Evening star., 1915-10-05
REvELERS ARE OUT
0NDRESS PARADE
Seventh Street Celebration, in
Form of Carnival, Witnessed
by Many Thousands. |
BUSINESS MEN COMPETE
FOR HONORS OF DISPLAY |
District Commissioners and Other
Officials Among the Spectators.
Award of Prizes.

night over that piece of asphalt it has
| just received from the hands of the
steam roller. and to show it's apprecia-
ton the thoroughfare called out be-
tween $4,000 and 100000 people, who
lined up thick from building to curb
along the entire length. while multi
colored parade whizzed by in automo-
biles.
Between $4,000 and 100, 900 people"
leaves big margin for differences of
opinion, but the former number is ex-
tremely conservative. Those wedged
in the crowd will say that 100000 is
the more exact figure. The police be-
lieve at least 100000 men. women and
children endeavored to push out beyond
the curbstone dead line. A careful es-
innate of single piece of sidewalk
on one block revealed approximately
1000 people standing between building
line and curb.
Crowds From East and West.
Seventh street never knew it was so
| important until the crowds began to
\ throng to it from east and west as
early as Z o'clock. Cars coming up
| the street and down the street, from
the extremes of the District, unloaded
large cargoes of curious people who
wanted to see the fun.
There wasn't a business house along
the line that didn't spruce up and hang
out buntings. lanterns or electric
lights. There didn't seem to be an
upper story window that wasn't chock-
full of people hanging over the slls.
There wasn't a half foot of space on
| the stone curbing that was not oc-
cupied by little citizens. They had the
best of the bargain, too.
When 1th street was filled comfort
! ably, greater crowd than ever tried
to jam in from the side streets, bulging
out the front rank and forcing the
overworked policemen to hammer the
bulge back. They weren't overgentle
with it. either. When the bulging
! mob wouldn't be pressed back by hand
| the police would roll an automobile
| into it.
Wanted to See the Floats.
OF course. the viewers were waiting
for the parade of floats. These were
kept in the background of dark side
streets until Grand Marshal Berberich.
in a motor car that had been turned
into blazing fairyland, gave the word
to start her going" The parade was
approximately prompt in starting, one
slight delay being caused by the fact
/
van for one of the bands, but had not
Thought about providing seats The
| truckload of musicians rumbled up 18th
street trying to find a place where one
could break through the crowd and
borrow few chairs. Finally they
found seats for all except the drum
mer. who sat on the tafrrail of the con-
veyance and drummed one-handed.
And 1t was grand parade. To begin
with. there were enough prominent citi-
zens leading off in automobiles to stock
q new telephone directory with names
Included with these. of course. were
the Commissioners, and Maj. Pullman,
who rode in large limousine car. aad
would stick his head out of the win
dow ever and anon and give directions
to random cop. who would look up
recognize his boss, and then pedal away
for dear life, driving the bulging popu-
lace back to the dead line. And, in pass
ing, 1t should be said that strong
nrst line of Boy Scouts was right on
the job to give all the aid they could to
the authorities.
Joseph Berberich, as has been said
was the grand marshal-probabl the
grandest of all the marshals that ever
waved a commanding hand. His as
sistants were H. Frank Rupert and NJ
T. Pines. and the members Of the Mid
city Association generally.
| Program Of Parade.
The formal program lined up the big
parade in this manner:
Civic-Escort of mounted police,
iGrand Marshal Berberich and aids
band, members Midcity Citizens Asso-
lciation, Commissioners of the District
lof Columbia, invited guests, decorated
automobiles.
Observation-Disclosures Marshal M
Frank Rupert and aids, band, deco
lrated floats, decorated wagons and au-
ltomobiles of all kinds, band. fraternal
ORGANIZATIONS.
Carnival-Assistant Marshal NJ. T.
Pines and aids. wearing frock coats
and silk hats; Boy Scouts and band
carnival groups In costume, band, indi-
lvfdual marchers in carnival costume
skaters.
I The route lay UP 7th street to Rhode
Island avenue. thence to r street and
east to 1st street, up to Rhode Island
lavenue. west to S street. to 7th, dowr
to Pennsylvanfa avenue and north
again to N street, where all the We.
htcles halted to be judged for the cups
offered by the four local newspapers
and cash prizes donated by the associa'
ltion.
Prize Winners in the Line.
Assistant Marshal Rupert headed
the industrial section, in which scores
of elaborate floats rolled along. Ir
this section was the prze-winnine
lighthouse float of the Potomac Elec
trio Light and Power Company and the
enormous brsad-making noat of th<
Holmes bakery. second prize winner
~