-
SONS TAKE PART IN GREAT
CELEBRATION.
MANY SCENES PORTRAYED
Last Movement of Pageant Pictured
History of ~. Louis Under
the Flag Of United
States.

w Associated Pres.
ST LOUIS. Mo, May 2S.-Ths
Pageant and Masque of 81. Louis.
" hich was given here tonight In com
OF the founding OF this
,ity one hundred and fifty years ago.
required for It's production probably
The largest stage In the world and
d cast OF 7.5OO persons.
The production was In two distinct
parts-the pageant. by Thomas Wood
stevens. head OF the school OF drama
Of the Carnegie Institute. Pittsburgh.
Pa. and the masque by Percy Mac
Kaye
The Pageant began shortly be-
tore sunset. and continued until
dark. After a short iniermission.
the masque was given under electric
light. The pageant was a series oil
thirty living pictures, portraying I'M
portant events In the history OF st.
Louis. Fifty-siN hundred men and
women took part In this presenta-
ton
The pageant opened with a scene
depicting the mound-builders era
of 81 Louis, which Is on the site oil
many of the old mounds. The move
ment began with long lines of men
and women bringing earth In bas-
kets and building a mound In which
they buried the chief OF their tribe.
The immense stage represented tho
site OF the present city Of St Louis.
Between the STAGE and the hill the
south on which the spectators sat
was a lagoon. $50 feet vide. repre-
scnttng the Mississippi River. Th'
spectators were asked 10 imagine
themselves as seated on the bluffs on
the Illinois shore and looking across
the Mississippi River to tho site OF
ST. Louis as the history of the city
passed before them. As the mound
builders buried the chief OF their
tribe buffalo hunters approached and
persuaded them tn give up their
mound building ways
lptifus ner erper-od ~ tho sinra
tn, year NOW was supposed 20 ne
i39 and save Characteristic dances
aud war sccnca Then came a repre-
seutaliCn of the expedition OF De So
10 with his Spanish gold seekers.
Father Marquette. the French mis-
sionary then came ~ 10 the pageant
stage tho city site--in a canoe, and
after him LaSallo and fifty-four
traders aud Indians
Thus lar l.l5p persons had ap-
pcared on the stage In the few
scenes already portrayed The move
mcnt ended as an indian prophet
fprciold tho future of hi8 race.
The next movement opened with
the portrayal of the founding of the
ciiy by Pierre laclcdc tho French
settler. who was represented as plan
ming the town and leaving his four
teen ycar-old son. Chouteau. to build
lt Gradually tha town grew as the
trench settlers came In. and then
hr Spanish troops we're represented
a- coming a. take possession under
tho first Spanish governor. The
dedication OF the first church was
ro.ou3cicd
On 1850 Indians attacked the set
iIDmout. and tuis attack was por-
tr1Fpd ou tho stage tonight 4
school mistress appeared on tho
storkido and fought with the men In
r.puisiug the Indians.
The movement closed with rep
ra-outatilu OF the transfer of St.
Louis to the i'uited States On one
.dar. according. 90 the historians. st.
Loui. Na. under three ilags. Spanish.
French aud American The raising
oi ths three flags and the lowering
of two leaving the Stars and Stripes
Nls portrayed iu the pageant to-
uicht 4 waichmau then appeared
! 600 tac edge OF th. stage supposed
. to boz tie river bank and fortold
the growth OF the city
Th, last movement of the pageant
PORTRAYED the history Of St Louis
under tho American flag. First cams
the starting from 81 Louis Of the
. Lewis ana Clark expedition To the
northwest hy way of the Missouri
River then % portrayal of the day
uf fur traders and settlers bound
Tor the west Abou, two thousand
/ persons appeared in this scene then
came O. rc-enactment OF the scenes
v vbon General Lafayette visited 81.
Louis BOO 1894. the return Of bat
ter, from the Mexican war the com
/ inr off the German immigrants In
.Ikta. and tine reproduction of the
torch light procession that marched
I ihroueh the streets of 81 Louis In
. 1850 900 tho announcement of peace
between the north and the south.
After 4 brief intermission. the
electric lights ON the stage were
turned on aud The Masoue-a symbo-
lic Interpretation Of the history OF
the CITY began The masque open
od with tbc dream Of Cahokia. who
represented the spirit of the mound
builders civilization. He awoke to
find his empire gone and himself
mockod hy heat. cold. wild nature
forces buffalo. and wild cat. forest
and flood Tie asked tho stars "
there were no hope and was told that
the Mississippi River would bring
white child who should restore
civilization. This child struggled
with the forces Of nature. hut they
retreatcd as the discoverers an
nroachod. who named the child 81.
Louis
- Louis leading IN nio,ocr.