Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-06-22

haven in the Rock Island rink. where
they are being protected from the ele-
ments against the time when they are
again paraded before the public
The pageant started on the arsenal
drive near the shops and proceeded
I west past the grand stand. First came
Stroehles band. then two heralds.
mounted. in front. and followed by
Brigadier General Edward Kittilsen
and Mayor NJ r. Carlson of Moline,
marshalS, in autos. Then came the
floats in order. the United Sunday
school boys hand preceding the one
depicting the flag, and each unit of
the pageant being preceded by an il
Illuminated banner giving the theme and
number.
Lights Turned OF.
Each float. or car. was drawn by
four horses. At the east end of the
grand stand the trolleys were placed
on the wires and the lights flashed up
In a number of cases they Immediately
flashed out again. but enough of that
The grounds had been darkened as the
pageant approached and the effect in
the case Of the floats which could be
seen was up to all expectations. Prob
ably no better scheme of illustrating
the progress of this community since
the coming of white man, a hundred
years ago could have been devised.
Car No. l represented the flight of
the bird spirit. which Indians believed
existed in a cave at the point of the
island and which brought them luck.
This legend was depicted with a
great white bird in the foreground ris-
ing in flight. Below. and on either
side were white swans which appeared
as its guardians In the rear was seen
the mouth of the cave from which an
Indian fairy queen was emerging She
was holding her right hand aloft and
in it were gathered ribbons which
fOated back from the beaks of the
birds. They were seen soaring out
over the bosom of the great river in
their final fight. The car was bril-
liantly illuminated and was one of the
most charming of the brilliant pro-
Cession
Car No. . showed the coming of
white man in the persons of Marquette
and Joliet, who passed down the river
in 1878.
|. This was a water scene In the
background was the lower end of the
|. island of Rock Island. On the water
was a canoe In the canoe was seen
Joliet and Marquette, the latter bear
ing alOft blazing cross With them
were the Indian voyagers. On the
bow OF the canoe was an OId-fashion-
ed torch in which bark was burning
Car 8 showed the coming of the flag.
This car was purely allegorical. There
was represented a frontier block
house, a picturesque living figure rep
resenting Columbia" was raising a
flag. In the foreground stood SOL
der, furtrader, and frOntiersman,
typical of three of the classes of men
who were in advance of civilization.
Car showed a family of pioneers.
On this car was a covered wagon with
, camp utensils hanging beneath it. To
one OF its wheels was tied a mule. A
= dog and farm animals were grouped
| about In the rear and forming a
: background was log cabin. illuminat-
; ed, with a campfire burning in front
of it.
Car typified agriculture On the
: rear of this car was tree bearing
= 100 red lights imbedded in it foliage
typifying the one hundred years of
progress that we are now celebrating
In the foreground was a profusion of
agricultural products and trailing
over and among these was vine Gov
cred with leaves and flowers typical
of natures bounteOus response to the
agricultural effects of men. Life was
added to the scene by the presence of
two women seated in the midst of this
profusiOn.
Car represented lumber. forest
riches. 1t showed the householder re-
Ceiving from the forest nymph the gift
of Forest Riches" She was made to
appear coming through the arch OF
success from a dense wood. On either
side stood the protecting fairies of the
deep forest, in their garb of green
bronze and brilliant with the light OF
promise.
Car was entitled manufacturing
This car showed the goddess of in
dustry, seated on her marble throne at
the foot of the factory studded hills
of progress. presiding over the work
ers with her beacon light ever burn
ing.
Car depicted commerce The queen
of commerce was shown on a wharf
as foundation, with the boxes and
barrels of her calling as a throne
presiding over the shipping, while on
the high ground at the rear the first
locomotive, the Antoine lie Claire. was
seen crossing the island Back of il
stood the clock tower of the arsenal
building and in the waters below was
a passing river steamboat
Peace and prosperity was represent
ed in car 8. This car was surmounted
by an angel figure of peace of heroic
size. Around her wound the great
horn Of plenty from which poured d
stream of unlimited riches which the
fairy Enterprise" with her wand
turns to gold
Car 10 and the last was the cal
triumphant. Upon the steps of ad-
vancement stood the goddess of pros
perity, mounted on the wheel and
wings of progress. The massive steps
were draped with the national cOlors
as protection and inspiration THESE
great flags were studded with lights
over the steps and on the backs Of
the great gilded lions, emblematic Of
might, were seen lowering white doves
"a dove for each of the one hundred
years of continual progress We have
made since the first flag flew over Ole
Fort Armstrong.
Show Fireworks Early.
| In the early mart of the eveninc